First things first, you need to make the marinade for the shrimp. You want to take about a pound of cleaned shrimp, tails off, and put them in a bowl with 2 tsps of fish sauce, 1 tsp of sugar or a packet of splenda, 1/4 cup of either rice wine or sake (I used a dry sake and more then 1/4 cup won't hurt!), 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 red chili - seeded and minced and the titular lemongrass. Now for this you can certainly use fresh and slice it OR you can find it sold already sliced in the jar. So if it is fresh, you want to slice about one stalk; if it is jarred, you want about a 1/3 cup. Now mix this all up, make sure the shrimp are coated and put it in the fridge for at least a half hour.
Once the marinade has gotten its job done, you need to heat your wok. None of this throwing stuff in a cold wok and letting it heat together! Let it heat until the mere touch of oil makes a hell of a sizzle and then douse the wok with peanut oil. Next drop in another clove of minced garlic, a little salt and pepper and wait till your garlic is brown and/or your kitchen smells delicious.
Next up in the veggies....and admittedly, I used a frozen mix that wasn't necessarily Asian but that I liked with the lemongrass. It has broccoli, cauliflower and then orange and yellow carrots. It is simple but effective. However, any veggie mix you prefer will be ok or you can always just go with broccoli or green beans as a standalone. Let them cook for a few minutes and soften....
Now you want to add the shrimp and the marinade all in one shot. Stir it around with the vegetables until everything is coated and then let it cook on a lower heat in the wok for another five to seven minutes - or until the shrimp are cooked (they'll turn a lovely pinkish hue).
Served with my usual brown jasmine rice and extra crushed red pepper flakes for more heat.
- Melissa
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