Skip to main content

Clear Soda Shrimp Tan #FoodieReads


You can read my thoughts on Natalie Tan's Book of Luck & Fortune by Roselle Lim* in my post: Minced Pork Lettuce Cups. But I was inspired to create multiple dishes and am sharing my interpretation of Natalie's Clear Soda Shrimp that appeared on pages 176-177.

"The grey shells of the shrimp gleamed like smooth pebbles in a stream. Ten minutes before the guests arrived, I would submerge them in a hot bath of clear soda accented with slices of ginger. I watched and waited, checking for when the shells turned coral. The soda enhance the natural sweetness of the shrimp" (pg. 177).

It was that last sentence when I realized that 'clear soda' didn't mean 'sparkling water' but actual clear soda. 7-Up, Sprite, or something along those lines. That's not something that I typically have in the house, so all three of my boys were excited to guzzle the leftovers of the six-pack!

Ingredients serves 4


  • 1 pound large shrimp (the recipe calls for heads-on but I couldn't find any)
  • 2 to 3 C clear soda (I used a lemon lime)
  • 1 C water
  • 1" knob fresh ginger, sliced into coins and pounded flat
  • freshly ground salt
  • freshly ground pepper
  • sesame oil
  • organic cilantro, roughly chopped

Dipping Sauce

  • 1/4 C soy sauce
  • 1/4 C vinegar (I used rice wine vinegar)
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and pressed
  • 1 T chile sauce


Procedure

Pour the soda and water into a large pot. Add in the pounded ginger coins and bring to a boil. Gently lower the shrimp into the liquid and stir until the shells turn to a blush pink color. Drain immediately so you do not overcook them. Drizzle with sesame oil and fold in roughly chopped cilantro.


Whisk together the dipping sauce and serve immediately.

Natalie notes: "The first time I drank clear soda, I marveled at its properties. It was like drinking liquid sugar and I knew it would pair well with the natural sweetness of shrimp. Serve this to those needing respite and peace. There are those who desperately need a sense of calm because they are facing difficulty in their lives. The sweetness of the dish will temper and soothe the soul" (pg. 177).

We could all use a little serenity in our lives, right? I will be making this again. It's so easy and so tasty.

*This blog currently has a partnership with Amazon.com in their affiliate program, which gives me a small percentage of sales if you buy a product through a link on my blog. It doesn't cost you anything more. If you are uncomfortable with this, feel free to go directly to Amazon.com and search for the item of your choice.



Click to see what everyone else read in July 2019: here.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Quick Pickled Red Onions and Radishes

If you've been reading my blog for even a short amount of time, you probably know how much I love to pickle things. I was just telling a friend you can pickle - with vinegar - or you can ferment - with salt - for similar delicious effect. The latter has digestive benefits and I love to do that, but when I need that pop of sour flavor quickly, I whip up quick pickles that are ready in as little as a day or two. I've Pickled Blueberries , Pickled Asparagus , Pickled Cranberries , Pickled Pumpkin , and even Pickled Chard Stems ! This I did last night for an upcoming recipe challenge that requires I include radishes. Ummmm...of course I'm pickling them! Ingredients  makes 1 quart jar radishes, trimmed and sliced organic red onions, peeled and thinly sliced (I used a mandolin slicer) 3/4 C vinegar (I used white distilled vinegar) 3/4 C water 3 T organic granulated sugar 1 T salt (I used some grey sea salt) 6 to 8 grinds of black pepper Proce

Aloo Tiki {Pakistan}

To start off our Pakistani culinary adventure, I started us off with aloo tiki - potato cutlets. I'm always game for tasty street food. I found a couple of different recipes and incorporated those together for this version. Ingredients 6-8 small red potatoes, scrubbed 1 T cumin seeds 1 T fresh chopped parsley 1/2 t ground coriander 1 t minced garlic Procedure Boil the potatoes until they are tender. Drain and let cool. Mash the potatoes. Traditionally they are mashed without their skins. I left the skins on. In a small pan, toast the cumin seeds on high heat until the begin to give off an aroma and begin to darken. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate to keep them from cooking any more. Blend all of the spices into the mashed potatoes, then shape into small patties. If you wet your hands, the potato mixture won't stick to them. Heat a splash of oil in a large, flat-bottom pan. Dip each patty into beaten egg and carefully place in the oil. P

Hot Chocolate Agasajo-Style {Spice It Up!}

photo by D For my Spice It Up! kiddos this week, I was looking for an exotic drink to serve while we learned about saffron. I found a recipe from food historian Maricel Presilla that mimicked traditional Spanish hot chocolate from the 17th century where it was served at lavish receptions called agasajos . When I teach, I don't always get to shoot photos. Thankfully, D grabbed my camera and snapped a few. Ingredients serves 14-16 1 gallon organic whole milk 3 T dried rosebuds - or 2 t rosewater 2 t saffron threads, lightly crushed 3 T ground cinnamon 3 whole tepin chiles, crushed 2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise 1 C organic granulated sugar 1 lb. bittersweet chocolate Procedure In a large soup pot that can hold a gallon plus, combine milk, dried rosebuds (or rosewater, if you are using that), saffron threads, ground cinnamon, chiles, vanilla beans, and sugar and warm over medium heat till it steams. Whisk to dissolve sugar, then lower heat an