Shrimp Paste Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 4 oz shrimp paste (Use hot-pot shrimp paste, not fermented shrimp paste; chilled or thawed enough to pipe.)
• 8 oz baby bella mushrooms (Also called cremini or button mushrooms; cleaned and stems removed to create cavities.)
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• 0.5 tbsp oyster sauce
• 0.25 tsp black pepper
• 0.5 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp garlic (Minced.)
• 0.5 cup water (For the braising sauce.)
• 0.5 tbsp oil (For cooking the stuffed mushrooms.)
• 1 tsp sesame seeds (For garnish.)
• 1 scallion (Chopped; for garnish.)

Steps

1. 1

   Clean the mushrooms thoroughly and remove the stems, leaving each mushroom cap intact with a cavity suitable for filling.

2. 2

   Cut a small corner from the bag of shrimp paste to make a piping opening. Pipe the shrimp paste into each mushroom cavity until it is full, then snip the paste off cleanly with scissors. Repeat with all of the mushrooms.

3. 3

   In a small bowl, combine the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, black pepper, cornstarch, minced garlic, and water. Whisk until the cornstarch is completely dissolved, then set the sauce aside.

4. 4

   Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange the stuffed mushrooms in a single layer with the shrimp-filled sides facing down. Cook them undisturbed for about 2–3 minutes, until the shrimp paste is golden brown on the bottom.

5. 5

   Carefully turn each mushroom so the shrimp paste faces up. Pour the prepared sauce into the pan around the mushrooms.

6. 6

   Reduce the heat to medium and cover the skillet with a lid. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender, the shrimp paste is cooked through, and the sauce has thickened into a glaze.

7. 7

   Spoon the thickened sauce over the mushrooms so the shrimp paste is evenly coated and glossy.

8. 8

   Garnish with the sesame seeds and chopped scallion.

9. 9

   Serve immediately, ideally with freshly steamed rice.

Notes

Use hot-pot shrimp paste from the frozen aisle of a Chinese supermarket, or homemade shrimp paste. Fresh shiitake or portobello mushrooms can also work if they have a natural cavity for the filling. The dish may be served as an appetizer, side dish, or main course with rice.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• side dish
• appetizer
• Chinese-inspired
• stovetop
• braised
• high-protein
• seafood