Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons grated fresh ginger
• 4  teaspoons minced roasted garlic
• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 1  tablespoon cooking oil
• 1/4  cup dry sherry, rice wine, or dry vermouth
• 2  tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 2  tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1  teaspoon red chili paste
• 2  pounds uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 6  green onions, sliced (3/4 cup)
• 3  tablespoons lemon juice
•   Fresh snow pea pods, cooked and chilled* (optional)
• 8  wonton skins, cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips (optional)
• 2  tablespoons cooking oil (optional)
•   Salt (optional)

Directions

1. Cook and stir ginger, garlic, and sugar in hot cooking oil in a large nonstick skillet for 1 minute. Add sherry, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, and chili paste. Stir in shrimp. Bring to boiling; reduce heat and cook, uncovered, for 3 minutes or until shrimp are opaque, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

2. Stir in green onions, lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon salt. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Cover and chill for 2 to 4 hours or until shrimp are chilled.

3. To serve, remove shrimp from mixture with a slotted spoon. If desired, arrange atop a platter of cooked and chilled fresh snow pea pods and garnish with wonton pretzels.** Makes 12 appetizer servings.

*To cook snow pea pods: Remove tips and strings from snow peas; wash. Cook, covered, in a small amount of boiling salted water for 2 to 4 minutes or until crisp-tender (or steam for 2 to 4 minutes); drain. Cover and chill for 2 hours.

**To make wonton pretzels: Cut wonton skins into 1/4-inch wide strips. Cook half at a time in 2 tablespoons hot cooking oil in a skillet for 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden and crisp, turning often with a spatula. Transfer to paper towels; drain. Sprinkle with salt, if desired.

Make-Ahead Tip: Store pretzels in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.