Shrimp prepared for stir fry, with a shrimp and celery stir fry

Peel the shrimp: slide a finger in to the head, pinch and remove, then open from the front upper middle, remove and slide down.

Butterfly each shrimp flat on the board, slicing in horizontally on the tail side almost all the way through, then sliding the knife down to the head end, and open it like a book.

Devein the opened shrimp.

Rinse, then fill the bowl with water, mix in the sodium carbonate and soak about ten minutes.

Drain and leave under running water about three minutes until the shrimp look flushed.

Dry thoroughly: wring out on paper towel, roll up in a rag or towel and pat again.

Marinate with salt, sugar, white pepper, cornstarch and Shaoxing wine, mixed well.

Heat three quarters of a cup of oil in a round bottom wok to about 160C and pass the shrimp through for 30 to 40 seconds until they change colour, then lift out.

Shortcut: add four extra tablespoons of oil to your usual stir fry vessel, heat until it bubbles rapidly around chopsticks and give the shrimp an oily pre-stir fry until cooked through; reuse the excess oil.

Shortcut: double the starch in the marinade and mix in half an egg white, then dip the shrimp into water at a heavy simmer, undisturbed 20 seconds until the coating forms, jiggle to separate and wait another 40 seconds; lift out with a spider.

Shortcut: boil the shrimp shell on about two minutes until the smallest just start to float, shock under running water and peel; they cannot be marinated this way, so add them near the end of the stir fry.

Peel the stringy outside from three celery stalks and cut on a bias into inch and a half sections.

Mix the salt, sugar, MSG, cornstarch and water into a seasoning sauce.

Swirl about a tablespoon and a half of oil into the wok, and on medium high fry the celery about 45 seconds.

Add the shrimp, mix quickly, drop the flame low and add the sauce; let it thicken and cling, then hit it with a teaspoon of the shrimp frying oil for sheen and turn out.