Home-styleEasy 15 min serves 2

White-Boiled Shrimp

Name: White-Boiled Shrimp
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Home-style
Ingredients: large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on; ginger, thinly sliced; scallion whites, cut into 3-cm pieces; Shaoxing wine

白灼虾 · bái zhuó xiā

家庭快手版 · Home version: Family version uses minimal seasoning and emphasizes shrimp freshness — no sugar or MSG, unlike some restaurant versions that add a splash of oyster sauce.

My aunt in Guangzhou taught me this when I was ten — she’d buy live river shrimp from Xiguan Market every Thursday, saying 'the shrimp must dance in the pot before they rest.' She never boiled more than 8 at once so each stayed plump and sweet.

Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen

Home-cooking research team

Reviewed by HǎoWèi editorial team · Last updated 2026-08-29

Quick & Easy Seafood

Ingredients

large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on大虾（去壳去线，留尾）🛒 local300 g
ginger, thinly sliced生姜（切薄片）🛒 local20 g
scallion whites, cut into 3-cm pieces葱白（切3厘米段）🛒 local40 g
Shaoxing wine绍兴黄酒🏮 asian15 ml

large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on: Use fresh or high-quality frozen; thaw fully and pat dry.

ginger, thinly sliced: Peel lightly with a spoon — preserves fiber and aroma.

scallion whites, cut into 3-cm pieces: Use only whites for clean, mild aroma — greens reserved for garnish.

Shaoxing wine: Substitute dry sherry if unavailable.

🌶️ Adjust to your taste

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Saltiness

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Instructions

1Fill a wide, deep pot with 1.5 L water. Add ginger slices, scallion whites, and Shaoxing wine.
先煮水再下虾
🔍 Look for High heat 1 分钟 · 1 minute
Visual: 水呈清澈微金黄色，姜香初透。Water is clear with faint golden tint from ginger.
You know it's right when: 锅底开始持续冒出均匀气泡。Bubbles begin to rise steadily from bottom.
Do not add salt — shrimp’s natural sweetness needs no enhancement.
2Bring to a vigorous boil, then reduce heat to medium-high and maintain a steady rolling simmer.
水沸即下虾
🔍 Look for Medium-high 30 秒 · 30 seconds
Visual: 整锅水面持续翻涌大气泡。Large bubbles break constantly across entire surface.
You know it's right when: 蒸汽浓密且有明显‘嘶嘶’声。Steam rises thickly and audibly.
3Gently add shrimp in a single layer. Do not stir — let them poach undisturbed.
虾身微卷即熟
🔍 Look for Medium-high 90–120 秒 · 90–120 seconds
Visual: 虾身由透明转为粉红，尾部微微卷曲。Shrimp turn opaque pink with slight curling at tails.
You know it's right when: 最先下锅的虾尾部紧卷如逗号。First shrimp begins curling tightly like a comma.
4Immediately drain shrimp into a colander. Rinse *briefly* under cold running water for 5 seconds to halt cooking and firm texture.
冷激定型
🔍 Look for 5 秒 · 5 seconds
Visual: 虾身泛光、紧实有弹性。Shrimp gleam with tight, glossy surface and springy feel.
You know it's right when: 指尖轻按即弹回，触感凉而韧。Surface feels cool and resilient to fingertip press.
5Arrange on a chilled plate. Garnish with reserved scallion greens and serve immediately with light soy sauce for dipping.
冷盘热酱
🔍 Look for 即刻 · immediately
Visual: 虾体挺立、油亮，葱绿鲜翠。Shrimp sit upright, glistening, with vibrant green garnish.
You know it's right when: 盘面无热气升腾。No steam rising from plate.

Tips

· Use head-on shrimp if available — their natural enzymes enhance sweetness.
· Never overcook: shrimp are done the moment they curl into a loose C-shape.
· Chill the serving plate in freezer 10 minutes before plating for optimal texture.

Sources & references

Quantities, technique notes, and substitution ratios are cross-checked against established Chinese cookery references and standard food-science sources.

Read our editorial policy
Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
USDA FoodData Central — ingredient nutrition and portion data
Traditional Chinese family-kitchen practice and regional taste records

Common questions

Can I skip Shaoxing wine? What's the substitute?

Dry sherry is the closest 1:1 swap (fidelity ~80%). No sherry? Use a splash of white wine plus a little water, or just skip it and add a tiny extra pinch of sugar — the wine's job is depth and removing meat's gamey notes, and a good marinade covers most of it.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine

Why do you cook the aromatics (garlic/ginger) first on low heat?

Aromatics contain oils and sugars that turn bitter if scorched. Gentle heat (low-medium) lets garlic and ginger release their fragrance without browning too fast. If the pan is too hot, garlic goes bitter within seconds — that's why we always add aromatics first, before the main ingredients.

Source: Chinese Cooking Demystified technique library

I only have 30 minutes. Which recipes should I pick?

Look for the 'Quick' filter (≤30 min) — tomato & egg, egg fried rice, scallion pancakes, beef & broccoli, and mapo tofu (if you have doubanjiang) all fit. Prep tip: mise-en-place everything first; the actual cooking is usually under 10 minutes.

Source: HǎoWèi recipe collection