Salt and Pepper Shrimp - Ambiance Eating

 

Song:  (cover) Moonlight Sonata

Performer:  Marcin

Original Composer:  Beethoven

Salt and Pepper Shrimp is a mainstay in most

Chinese restaurants.

However...

most places cook the shrimp with the shell on...

and with all of the seasoning being on the shell...

it forces one to lick one's fingers after each bite of the shrimp...

to get all the flavoring.

I peel the shrimp before I cook them.

Just buy uncooked shrimp.

Peel and slice one half a white onion.

I use two types of oils in the cooking of this dish...

Roasted Sesame and Chili Sesame Oil.

The Chili Sesame Oil is what gives this dish its kick.

As the shrimp is frozen...

I defrost them in a bowl in the sink.

I don't use a hot water bath...

but rather a hot water shower.

As the hot water is constantly being replenished...

the items defrost much more quickly.

As the shrimp is being defrosted...

I then slice the half white onion.

I peeled the shrimp over the trash compactor.

With all of the preliminary steps having been done...

I heated up the wok.

I use high heat as this sears the shrimp without overcooking them.

I then add the oils and allow them to heat up.

I like a bright kitchen while I cook.

Fire Extinguisher Bear standing on perpetual guard against 

any carelessness on my part :)

I always clean as I go when I cook.

The onions are plated and ready for the shrimp to finish cooking.

Add salt and pepper to taste as it cooks.

Plated and ready...

...to eat.

Although this dish is often eaten with rice...

I felt like just having miso soup and Umeboshi with it.

Yes...

I shared some of my shrimp with Bandi.

If it is in the evening hours....

I often eat with all of the great room lights...

and the outside porch lights on...

as well as with music playing...

all to add some ambiance to accompany me as I eat

(I played a play list of Marcin on his classical guitar...

the same one playing on this article).

After eating...

I then turn off most of the lights...

except for the deck lights on the front door side.

I took Bandi out for her evening bathroom time.

I use a flashlight to scan the forest as soon as I arrive.

If I see the reflection of eyes peering back at me...

although it has yet to happen...

as Bandi would alert to the smell of another animal...

I think I would hightail it back inside  :)

Looking back at my house from Bandi's bathroom spot.

My walk back towards the house...

only I decided to walk out to the road to see if the county had plowed the road.

Yes...

they had plowed the road.

I stood in the plowed road and looked back at my home.

The lights that you see are the ones I leave on all night.

Once again...

especially after eating...

as my metabolism kicks into high gear...

the powdery snow which had gotten into my sneakers...

and then melted over my bare feet...

feels so refreshing.

In general...

I have a high metabolic rate...

and so...

just one of the reasons I love high altitude mountain living.

The temperature is almost always refreshingly cool...

especially at night.

I still sleep with my bedroom windows partially open...

as the chill in the air makes being under my comforters...

especially comfortable...

as my body remains warm enough...

but the crisp air keeps me from over heating...

even though I keep the temperature in the house in the mid 60s F (18 C).

(I know...I could just lower the temperature more...

but this temperature allows my body to remain comfortably warm...

while allowing the crisp and chilly air to keep my internal temperature in balance...

and it makes being under the comforters feel all the more special.)