Asian shrimp soup

Ingredients:

• 170 g snow peas in pods (about 1 1/4 cups), trimmed and sliced ​​diagonally
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 3 tablespoons lightly salted soy sauce
• 1 tsp. dark sesame oil
• 3 tablespoons peanut or other vegetable oil
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped (white parts separated from green parts)
• 4 tsp grated peeled ginger
• 3 carrots, diced
• 3/4 teaspoon sugar
• 350 g shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps thinly sliced
• 170 g slice of ham (1 pc.), diced
• 3 tbsp. l. rice wine or dry sherry
• 4 cups lightly salted chicken broth
• 450 g medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1.5 cups of boiled white rice
• Freshly ground white pepper

Preparation:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add snow peas and cook until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Fill a bowl with ice water. Drain the snow peas and transfer them to an ice bath to cool immediately; drain.
2. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch, soy sauce, sesame oil and 1/4 cup water.
3. Heat the peanut oil in a heavy-bottomed wok or saucepan over high heat. Add the white parts of the onion, ginger, carrots, sugar, and 3/4 teaspoon of salt; fry for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and ham and fry for another minute.
4. Add the rice wine, broth, and 2 cups of water to the pot and bring to a vigorous boil. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring, until they turn pink, about 1 minute. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and whisk it into the soup; simmer until the soup thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in the snow peas and rice and season with white pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls; garnish with green onions.