Happosai (Simmered Shrimp and vegetables)

🍤 What is Happosai?

The name Happosai comes from the Chinese word “Happo” (Ba Bao), which means “eight treasures” (many precious ingredients). It is a dish made by gathering a variety of high-quality ingredients.

• Ingredients: Traditionally, it features a colorful mix of pork, shrimp, squid, quail eggs, Chinese cabbage, carrots, bell peppers, and wood ear mushrooms.
• Characteristics: It is defined by a savory “An” (thickened sauce) that locks in the umami of the ingredients. When served over rice, it is a popular dish known as “Chukadon” (Chinese-style rice bowl).

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🥫 Tidbits on SOMI SHANTAN

This is the “magic seasoning” used in Japanese households to recreate authentic Chinese flavors at home.

• Content: A paste-style soup base made from a refined blend of premium oils, vegetable extracts, and spices.
• Role: It provides the rich depth of a professional “Chintan” (clear soup) with just one spoonful, allowing you to create a satisfying taste while keeping salt levels in check.

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🥗 Nutritional Comparison: Shrimp vs. Chicken Breast (per 100g)

When comparing these two dieting staples, the benefits of shrimp really stand out.

Ingredient	Calories	Protein	Fat
Shrimp (Vannamei)	82 kcal	19.6 g	0.6 g
Chicken Breast (Skinless)	105 kcal	23.3 g	1.9 g

Point: Shrimp is even lower in calories and fat than chicken breast. Its plump texture also makes it very satisfying, making it an ideal main ingredient for weight loss.

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🍳 Refined Recipe: Simmered Shrimp and Vegetables (Happosai)

【Ingredients】 (3 Servings)

• Main: Vannamei shrimp (Whiteleg shrimp) – 80g
• Vegetables: Chinese cabbage – 200g, Onion – 80g, Shiitake mushrooms – 60g
• Oil: Sesame oil – 4g
• Combined Seasoning (Soup):
  • Water – 200g
  • SOMI SHANTAN – 2g
  • Light soy sauce – 12g
  • Sugar – 6g / Salt – 2g
  • Potato starch – 6g (for thickening)

【Instructions】

1. Prep the Shrimp: Remove shells and tails. Make a small cut along the back to remove the dark vein (gut). Rub with salt water (not listed in main ingredients), rinse well, pat dry, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
2. Cut the Vegetables: Chop the Chinese cabbage, onion, and shiitake mushrooms into bite-sized pieces.
3. Stir-fry: Heat sesame oil in a frying pan. Add the shrimp and vegetables. Stir-fry until the stalks of the Chinese cabbage become soft.
4. Simmer: Give the “Combined Seasoning” (including the starch) a quick stir and pour it all into the pan at once.
5. Finish: Heat while stirring until the sauce thickens and becomes translucent. It’s ready!

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✨ Pro-Tips

• Thickening Trick: While potato starch is usually dissolved in water separately, mixing it into the soup base beforehand prevents lumps and makes the process foolproof.
• Variations: Try adding a few slices of wood ear mushrooms or carrots for a pop of color—it makes it look even more like a true “Eight Treasures” dish!

Happosai (八宝菜)

What kind of dish is Happosai⁇

SOMI SHANTAN = Seasonings frequently used when making Chinese food in Japan　　Shrimp＝Ebi（エビ）

Stir-fried shrimp and vegetables seasoned with SOMI SHANTAN. It has a light and salty taste. The amount of soup is large, so it’s delicious to eat over rice.

Shrimp is low in calories, low in fat and high in protein, so it is recommended for dieters. Compare with skinless chicken breast, which is also used as an ingredient for dieters. 100g of skinless chicken breast has 105kcal and 23.3g of protein, while 100g of shrimp has 82kcal and 19.6g of protein.
Shrimp is a great alternative to skinless chicken breast.

I use a type of shrimp called Whiteleg shrimp. Whiteleg shrimp is called “vannamei shrimp” in Japan. It is a variety available at any supermarket.

Depending on how the shrimp is prepared, the finish and taste of the dish will differ. Washing the shrimp well and removing the dark streaks on their backs will remove the unpleasant odor. It’s a little troublesome, but let’s do it properly.

NUTRITION FACTS : Happosai (Simmered Shrimp and vegetables)

75 kcal Protein 7.0g Fat 1.7g Carb 9.8g Salt Eqyivalent 2.0g

INGREDIENTS : Happosai (Simmered Shrimp and vegetables) (3SERVINGS)

• Vannamei shrimp 80g
• salt 2g
• water 100g
• salt 1g
• onion 80g
• shiitake mushrooms 60g
• Chinese cabbage 200g
• sesame oil 4g
• sugar 6g
• salt 2g
• SOMI SHANTAN  2g
• light soy sauce 12g
• water 200g
• potato starch 6g

How to make Happosai (Simmered Shrimp and vegetables)

➀ Remove shrimp shells and tails. Make a cut in the back and remove the gut.

② Put the shrimp in a mixture of salt and water, wash by rubbing.

③ Wipe off the water from the shrimp and rub in the salt.

④ Cut onions, shiitake mushrooms, and Chinese cabbage into appropriate sizes.

⑤ Add shrimp, onions, shiitake mushrooms and Chinese cabbage to a frying pan heated with sesame oil.

⑥ Stir-fry the onion and Chinese cabbage until soft.

⑦ Add sugar, salt, SOMI SHANTAN, light soy sauce, water and potato starch and simmer for a while.

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