Place your wok over a high heat and add the oil. When piping hot add the shrimp and stir fry for 30 seconds on one side and then 30 seconds on the other. You want to virtually cook the shrimp but not fully.
1 lb shrimp
Remove the shrimp for the wok and place to one side for now.
Reduce the heat to a medium low and add the ginger, then the garlic and shallot and stir fry for about a minute or so until the shallot has caramelised.
¾ inch ginger, 2 cloves garlic, 2 large shallots
Add the sauce mixture from step 2 and cook for a further minute stirring until everything is mixed.
Add the mirin together with the coriander/cilantro stems and stir in.
1 tbsp mirin, ½ bunch cilantro
Increase the heat from medium low to medium high and pour in the water. Stir and allow the mixture to simmer.
1/3 cup water
When the sauce is simmering away return the shrimp to the wok and stir in to both finish cooking them and to coat them in the sauce.
Serve with cilantro as the garnish.
½ bunch cilantro
Notes
Note 1: I peel the shrimp when serving as a canape or appertoiser but if a starter then I often leave the shells on.Note: 2 Chop the cilantro/coriander stems off and chop finely to go in the dish while the cilantro/coriander leaves should be chopped to serve as a garnish.