Ha-chong

Ingredients:

• 0.5 cup rice flour
• 1/4 cup tapioca starch
• 1/4 cup light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. sesame oil
• 20 peeled small shrimp with tails removed (about 250 g)
• Vegetable oil
• Special equipment: two round metal cake pans, 20 cm in diameter, with a non-stick coating

Preparation:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the rice flour and tapioca starch. Gradually add 1 1/4 to 1.5 cups of room temperature water, stirring constantly until a smooth, liquid mixture forms. Try to break up any small lumps and be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Let sit for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the soy sauce, sugar, and 1 tablespoon water over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Add the sesame oil. Set aside.
3. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and transfer to a bowl. Add a generous pinch of salt and white pepper. Stir. Set aside.
4. Place the steamer basket in a large wok or wide saucepan and add about 2 inches of water. Bring to a full boil over high heat, covered.
5. Generously grease two round, nonstick metal cake pans with vegetable oil, using about 2 teaspoons each. Set one pan aside. Stir the batter thoroughly (you'll need to do this each time before making a new batch). Pour 1/4 cup of batter into the prepared pan. It won't completely cover the bottom of the pan.
6. Increase the heat under the wok to medium-high, carefully remove the lid, and place the pan on the rack. Cover and steam for 15 seconds. Remove the lid again and swirl the pan, trying to coat as much of the bottom as possible; the batter should be slightly set but still quite runny and spreadable. Cover again and cook for another 15 seconds. Remove the lid and arrange 4 shrimp directly in the center in a single line. Steam for another 90 seconds; the shrimp should turn pink. Remove the lid and, using an oven mitt, transfer the pan to a trivet. Let sit for 30 seconds.
7. Using a silicone spatula or bench scraper, cut the rice cake in half to create two semicircles with two shrimp on each side. Working with one semicircle at a time, carefully fold one end of the semicircle over the shrimp. Fold the other end over the top, tucking it under the roll to hide the seam. Repeat with the remaining semicircle. Carefully transfer the rolls to a plate. Repeat with the second prepared pan.
8. Continue with the remaining batter and shrimp, stirring each time and wiping the pans with a clean paper towel before greasing them with vegetable oil. Any remaining batter on the bottom may cause the pancake to tear. Drizzle half of the sweet soy mixture over the rolls, and serve the rest as a side dish.