Steamed Lobster with Garlic Vermicelli (Small Spiny Lobster)
蒜蓉粉丝蒸龙虾（小青龙） · cantonese cuisine · Canton
The author describes this as a simple but impressive-looking dish: steaming seafood with garlic gives it a wonderful aroma, and lobster and garlic are a perfect pairing. The vermicelli underneath absorbs the lobster's cooking juices, making it the highlight of the plate — a dish that is easy to make yet elegant enough to serve family and friends.
Yuki TanakaTokyo-born, now in Chicago. I post about dashi, pickles, and bento for picky kids. My kitchen is tiny but my knife game is sharp.Nutrition & allergens
Contains:SoyWheat
Some ingredients are not yet allergen-surveyed; this label is not exhaustive.
Per serving (4 servings)
- Energy (kcal)
- Unknown
- Protein (g)
- Unknown
- Fat (g)
- Unknown
- Carbs (g)
- Unknown
- Sodium (mg)
- Unknown
Estimated from verified ingredient data for the original formula — not lab values, and one dish is not a full meal.
small green lobster (juvenile rock lobster)小青龙
1.0 whole
2.0 piece
8.0 clove
Chili pepper糍粑辣椒
2.0 piece
scallion葱花
1.0 stalk
1.8 oz
0.74 oz
0.42 oz
salt盐
to taste
as needed
as needed
Techniques you'll use
- Blanching (chao shui) ↗
Par-cook in boiling water to clean, tighten, or prep ingredients.
- Aromatic blooming (bao xiang) ↗
Bloom ginger, garlic, and chili in hot oil to build the aroma base.
- Steaming ↗
Cook with moist vapor for tender, clean-tasting results.
- Making scallion oil ↗
Infuse oil with scallions and stop at golden edges, before bitterness develops.
Steps
- 1
Step 1
Scrub the lobster clean with a brush.
✅ Done when: The shell is free of grit and debris when rinsed.
- 2
Step 2
Cut the lobster in half lengthwise.
✅ Done when: The lobster is split evenly into two halves, exposing the meat.
Rinse the vermicelli, place it in a pot of cold water, and boil until softened.
✅ Done when: The vermicelli is soft and pliable, no longer stiff.
- 4
Step 4
Pour out the vermicelli and drain it well.
✅ Done when: No water pools when the drained vermicelli sits in the colander.
- 5
Step 5
Find a deep plate (the author used a gratin/baked-rice dish). Spread the vermicelli in it and arrange the cut lobster halves on top.
✅ Done when: The vermicelli forms an even bed with the lobster halves resting on top, arranged to fit the plate.
- 6
Step 6
Mince the garlic cloves into garlic paste and finely chop the chilies. In a bowl, combine the garlic, chopped chili, 3 tablespoons light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, and a pinch of salt, and stir well.
✅ Done when: The sauce is evenly mixed with no settled sugar or salt at the bottom of the bowl.
Heat some oil in a wok, pour some of the hot oil over the sauce to release its aroma, and stir to combine.
✅ Done when: The sauce sizzles on contact with the oil and gives off a fragrant garlic aroma.
Pour the garlic sauce over the lobster. Swirl some boiling water in the sauce bowl and drizzle that over the vermicelli. Add water to a pot, bring it to a boil over high heat, put the lobster in, cover, and steam over medium heat for 15 minutes.
✅ Done when: After 15 minutes of steaming, the lobster meat is opaque and cooked through.
Cut the scallion into sections. When the lobster is done steaming, scatter the scallion on top, heat some more oil in the wok, and pour it over the lobster.
✅ Done when: The hot oil sizzles over the scallions and lobster, releasing a fragrant aroma.
- 10
Step 10
Serve and enjoy.
✅ Done when: The dish is plated and ready to eat.
- 11
Step 11
The author notes this homemade version rivals restaurant quality, especially the vermicelli underneath.
✅ Done when: This is a closing remark rather than an action; the dish is complete.