Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry in Garlic Sauce

1. Marinate the shrimp: Use paper towels to dry the shrimp, then season it with 1/4 tsp of salt, 1 tsp of paprika, 1/3 tsp of black pepper, and a drizzle of vegetable oil. Mix well and set it aside.
2. Prepare the sauce: In a bowl, mix together 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 tsp of sugar, 1 tbsp of oyster sauce, 1 tbsp of soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp of hoisin sauce, 2 tsp of cornstarch, and 1 tsp of dark soy sauce. Set the sauce aside.
3. Prepare the broccoli: Cut the broccoli into florets. Optionally, you can also use the stems. Peel the skin and cut them into quarters. Pickle them as you would pickle cucumbers for a delicious addition to the dish.
4. Prep the garlic and ginger: Dice 8 cloves of garlic and mince 1/2 tbsp of ginger. Optionally, cut open a few dried red chilies for extra spice.
5. Heat the wok: Turn the heat to high and heat your wok until it is smoking hot. Drizzle in a few tablespoons of vegetable oil and swirl it around to cover the bottom.
6. Stir fry the shrimp: Add the marinated shrimp to the hot wok. Stir-fry for a couple of minutes until they turn pink. The shrimp should be partially cooked, with the inside still slightly translucent. Remove the shrimp from the wok.
7. Stir fry the vegetables: Tilt the wok to leave the oil behind. Turn the heat back to medium and add the diced garlic, minced ginger, optional red dried chilies, and broccoli florets. Stir-fry for a minute or two.
8. Steam the broccoli:Toss steamed broccoli and water chestnuts with shrimp mixture to coat with sauce. Stir cornstarch into mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.