This sounds terrific, GL, I've never had cooked cucumber. Tamari is the soy sauce I use also. It has such a great flavor compared to 'regular' soy sauce, IMHO!

We were pleased with it, Woodie. And, of course, you can make it hotter or milder as you wish.

You're actually steaming the cukes, and you want them to be tender/crisp when you're done. And make sure to not overcook the shrimp.

If you wanted to have more of a sauce with this, you could dust the shrimp with cornstarch after removing it from the wok. Add more liquid (maybe a half cup of chicken stock along with the Vermouth?). Then, when you return the shrimp to the wok, the liquid will thicken into a sauce.

We (as Americans) tend to not think of cucumbers as something you cook with. But cukes and melons are often cooked in other cultures. They bring a special flavor to whatever they're used in.

Here, for instance, is a recipe we make fairly often when the cukes are in:

Stewed Cucumbers

3 cukes, sliced thick (like 3/4 inch or so)
2 onions, sliced thin
6 slices bacon
1 stick butter
3 tbls flour
1 tbls dry mustard
Salt
Black pepper (lots)
1/2 tsp cracked caraway seeds

Salt the cukes heavily. Place in a collander to drain at least a half hour.

Cook bacon until crisp. Reserve grease. Crumble the bacon.

Rinse the cukes. Pat dry. Fry them and the onion in the bacon fat (adding more if necessary) until browned. Drain on paper towels. Pour fat from pan.

Return cuke mixture to pan. Add 4-6 tbls water, the mustard, butter, and flour. Let stew until tender. Sprinkle with black pepper and the caraway seeds. Stir and serve.

For a little more color, sprinkle with paprika just before serving.

The "regular" soy sauce you buy usually is a mixture that includes wheat and other things. Tamari is 100% fermented soy, and has a richer, heavier flavor.