Kung Pao Shrimp (宫爆虾球)
Authentic tasting kung pao shrimp featuring tender juicy shrimp cooked with a spicy, sweet, sour and savory sauce with crunchy pepper and peanuts. Colorful, satisfying, and bursting with well-balanced spiciness, it is the dish you need to whip up for dinner tonight! {Gluten-Free adaptable}To make the dish gluten-free, use rice vinegar instead of Chinkiang vinegar. Use dry sherry to replace Shaoxing wine, and use tamari to replace soy sauce.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1 lb (450 g) shrimp , peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons Chinkiang vinegar (or rice vinegar)
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce (or soy sauce)
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce (Optional) (*Footnote 1)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Stir fry
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
- 8 dried Chinese chili peppers
- 3 cloves garlic , sliced
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground Sichuan peppercorns (Optional)
- 4 green onion , cut to 2” (5 cm) pieces
- 1 red pepper , diced
- 1/3 cup roasted peanuts
- 2 teaspoons chili oil (Optional, to add color)
Instructions
- Combine shrimp, Shaoxing wine, salt, white pepper and cornstarch in a medium-sized bowl. Mix well and marinate for 10 minutes while preparing other ingredients.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add marinated shrimp and spread them into a single layer. Cook for 30 seconds without touching. Then stir and cook until the surface turns opaque and shrimp have curled up. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Turn to medium-low heat. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, chili pepper, garlic and ginger. Stir fry a few times to release fragrance. Add the ground Sichuan peppercorn and give it a quick stir.
- Add the green onion and bell pepper. Cook and stir for 1 minute.
- Add the shrimp back. Stir the sauce again to completely dissolve the cornstarch. Pour it into the skillet. Cook and stir until the sauce has thickened.
- Add the roasted peanuts and chili oil (if using). Give it a final stir and transfer everything to a serving plate. Serve hot as a main dish.
Notes
- Dark soy sauce further adds a dark brown color to the dish and a hint of caramelized taste. It’s OK to skip it.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 312kcal, Carbohydrates: 19.2g, Protein: 22.2g, Fat: 16.6g, Saturated Fat: 2.7g, Cholesterol: 167mg, Sodium: 638mg, Potassium: 346mg, Fiber: 2.1g, Sugar: 10.5g, Calcium: 99mg, Iron: 1mg