Description
Discover how to make delicious and authentic Kung Pao Shrimp at home with our easy-to-follow recipe. Master the art of this popular Chinese dish today!
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (5 ml)
- 1 cup raw peanuts (shelled, with or without the skin) (120 g)
- 1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp (450 g)
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil (5 ml)
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) salt
- 1/8 teaspoon (1 ml) white pepper powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 ml) cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 ml) Sichuan peppercorn powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 ml) dark soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons water (45 ml)
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (45 ml)
- 3 cloves garlic (smashed and sliced)
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) ginger (minced)
- 2-4 dried red chilies (de-seeded and chopped; these can be quite spicy, so adjust to your own taste)
- 6 scallions (white parts only, cut into 1/2-inch/1cm pieces)
Instructions
- Warm a teaspoon of oil in a wok on medium heat. Introduce the peanuts, stirring nonstop to avoid burning, for 4-5 minutes. Turn off the flame, continue stirring for another minute using the remaining heat, and let them cool. They will become crunchy after cooling. Alternatively, you can use pre-roasted, shelled, unsalted peanuts.
- Slice each shrimp along its back without cutting all the way through, then place them in a bowl. Add the oil, rice vinegar, salt, and white pepper powder. Let them marinate for 15 minutes. Just before cooking, mix in the cornstarch.
- In another bowl, prepare the sauce by blending water with rice vinegar, light soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, Sichuan peppercorn powder, and dark soy sauce.
- Heat the wok on high until it begins to smoke slightly. Pour in 2 tablespoons of oil and add the shrimp, ensuring you’ve mixed in the ½ teaspoon of cornstarch with them. Sear the shrimp quickly on both sides until they turn light pink, then remove and set aside.
- Lower the heat and add the remaining tablespoon of oil, then toss in the garlic, ginger, chilies, and scallions. Cook gently for 1-2 minutes until aromatic.
- Turn the heat back to high, reintroduce the shrimp to the wok, and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Re-stir your sauce to mix the settled cornstarch, then pour it into the wok. Stir-fry for another minute as the sauce thickens quickly. Introduce the peanuts, turn off the heat, combine everything thoroughly, and serve!
Notes
- For added crunch, roast peanuts in the oven before adding them to the dish.
- Ensure shrimp is properly deveined for a cleaner presentation and texture.
- Adjust the quantity of dried red chilies to suit your spice preference and control the heat level.
