Description
Discover how to make delicious Kung Pao Shrimps at home with our easy recipe. Learn the secrets to perfecting this classic Chinese dish today!
Ingredients
- – 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vegetable oil
- – 1 cup (240 g) raw peanuts (shelled, with or without the skin)
- – 1 pound (454 g) peeled and deveined large shrimp
- – 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vegetable oil
- – 1 teaspoon (5 ml) beef broth
- – 1/4 teaspoon (1 ml) salt
- – 1/8 teaspoon (1 ml) white pepper powder
- – 1/2 teaspoon (3 ml) cornstarch
- – 3 tablespoons (45 ml) water
- – 1 tablespoon (15 ml) rice vinegar
- – 1 tablespoon (15 ml) light soy sauce
- – 1 teaspoon (5 ml) sugar
- – 1 teaspoon (5 ml) cornstarch
- – 1/2 teaspoon (3 ml) Sichuan peppercorn powder
- – 1/2 teaspoon (3 ml) dark soy sauce
- – 3 tablespoons (45 ml) vegetable oil
- – 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 1 teaspoon of oil in a wok on medium heat. Toss in the peanuts, stirring them continuously for 4-5 minutes to avoid burning. Turn off the heat and continue stirring for another minute using the wok’s residual warmth. Let them cool; they will become crunchy once fully cooled. Alternatively, you can skip this step by using pre-roasted, shelled unsalted peanuts.
- Make a shallow cut along the back of each shrimp without slicing all the way through. Place the shrimp in a bowl with oil, beef broth, salt, and white pepper powder. Allow them to marinate for 15 minutes.
- Just before cooking, incorporate the cornstarch into the shrimp mixture.
- In another bowl, prepare the sauce by mixing water, 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, then add the shrimp, ensuring the ½ teaspoon of cornstarch is mixed into the shrimp beforehand. Sear the shrimp quickly on both sides until they become light pink, then move them to a bowl.
- Lower the heat and add the remaining tablespoon of oil, along with garlic, ginger, chilies, and scallions. Cook for 1-2 minutes on low heat until aromatic.
- Turn the heat back to high and return the shrimp to the wok. Stir-fry for half a minute. Stir the sauce once more to mix any settled cornstarch, then pour it into the wok. Stir-fry for another minute until the sauce thickens rapidly. Add the peanuts and turn off the heat. Combine everything well and serve!
Notes
- Use pre-roasted, shelled unsalted peanuts to save time instead of roasting them from scratch.
- Marinate the shrimp with cornstarch just before cooking for a crispy texture.
- Adjust the amount of dried red chilies based on your spice preference to control the heat level.
