Kung Pao shrimp (宫保虾仁)
Make authentic Kung Pao shrimp at home with this easy recipe. Learn the seasoning ratio and cooking procedure for the perfect balance of spicy, sweet, and sour flavors.
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 3 min
- Yield
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 11 oz shrimp (headless and skinless)
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch white pepper
- 1½ tablespoon black rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
- ⅓ cup skinless peanuts (or cashew nuts (see note 2))
- 2 tablespoon neutral cooking oil (divided)
- 10 dried chilli (or to taste, halved and deseeded)
- 1 teaspoon whole Sichuan peppercorn (see note 3)
- 3 clove garlic ( sliced)
- 1 teaspoon julienned ginger
- 4 stalk scallions (diced)
Instructions
- 1
Marinate the shrimp
- 2
Put shrimp, Shaoxing rice wine, cornstarch, white pepper, and salt in a bowl. Mix well then leave to marinate for 5 minutes.
- 3
Prepare the sauce
- 4
In a small bowl, mix light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, black rice vinegar, Shaoxing rice wine, sugar, cornstarch, and water. Set aside.
- 5
Toast the nuts (skip if the nuts are already roasted)
- 6
Put raw peanuts (or cashew nuts) in a cold wok/skillet. Turn on the heat and toast the nuts over medium-low heat. Once they brown slightly, transfer them out and set them aside.
- 7
Stir-fry the dish
- 8
Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a hot wok/skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the marinated shrimp. As soon as it curls up and turns pink, dish it out (do not overcook).
- 9
Wipe clean the wok/skillet with kitchen paper. Pour the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add dried chili, Sichuan pepper, garlic, and ginger. Fry until fragrant (be careful not to burn the chilies).
- 10
Stir in scallions. Fry for about 30 seconds. Then add the shrimp, toasted nuts, and the sauce mixture (stir well beforehand in case any starch has sunk to the bottom). Give everything a quick stir. Dish out when the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. Serve warm with steamed rice.