Kung Pao shrimp (宫保虾仁)

4.85 from 19 votes

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 Time10

Cook Time3

Total Time13

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings:

Author: Wei Guo

Ingredients

For the shrimp

11 oz shrimp headless and skinless
1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 pinch salt
1 pinch white pepper

For the sauce (see note 1)

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

For the nuts

⅓ cup skinless peanuts or cashew nuts (see note 2)

For stir-frying

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

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Marinate the shrimp

Put shrimp, Shaoxing rice wine, cornstarch, white pepper, and salt in a bowl. Mix well then leave to marinate for 5 minutes.

Prepare the sauce

In a small bowl, mix light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, black rice vinegar, Shaoxing rice wine, sugar, cornstarch, and water. Set aside.

Toast the nuts (skip if the nuts are already roasted)

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.

Stir-fry the dish

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).
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).
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.

Notes

1. The amount of sauce recommended in the recipe is enough to coat all the ingredients. However, if you prefer your dish to be extra saucy, feel free to double the quantity proportionally.

2. You may use peanuts/cashew nuts that have been toasted/roasted. But make sure they aren’t salted/seasoned.

3. You may use ground Sichuan pepper to replace whole Sichuan peppercorn. In this case, add it along with the sauce at the end of the cooking process.

Nutrition