Sichuan Shrimp Stir Fry

Sichuan Shrimp Stir Fry
Authentic Chinese restaurant-style Sichuan shrimp is quick enough for a weeknight meal and delivers a crispy texture and richly aromatic, utterly divine flavor with that signature Sichuan spice.
Sichuan Shrimp Stir Fry

Serving Size: 4

INGREDIENTS

Marinade

  • 1 lb (450 g) shrimp , peeled and deveined
  • 1/2 teaspoon light soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Stir Fry

  • 1 cup dried Chinese chili peppers (*Footnote 1)
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil (or enough to cover the shrimp halfway ) (*Footnote 2)
  • 3 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1/2 ” (1 cm) ginger , minced
  • 1 green onion , whites minced, greens sliced for garnish
  • 2 teaspoons Doubanjiang
  • 1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
  • 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and transfer them to a medium-sized bowl. Add the light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and cornstarch. Toss to coat well. Marinate for 15 minutes.
  • Cut the chilis into 1/2” pieces and place in a colander that has holes big enough to have the chili seeds fall through. Shimmy the colander above a big plate to separate some of the seeds from the chilis. Set aside the deseeded chilis for the cooking and discard the seeds.
  • Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the shrimp. Let cook without moving for 1 to 2 minutes, until the bottom turns golden. Flip to cook the other side for another 1 to 2 minutes, until turning golden and the shrimp are fully curled up. Transfer the shrimp to a big plate and set aside.
  • Turn to low heat. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of oil from the pan by pouring the oil into a bowl, or use a few layers of paper towels held in a pair of tongs to wipe the pan.
  • Turn to medium-low heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and green onion. Cook and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  • Add the doubanjiang. Stir and cook for a minute.
  • Add the dried chilis, sichuan peppercorns, and peanuts. Continue to cook and stir for another minute, or until the chilis turn dark brown but are not burned.
  • Add back the shrimp. Toss thoroughly to coat well. Immediately transfer everything to a serving plate.
  • Serve hot over steamed rice as a main dish.

    NOTES

    1. This recipe separates the chili pepper seeds and discards them, so the final dish will be spicy (but not outrageous spicy), and it will have an authentic look with a more fragrant taste. If you do not wish to use so much chili pepper, you can 1/4 cup of chili peppers, cut them into halves and reserve the seeds. For a milder dish, use 1/4 to 1/2 cup chili peppers (depending on the spice level you’re looking for) and do not cut them.
    2. The recipe uses enough oil to cover halfway up the shrimp to give it a light crispy texture but not as crispy as deep fried. You can use less oil as well, but the shrimp will not be crispy.
    3. Do not eat the chili peppers or Sichuan peppercorns.
Recipes