This is, by far and bar none, the most popular Chinese seafood dish I know. In fact, it is better than its restaurant counterpart because it uses real garlic, not dried garlic reconstituted in water.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 35 min |
| Prep: | 15 min |
| Cook: | 20 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 35 min |
| Prep: | 15 min |
| Cook: | 20 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 pound large shrimp (21 to 25 shrimp per pound), peeled
- 1 egg white
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 to 2 tablespoons water
- 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons black soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons dry sherry
- 8 garlic cloves, crushed and finely minced
- 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh ginger
- 5 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon chili paste, or to taste and tolerance
- 1/2 cup sliced fresh water chestnuts, optional
- 1 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water
- 1/2 cup sliced scallions, on the diagonal in 1/2-inch pieces
Instructions
- Using a cleaver or knife, slice the shrimp from the back, leaving a small donut-like hole in the center, essentially butterflying the shrimp. Be careful not to cut all the way through the shrimp. Rinse away any veins under cold water. Drain well.
- Put the shrimp in a bowl and add the egg white, cornstarch and 1 to 2 tablespoons of water. Mix well. The consistency should be silky and the color milky.
- In a large wok, heat 2 cups of the oil to 280 degrees F, or place 1 shrimp in the oil and when bubbles rise from it like Champagne bubbles in a glass, add the rest of the shrimp. Turn the shrimp gently in the poaching oil. When they are white and fluffy, remove them with a stainless steel strainer or brass metal strainer. Put the cooked shrimp in a colander to drain.
- For the sauce. In a small saucepan, mix the chicken broth, vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, sherry, garlic, ginger, sugar, and chili paste. Stir well. Bring the garlic sauce to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer.
- In a clean wok, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to smoking. Add the sliced water chestnuts and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the garlic sauce, stir, and bring to a boil. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil, stirring until thickened. Add the shrimp. Toss and stir 3 times until well coated. Stir in the sliced scallions and serve.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 1291 |
| Total Fat | 116 g |
| Saturated Fat | 8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 38 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 20 g |
| Protein | 26 g |
| Cholesterol | 183 mg |
| Sodium | 971 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 1291 |
| Total Fat | 116 g |
| Saturated Fat | 8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 38 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 20 g |
| Protein | 26 g |
| Cholesterol | 183 mg |
| Sodium | 971 mg |