BETTER THAN TAKEOUT - Easy Kung Pao Shrimp Recipe

Kung Pao Shrimp is a classic Sichuan dish. As a variant of Kung pao chicken, it is easy to make and great to serve with white rice because the taste is flavorful, complex, and well-balanced. As a variant of kung pao chicken, one of the differences is that this dish is deep fry and kung pao chicken is stir-fried. So the shrimp is slightly crispy and coated with a glossy sauce.

INGREDIENTS (serves 2-3 people with some rice)

To Marinade the Shrimp
1 lb of shrimp peeled and deveined
1/3 tsp of salt

To Make the Sauce (碗芡)
2 tbsp of light soy sauce (Amazon Link - )
3 tbsp of water

Others:
1.5 cups of oil for deep frying
1/2 cup of peanuts
4 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
1/2 inch of ginger, sliced thinly
4 scallions, dice the white and cut the green part into short pieces

INSTRUCTIONS
Marinade the shrimp with salt, white pepper powder, Chinese cooking wine, and 1 tbsp of cornstarch. Please pay attention to the ingredient list if you are buying frozen shrimp. Most shrimp on the market is frozen with a salt solution. In that case, you must use less salt or rinse the shrimp thoroughly before seasoning.

Place 1/3 cup of cornstarch at the bottom of a big container. Add the shrimp and cover with another 1/3 cup of cornstarch. Put on the lid and shake well. Leave the shrimp in the container and set it aside. The first tbsp of cornstarch in the marinade acts like glue, which will catch more starch while shaking.

To make the sauce (or what we call 碗芡), thoroughly combine the sugar, cornstarch, light soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, and water. You can replace Chinese black vinegar with white or rice vinegar; however, you will miss a bit of the distinctive fermented taste.

Add 1.5 cups of oil and the peanuts to the wok. Stir constantly over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes. Remove the peanut when you see they are slightly opened; set them aside. If allergic to peanuts, use a different kind, such as walnut or almond. If your peanuts are roasted already, skip this step.

Put the shrimp into a sieve and shake it a few times to eliminate the excess starch. Next, heat the oil to 400°F /204°C and fry the shrimps in 2 batches for 2-3 minutes each. Crowding the wok risks overcooking the shrimp as it will quickly drop the oil’s temperature.

Transfer the shrimp to a rack to drain out the excess oil. Sieve the starch crumbs from the oil before frying the next batch of shrimp.

Remove most of the oil and keep 1.5 tbsp in the wok. Add garlic, ginger, the white part of the scallions, red dried chilies, and the Sichuan Dou Ban Jiang. Stir over medium-low heat for a couple of minutes or until fragrant.

Add the Sichuan peppercorn powder. Pour in the sauce. Keep stirring until the sauce is thickened. Add the reserved green part of the scallion, the peanuts, and the shrimp. Toss until everything is coated thoroughly. Serve with white rice.

This dish can be made without chilies, Sichuan peppercorns, and the Dou Ban Jiang. That’s what most Americanized takeout restaurants do. However, these three ingredients create the classic spicy and numbing flavor, which stands the authenticity.

[TheeGaoSter]

Mandy, I just want to say although I love cooking I don't really have time, so I enjoy your videos by listening and learning from you. I really REALLY appreciate how knowledgeable you are.

[hansdampf]

I love Kung Pao chicken! I love Sichuan cuisine. I will definitely try this. The recipe is already in my collection.

[rickzzz]

I found that my Dau Ban Jiang was quite chunky and the beans were a bit hard. Some recipes that I see recommend chopping, but this stuff really stains the cutting board. I used an immersion blender right into the jar and blended it and now I can just spoon it out as needed. It still has a little texture but much nicer.

[patrickhickey]

You are so wonderful a great cook and your presentation style is lovely
Thank you

[cherylrogers]

I just made this after finding all the right ingredients and I am blown away!! Thank you so much. I was afraid to attempt it but watched the video several times and followed your recipe and method exactly. Im very happy with the results!!!

[idt]

This is one of my favorite dishes and I love the way you say "...and you are done..." at the end 😊🤤

[yukuhana]

This make me really hungry. Nice recipe!

[johnpalmer]

Another excellent video Mandy! I love how clear and concise you are. I hate having to deep-fry anything because the oil spatter and smell really annoys my wife even though she loves the food. This recipe seems like it will be worth it.

[yanainqatar]

whats the alternate of chinese cooking wine? cant find here in my place

[PaulinasKitchenCanbyVioletta]

Knowledge 101 from a Chinese cook. It's good to know other Kung Pao recipes.

[dougblalock]

Excellent as always!
My Chinese wife loves for me to make your dishes for her.
Thanks and Godspeed good woman.

[bengolfs]

Very talented. You check all the boxes, Mandy!!!

[richkretzschmar]

Kung Poa shrimp is delicious. My new favorite 🦐.

[markwakeley]

Definitely trying this recipe(with a reduction in the hot spices). Looks delicious. Also, you have the cutest peppermill.

[ShadowPoet]

Awesome recipe! thanks as always--best channel on YouTube! 🥰

[Amarie]

I love your Better Than Takeout Series.

[jack]

Hi Mandy, we make your Kung Pao chicken all the time. It’s a great recipe. I am now looking forward to trying this Kong Pao shrimp recipe. Thanks for sharing it with us!

[susieangelo]

Another Winner Here! Thanks, Mandy for another Shrimp Recipe! Stay Happy! 💜

[paroblynn]

This looks delicious, thanks for sharing!!!

[olyman]

Amazing show thank you Mandy. Very delicious and yummy and eye appealing. Amazing job have a great day