Stir Fry Shrimp & Vegetables

Shrimp doesn't get velveted the way chicken does — it gets a baking soda brine that gives it that snappy, almost crunchy restaurant texture. Faster than the chicken version since the shrimp cook straight in the wok. See Stir-Fry Basics for the technique.

IngredientsClear All

For the shrimp (brine)

• 1 lb large shrimp (21–25 count), peeled and deveined
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp neutral oil

For the sauce

• 1 cup unsalted chicken stock
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• ½ tsp sugar
• ¼ tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp sesame oil (added off the heat)

For the stir-fry

• 3 cups broccoli florets, bite-sized
• 1 large carrot, sliced ¼" on the bias
• 4 oz snap peas, strings removed
• 1 red bell pepper, cut in 1" pieces
• ½ onion, cut in 1" pieces
• 3 tbsp neutral oil, divided
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp ginger, minced
• 2 scallions, whites and greens separated, cut in 1" pieces

Instructions

1. Brine the shrimp: Toss the shrimp with the salt and baking soda. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Rinse thoroughly under cold water — this step is not optional; unrinsed shrimp taste soapy. Pat completely dry, then toss with the cornstarch and oil.

2. Mix the sauce: Whisk all sauce ingredients except the sesame oil until smooth. Set beside the stove.

3. Blanch the hard vegetables: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Blanch the carrots 90 seconds, the broccoli 60–90 seconds, and the snap peas 30–45 seconds — one at a time, they finish at different moments. Shock each in ice water, then drain and dry thoroughly.

4. Sear the shrimp: Heat the wok over high until faintly smoking. Add 1 tbsp oil, then the shrimp in a single layer. Cook 45 seconds without moving them, flip, and cook 30–45 seconds more until just pink and curled into a loose C. Remove immediately — they will finish in the sauce. (A tight O means overcooked.)

5. Aromatics: Add the remaining 2 tbsp oil to the wok. Add garlic, ginger, and scallion whites; stir-fry 15 seconds until fragrant.

6. Vegetables: Add the blanched broccoli and carrots. Stir-fry 60 seconds, letting them sit still between tosses to take color. Add the onion, bell pepper, and snap peas; stir-fry 45 seconds more.

7. Shrimp back in: Return the shrimp and toss 15 seconds.

8. Sauce: Whisk the sauce again and pour it around the rim of the wok. Stir constantly 20–30 seconds until glossy and clinging.

9. Finish: Off the heat, stir in the sesame oil and scallion greens. Serve immediately over rice.

Notes

On the brine: The salt-and-baking-soda soak is what produces the firm, snappy texture you get at a Chinese restaurant and almost never at home. Twenty minutes is enough; an hour is too long and the shrimp turn rubbery.

Make ahead: Blanch the vegetables and mix the sauce up to a day ahead. Brine the shrimp the same day — do the rinse and cornstarch step right before cooking.

Substitutions:

• Frozen shrimp are fine; thaw completely and dry very well before brining
• Scallops work with the same treatment — sear 60–90 seconds per side
• Swap in cauliflower, green beans, bok choy stems, or asparagus; see blanch times in Stir-Fry Basics

Tips:

• Shrimp go from perfect to rubber in about twenty seconds. Pull them early — the residual heat plus the sauce step finishes them
• Dry shrimp sear; wet shrimp steam. Pat them dry after rinsing and again before they hit the pan

Storage: Best the day it's made. Shrimp toughen badly on reheating.

Source

Family recipe. Technique from Stir-Fry Basics.