Description
Hunan Shrimp is a flavorful Chinese stir-fry dish featuring tender shrimp coated in a tangy, mildly spicy homemade Hunan sauce with vibrant bell peppers, green beans, scallions, garlic, and ginger. This quick-to-make meal delivers a perfect balance of heat, sweetness, and umami, making it ideal for a satisfying weeknight dinner served over steamed rice.
Ingredients
Stir Fry
- 1 lbs shrimp
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 cup green beans, chopped
- 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 orange bell pepper, chopped
- 5-6 green onions or scallions, chopped (separate green and white parts)
- 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp ginger, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 3 Tbsp oil
Hunan Sauce
- 5 tsp sambal oelek chili paste
- 2 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp rice or white vinegar
- 2 Tbsp rice wine
- 3 Tbsp tomato ketchup
- 1 tsp sugar
Instructions
- Marinate the shrimp: Clean the shrimp, keeping the tails on, and marinate them with salt, pepper, and cornstarch. Set aside while preparing other ingredients.
- Prepare the Hunan sauce: In a bowl, mix all the Hunan sauce ingredients thoroughly — sambal oelek chili paste, oyster sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, rice wine, tomato ketchup, and sugar.
- Prep the vegetables: Dice all the bell peppers, cut green beans and scallions into one-inch pieces, keeping the green and white parts of the scallions separate for garnish and cooking.
- Sear the shrimp: Heat 2 Tbsp of oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and sear them for a couple of minutes until they curl and turn pink, but do not overcook. Transfer shrimp to a plate and set aside.
- Cook the vegetables: Add remaining 1 Tbsp oil to the wok and increase heat to high. Add green beans and stir fry for about 2 minutes until slightly tender. Add bell peppers, white parts of scallions, ginger, and garlic; stir fry for 4-5 minutes until vegetables are crisp-tender.
- Combine sauce and shrimp: Pour prepared Hunan sauce into the wok with vegetables. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup water and return shrimp to the wok. Stir fry together for an additional 3-4 minutes, allowing flavors to meld and sauce to glaze the shrimp and vegetables.
- Garnish and serve: Garnish with the green parts of scallions. Serve hot immediately over steamed rice.
Notes
- This recipe creates a dryer version of Hunan shrimp with a glaze-like sauce. For a saucier dish, add more water during cooking.
- Adjust the spiciness by adding the chili paste gradually to the sauce, tasting as you go. The sugar and ketchup balance the heat with sweetness and tang.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chinese
