My version of this classic Chinese dish is even better than what you’d get at your local restaurant. It’s one of my favorite stir fries along with tender moo goo gai pan and spicy szechuan beef! I’ve back with yet another make your own Chinese takeout recipe. I hope you all like Chinese food as much as we do, I’ve been on a stir frying roll lately! For this dish I added lots of veggies for color and crunch. The sauce is spicy enough to add a little kick, but not so hot that you’ll be reaching for a glass of water. The shrimp cooks up vibrant and flavorful in the kung pao sauce. You have to try this recipe! If you are making a Chinese feast, don’t forget amazing appetizers like hot and sour soup or some crunchy cream cheese wontons. Pan fried noodles is also a great side dish to offer.
Kung Pao Shrimp Ingredients
When you cook kung pao shrimp you will need vegetable oil, deveined shrimp, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, onion, garlic, red chilies, peanuts, salt and pepper. For the kung pao sauce you will also need soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, sugar and cornstarch.
How Do You Make Kung Pao Shrimp?
Start by heating vegetable oil in a large pan, skillet or wok over high heat. Cook onion in the pan for 2-3 minutes. Add the bell pepper and cook everything for 3-4 minutes until tender. Season the veggies with salt and pepper place the garlic in the pan. Next add the shrimp and cook them until they are pink. Add the chilies and the peanuts to the pan. While everything is cooking in the pan, whisk together the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Pour the sauce on the shrimp and veggies and bring the sauce to a boil until it is just thickened. The kung pao shrimp is ready to enjoy!
Tips For The Perfect Kung Pao Shrimp
I like to use extra large shrimp for this recipe, just because the shrimp are really the star of the show here. Sometimes I cook up a double batch of shrimp, and save the rest to use in teriyaki shrimp stir fry for dinner on a different day. Hoisin sauce can be found in the international aisle of almost all grocery stores. You can use most small dried chilies for this dish. You may find small dried chilies in the international aisle of your grocery store. You can also use dried chile de arbol peppers which may be found with Mexican items in your local store. I use 4-6 chilies for a moderate spice level. Feel free to increase the chili peppers if you like more of a kick in your food! If you can’t find dried chilies or don’t want to buy them, try using red pepper flakes instead (like the kind you’d sprinkle on pizza).
Can I just tell you how delicious this Kung Pao shrimp is? Since there’s plenty of veggies already in the mix, simply steam up some rice and dinner is served!
Spicy: You can increase the amount of chili peppers to increase the heat. Similarly, you can reduce the chili peppers for less heat. While this is not traditional, you can also add heat with a teaspoon of Sichuan peppercorns. Flavorings: For a tangy dish, you can grate a teaspoon of ginger and add it to the dish with the garlic. You can also add a tablespoon of rice wine vinegar. Toppings: You can top the kung pao with slices of green onion or sesame seeds when you are ready to serve the dish. Nuts: While peanuts are customary, you can also substitute cashews or blanched almonds for a different flavor.
