Chinese Garlic Shrimp

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This Chinese Garlic Shrimp is one of my favorite ways to cook shrimp. This easy stir-fry is ready in under 15 minutes—perfect for busy weeknights. Juicy shrimp are stir-fried with fragrant garlic and savory soy sauce. Serve it with rice or veggies for a quick and satisfying meal!

Prep Time10

Cook Time5

Total Time15

Course: Shrimp

Cuisine: Chinese Recipes

Keyword: Chinese Garlic Shrimp

Servings: people

Author: Bee Yinn Low

Ingredients

10 oz peeled, shelled, deveined and tail-on shrimp
2 tablespoons oil
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or Chinese rice wine
2 tablespoons water
1 pinch sugar or to taste
3 dashes ground white pepper
1 stalk scallion cut into rings

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Instructions

Rinse the shrimp with cold water and pat them dry with paper towels. Set them aside.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Once hot, add the garlic and stir-fry until fragrant and slightly browned. Add the shrimp and stir-fry back and forth for about 10 seconds before adding the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, water, sugar, and ground white pepper.
Keep cooking, stir frying and flipping the shrimp until both sides are cooked, about 1-2 minutes. If the wok or skillet becomes too dry, add a bit of water to continue cooking. As soon as the shrimps are cooked through, add the scallions, stir to combine, dish out and serve immediately with steamed rice.

Notes

Watch the garlic! Burnt garlic turns bitter fast, and that’s not what we want. Keep the heat in check and stir it around.

Master stir frying technique! Let the shrimp sit for a few seconds so they get that nice, lightly charred edge before flipping. It makes a difference.

Shrimp cook fast, so medium-high heat is your best friend. If the heat’s too low, they’ll turn rubbery before soaking up all that garlicky, savory goodness.

Don’t skip the sugar! That tiny pinch balances the salty, umami flavors and gives you that bold and complex taste.

Nutrition