Szechuan Scallops

4.82 from 11 votes

This Szechuan scallops recipe is one of the best Chinese scallop dishes, with bold flavors—tender, succulent scallops in an addictive, fiery sauce, all ready in under 20 minutes. I’ve included ingredient alternatives so you can enjoy this dish with whatever you have on hand.

Prep Time15

Cook Time5

Total Time20

Course: Scallop

Cuisine: Chinese Recipes

Keyword: Szechuan Scallops

Servings: people

Author: Bee Yinn Low

Ingredients

7 oz (200g) scallops
water for boiling
2 tablespoons oil
2 cloves garlic sliced
2 oz (60g) red bell pepper cut into pieces
2 oz (60g) yellow pepper cut into pieces
2 oz (60g) green pepper cut into pieces
5 shiitake mushrooms sliced

Sauce:

1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 - 1 tablespoon LAOGANMA Spicy Chili Crisp or more to taste
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

Instructions

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the scallops for 10 seconds, then remove them with a strainer. Drain well and set aside.
Combine all the Sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.
Heat a wok or skillet with oil. Add the garlic and stir-fry until aromatic. Add the bell peppers and mushrooms and stir-fry until their aroma is released. Add the scallops, stirring to combine well with the ingredients.
Add the Sauce mixture and continue to stir-fry the scallops. Once the sauce thickens, turn off the heat. Transfer the scallops to a serving platter. Serve immediately with rice.

Video

Notes

I always start by bringing a pot of water to a boil and blanching the scallops for just 10 seconds. This quick step helps set their texture and makes sure they cook evenly.
After blanching, I make sure to drain the scallops thoroughly. This keeps any excess water from messing up the sauce.
I throw in the bell peppers and mushrooms before adding the scallops. This way, their flavors really come out, and everything cooks perfectly.
I watch the sauce closely while I stir fry, making sure it thickens just enough to perfectly coat the scallops and veggies.

Nutrition