Sweet and Sour Shrimp Stir Fry

Making stir fry at home is a great idea. It is such a quick dinner option and can be very healthy when you’re the one controlling the amount of oil and salt that is used. Each component is cooked to perfection, there is no msg and other mystery chemicals and the sauce is delicious and flavorful, not gloppy and greasy. These succulent, juicy shrimp with snow peas and peppers in a sweet and sour sauce taste great over a bed of rice. I got the ideas from America’s Test Kitchen and made changes according to my liking.

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 pound of shrimp

2 garlic cloves, 1 minced, one thinly sliced

1/2 tsp minced ginger

1 small onion or 2 shallots, sliced into half circles

1/2 pound snow peas

1 red bell pepper, diced into 3/4 – 1/2 inch chunks

Canola or vegetable oil

salt

Sauce:

2 tsp soy sauce

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 Tablespoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon asian chili sauce

1 Tablespoon dry sherry or red wine

1-2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 Tablespoons ketchup

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Peel and devein the shrimp. In a bowl combine the shrimp with the minced garlic, ginger, 1 Tablespoon oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside to marinate as you prepare the rest of the ingredients. The shrimp should marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature. Meanwhile, whisk all the ingredients for the sauce together in another bowl and set aside also. Add 1/2 Tablespoon oil to a non-stick skillet and heat on high heat just until smoking. Add the peas and peppers with 1/4 tsp salt. Cook for 4 min, until just beginning to brown. Set aside. Combine the sliced onion or shallot with the sliced garlic. Heat 1/2 Tablespoon of oil in the same skillet and cook over med high heat with 1/4 tsp salt for about 1 min, just until beginning to brown.

Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the shrimp. Cook for about 2 min only, stirring frequently, just until the shrimp is lightly pink on both sides. Add the sauce, peas, peppers and return the heat to medium high. Cook for another minute, just until the sauce thickens.
Season with more salt if it needs it. Serve over rice.

 

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