Ketchup Shrimp

Skinny and full of flavor Chinese ketchup shrimp—a sister dish to Shanghai style oil fried shrimp.

In order to distinguish with sweet and sour tastes created by vinegar and sugar, any dish using ketchup is called as 茄汁. For example this ketchup shrimp is called 茄汁虾. It is a super easy dish with just basic Chinese home cooking ingredients. But it has a well-balanced flavor with the help of the three solids stones of Chinese cuisine: ginger, garlic and scallion.

I know that some of you may feel it is quite ode as I did not remove the shells and heads. Chinese dishes never bothered by shells and bones. We get two main reasons to keep the shells. Firstly, it enhances the flavor, which can be proven by Chinese shrimp oil (oil fried with shrimp shells). Secondly, it works as a protector to prevent the meat from overcooking.

To enjoy the shrimp, firstly you can taste the shell. Suck the sauce on the shell carefully and then remove the shell, take the meat out, roll it in the sauce in the serving pan and enjoy. It is not fancy!! I know, I know. But great tastes sometimes need prices just like another popular Chinese ingredient–chicken feet.

How to devein shrimp with shells and heads

Firstly use a kitchen shear to trim off the legs and the sharp part at the top of the head.

Use a toothpick to pick the devein part out. Then remove the dark part in the heads too. You can watch the video for the process.

To make this Chinese ketchup shrimp stir-fry, you will need

400g shrimp (around 25g middle size shrimp)
1 cup oil, for frying
2 scallions, white part and green part separated
1 tablespoon ShaoHsing wine
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 and 1/2 tablespoon ketchup
1/2 cup warm chicken broth or warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
salt to taste

Use a toothpick to pick the devein part out. Then remove the dark part in the heads too. Wash carefully and then drain completely. Use kitchen paper if necessary.

Heat oil in a deep pan until really hot; add shrimp in to fry 15 seconds. They should turn red quickly. Transfer shrimp out and pour off extra oil.

Leave in 1 tablespoon of oil, fry garlic, ginger and scallion over slow fire until aroma. Add ketchup and broth. Mix well.Return shrimp, add sugar, light soy sauce and ShaoHsing wine.

Continue cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce is well thickened (with large bubbles) and stick to the shrimp like the picture below. Add salt to taste and scallion sections.

Ketchup Shrimp

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: Ketchup, shrimp

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 2

Calories: 387kcal

Author: Elaine

Ingredients

• 400 g shrimp , around 25g middle size shrimp
• 1 cup oil , for frying
• 2 scallions , white part and green part separated
• 1 tbsp. ShaoHsing wine
• 1 tbsp. light soy sauce
• 1.5 tbsp. ketchup
• 1/2 cup warm chicken broth or warm water
• 1 tsp. sugar
• salt to taste
• 1 thumb ginger , sliced
• 2 cloves garlic , peel and sliced

Instructions

• Use a toothpick to pick the devein part out. Then remove the dark part in the heads too. Wash carefully and then drain completely. Use kitchen paper if necessary.
• Heat oil in a deep pan until really hot; add shrimp in to fry 15 seconds. They should turn red quickly. Transfer shrimp out and pour off extra oil.
• Leave in 1 tablespoon of oil, fry garlic, ginger and scallion over slow fire until aroma. Add ketchup and broth. Mix well.
• Return shrimp, add sugar,light soy sauce and ShaoHsing wine. Continue cook for 2-3 minutes until the sauce is well thickened and stick to the shrimp. Add salt to taste and scallion sections.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 387kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 525mg | Sodium: 2087mg | Potassium: 248mg | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 145IU | Vitamin C: 10.1mg | Calcium: 290mg | Iron: 4.7mg