Chili Garlic Shrimp

Chili Garlic Shrimp with perfectly cooked shrimp and a garlicky, slightly sweet, and spicy sauce ready in less than 30 minutes!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian, Chinese, Filipino

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 158kcal

Cost $9-$11

Rinse the shrimp and dry them on paper towels.
Season them with salt and pepper and lightly coat them with cornstarch.
Set a skillet over high heat. When the pan is hot and almost smoking, add oil to coat the bottom.
In batches, sear the shrimp for about a minute on each side. Be careful not to overcook them. Set them aside.
Over medium heat, add a bit of oil and sauté ginger, garlic, shallots, and chilies until slightly softened.
Add chili garlic sauce, Shaoxing wine, fish sauce, ¼ cup of water, sugar, and salt.
When the sauce starts to simmer, add the butter. Taste it and adjust as needed.
Add the shrimp and coat them with the sauce. Turn off the heat, so they don't overcook.
Add scallions, cilantro, and fried garlic or shallots as an option.

Shrimp: Go for large shrimp, as they are less likely to overcook. Check the label that tells how many pieces are in a pound. For example, 21-25 means 21 to 25 pieces per pound and U/10 for under 10—as the number decreases, the shrimp size increases.
Chili garlic sauce: You can also use sambal oelek, a similar red chili paste without garlic. Sriracha can also be used in a pinch.
Shaoxing wine: It adds depth, enhancing the flavors in the dish. A minimal amount makes a difference. Use another Chinese cooking wine or Japanese rice wine (sake) as a substitute.
Bird's eye chilies (Thai chilies): For substitutes, you can use fresh hot peppers like serrano or dried peppers like red pepper flakes. Use any type you can tolerate, as much (or as little) as you want.