Chinese · Sichuan · main

Kung Pao Shrimp

Kung Pao Shrimp reads umami 8.1, salinity 6.4 and marine & briny 4.7 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Chinese · Sichuan main, about 16 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 8.1 · Salinity 6.4 · Marine & Briny 4.7 · Sweetness 4.6 · Richness 4.1 · Heat 3.4 · Sourness 3.3 · Allium 3.3 · Nutty 3.1 · Warm Spice 2.7 · Funk & Ferment 2.7 · Herbaceous 1.6 · Floral 1.2 · Bitterness 1.2 · Earthy 0.6

What's in it (15)

Time & effort: about 16 min (5 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 87.5 kcal, 7 g protein, 4 g fat, 6.6 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (7 steps)

  1. In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp with 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of the cornstarch until evenly coated; let sit at room temperature while you prep the rest, at least 10 minutes.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining soy sauce, remaining cornstarch, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, sugar, salt, and water until the cornstarch is fully dissolved; set this sauce aside.
  3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the shrimp in a single layer and sear undisturbed until pink and opaque at the edges, about 1 minute, then flip and sear the second side until just cooked through, 45-60 seconds; transfer to a plate.
  4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the wok and lower the heat to medium. Add the dried chiles and Sichuan peppercorns and fry, stirring constantly, until the chiles darken slightly and smell toasty, about 45 seconds - pull the pan off the heat briefly if they start to smoke.
  5. Raise the heat back to medium-high, add the garlic, ginger, and scallion whites, and stir-fry until fragrant and the scallions brighten, about 30 seconds.
  6. Pour in the sauce, return the shrimp and any collected juices to the wok, and toss constantly until the sauce thickens to a glossy, clinging coat and the shrimp are heated through, 1-2 minutes.
  7. Off the heat, stir in the peanuts, then plate and scatter the reserved scallion greens over the top.

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Keep reading: what umami, salinity, marine & briny mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.