Chinese · Sichuan · main

Spicy Szechuan Shrimp

Spicy Szechuan Shrimp reads umami 8.0, salinity 6.5 and richness 5.4 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Chinese · Sichuan main, about 22 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 8.0 · Salinity 6.5 · Richness 5.4 · Marine & Briny 4.7 · Sweetness 4.5 · Heat 3.7 · Nutty 3.6 · Sourness 3.2 · Allium 3.1 · Funk & Ferment 2.9 · Warm Spice 2.8 · Bitterness 1.3 · Herbaceous 1.3 · Floral 1.2 · Fruity 0.9 · Earthy 0.6

What's in it (15)

Time & effort: about 22 min (7 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 111.8 kcal, 8.6 g protein, 5.4 g fat, 8.2 g carbs

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

How it's cooked (8 steps)

  1. Pat the shrimp dry and toss in a bowl with the cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, the Shaoxing wine, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Let sit at room temperature while you prep everything else, at least 15 minutes and up to 30.
  2. Whisk the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, the chili garlic sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, and sesame oil together in a small bowl; set the sauce aside.
  3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until it shimmers and just starts to smoke. Add the shrimp in a single layer and sear undisturbed until pink and golden at the edges on the first side, about 1 1/2 minutes, then flip and sear the second side until just opaque, about 1 minute more (they'll finish cooking later, so don't worry if the centers still look slightly translucent). Transfer the shrimp to a plate.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the wok. Add the dried chiles and Sichuan peppercorns and toast, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the chiles darken a shade, about 1 minute — pull the pan off heat immediately if they start to smoke, since scorched chiles turn bitter.
  5. Add the garlic, ginger, and scallion whites to the wok and stir-fry until fragrant and the garlic is just turning golden at the edges, about 45 seconds.
  6. Return the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the wok, raise the heat to medium-high, and pour in the sauce. Toss constantly until the sauce reduces to a glossy coating and the shrimp are opaque and cooked through to an internal temperature of 145°F, about 1 1/2 minutes.
  7. Remove from the heat and stir in the scallion greens. Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed.
  8. Plate right away, spooning the toasted chiles and peppercorns over the top for aroma and color — they're meant to be pushed aside, not eaten whole.

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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.