Featured Recipe
Sesame Shrimp Stir-Fry
By Kate
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Quick sautéed shrimp with crisp snow peas, ginger, and a tangy hoisin-rice vinegar-soy sauce blend. Uses grapeseed oil and tamari for a slightly different flavor profile. The sauce balances acidity, umami, and a touch of heat from fresh chili. Serves 4. Ready in about 30 minutes. Tossed with green onion whites first, sprinkled with tops at the end. Keeps shrimp juices juicy, sears them fast to stay tender. Sesame seeds toasted separately for nuttiness. Great over jasmine or brown rice.
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Prep:
15 min
Cook:
10 min
Total:
25 min
Serves:
4 servings
dinner
seafood
stir-fry
Introduction
Shrimp sear fast—they don’t wait for anyone. Dry surface key, oil screaming hot. In texture contrast, snow peas stay crunchy if you don’t overdo the heat. Ginger’s sharp, chili brings fire, touches up the sweet sour salt of the hoisin-rice vinegar-tamari blend—think layers of flavor steeping quickly. Tossed with scallions at two points—whites early to soften, greens last for fresh punch. Toasted sesame seeds bring that almost-hidden fragrance you only catch last minute. Don’t skip toasting. Grapeseed oil swaps in for olive here; cleaner high heat, less oil flavor fighting. Snap peas add a textural pop but optional. Keep everything moving in the pan; scramble is no good here.
Ingredients
About the ingredients
Altered hoisin, rice vinegar, and tamari (gluten-free soy sauce alternative) quantities cut by one-third for balance with added chili punch. Grapeseed oil replaces olive oil for cleaner high heat searing and less smoky aftertaste common in olive oils. Toast sesame seeds separately to avoid bitter burnt notes when heated with sauce. Snap peas swap in for some snow peas, add crunch and variety; if unavailable, just use more snow peas. Onion greens used dual stage—white for aroma, green for brightness. Fresh chopped chili replaces purée for better control over heat. Garlic and ginger fresh, never powder—vital for the kick and fragrance.
Method
Technique Tips
Dry shrimp well. Searing shrimp in batches improves caramelization, prevents steaming. Listen for the sizzle to know when oil’s hot—shrimp should sing when hitting pan, not hiss or bubble slowly. Don’t crowd pan; shrimp must brown. After shrimp cooked, do not wash pan—let fond flavor the veggies. Stir-fry veggies fast, high heat, only until bright green with slight bite retains. Adding shrimp back with sauce—coat gently; over stirring breaks shrimp. Sauce thickens with carryover heat—stop cooking just shy of dryness. Toss scallion greens and toasted sesame last—heat will wake them without burning aroma. Emergency: No scallions? Use chives or fresh basil for fresh green punch. No hoisin? Mix equal parts molasses, soy sauce, and rice vinegar—adjust sweetness and acidity. Toast sesame seeds just till color deepens—no longer or bitter taste develops.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Dry shrimp completely first. Paper towels crucial here. Moist shrimp won't sear. Make oil scream hot. Hear it sizzle! That's your cue. Don't crowd pan. Allows browning.
- 💡 Cook shrimp in batches. No steaming, only searing. Cook about a minute per side. Watch closely, they turn pink fast. Touch test for firmness. Remove without overcooking.
- 💡 Adjust heat during stir-fry. Snow peas should pop and stay crisp, not mushy. So, steady stirring; keep them moving hot. If they start to soften, pull the pan off heat.
- 💡 Toast sesame seeds before adding to dish. Dry pan, medium heat; watch them closely. Should turn golden and fragrant. Don't walk away; burnt seeds ruin flavor.
- 💡 Want a twist? Add snap peas for texture. Just slice them and toss in with snow peas. Extra crunch gives a fun bite. They work nicely if you have them.
