Cashew shrimp is a traditional Cantonese dish that delivers recent taste with easy elements and minimal prep. It’s excellent for weeknight dinners or if you’re craving Chinese language meals at house. For me, I at all times want to make cashew shrimp over cashew hen. The pure sweetness of shrimp pairs superbly with the roasted nuttiness of cashews. And the sunshine sauce ties every little thing along with the savory hen broth and aromatics, bringing out the freshness of the elements. Plus, it comes collectively in underneath half-hour and is straightforward to customise based mostly on what you have got within the fridge.
Mise en place
Ensure you have every little thing already lower and ready earlier than you begin cooking.
- Marinated shrimp: Marinating is a vital step. The wine and salt make the shrimp extra flavorful, and the cornstarch retains the shrimp juicy throughout cooking.
- Blended sauce: This recipe makes use of a lightweight white sauce that’s hen inventory based mostly, with a contact of sunshine soy sauce and oyster sauce so as to add umami. Further hen bouillon powder is used to extend the depth of the flavour, which is a shortcut if you don’t have home made hen inventory readily available.
- Roasted unsalted cashews: That is my most well-liked possibility. You can even use salted cashews, or uncooked cashews (it’s a must to roast the uncooked cashews first).
- Aromatics: Recent ginger, garlic and inexperienced onion are used so as to add a ton of umami to the sauce.
- Greens: Celery and pepper add a pleasant crunch to the dish.
Different vegetable options
I like to make use of a handful of greens in my cashew shrimp so as to add colour and diet to my meal. You should use many various kinds of greens as a substitute of celery and pepper. For instance:
- Sliced onion: the pure sweetness works nice within the dish.
- Asparagus: sliced on the bias into 1/2” items.
- Child bok choy: white half sliced to 1/2” items and inexperienced half sliced to 1” items.
- Snap peas or snow peas: each have gentle taste and work nice right here.
The right way to make cashew shrimp
- Pan fry the shrimp till the floor is seared however the inside is barely undercooked, switch to a plate. It’s essential to not overcook the shrimp, so they continue to be juicy and tender. I wish to undercook mine throughout this step, so the shrimp might be cooked to perfection as soon as they’re blended along with the sauce.
- Saute the aromatics in oil, then cook dinner the greens till al dente. Right here it’s essential to not overcook the greens. The greens ought to nonetheless have some firmness to them, as a result of they cook dinner quick when you add within the sauce.
- Add the sauce and add again the cooked shrimp. Prepare dinner till the sauce simply thickens.
- End up with the cashews. It’s essential so as to add the cashews on the finish, so they maintain their crunchiness and don’t flip soggy.
Serving options
We frequently serve cashew shrimp over rice in China as a principal dish. It’s additionally quite common to serve cashew shrimp with different smaller dishes equivalent to a chilly salad or a soup to make a full meal. That being stated, you’ll be able to serve cashew shrimp as a principal course by itself.
Steadily requested questions
How do Chinese language eating places get their shrimp so tender?
Chinese language eating places typically use baking soda to deal with the shrimp, for a bouncy but tender texture. Additionally they typically makes use of a flash fry (过油) method – shortly frying the shrimp in a pool of oil within the wok at excessive warmth, to retain the tender texture. That being stated, should you use the method on this recipe, by utilizing cornstarch to coat the shrimp and taking care to not overcook, your shrimp could have an incredible texture as effectively.
What sorts of shrimp ought to I take advantage of?
Use medium uncooked shrimp, ideally recent, however frozen (and thawed) work effectively too. Massive shrimp takes longer time to pan fry and might yield a contact texture. Tail-off and deveined shrimp is a should for the perfect texture.
Ought to I toast the cashews?
In case you have additional time, sure. Toasting cashews enhances their nuttiness and provides them a crunchier texture. You’ll be able to toast them in a dry skillet for a couple of minutes till golden and aromatic, then allow them to cool off earlier than utilizing.
Chinese language Cooking Made Straightforward
Are you new to this web site? This free e-mail sequence is a good place to start out. I’ll stroll you thru a number of of my hottest recipes and present you the way and why they work. You’ll shortly begin to cook dinner higher Chinese language meals in your personal kitchen.
Cashew shrimp is a quick and flavorful stir-fry that mixes juicy shrimp, crunchy cashews, and crisp greens in a lightweight but fragrant white sauce.
Forestall your display from going darkish
-
Mix shrimp, Shaoxing wine, salt, and cornstarch in a medium-sized bowl. Combine effectively so the shrimp are evenly coated with a skinny slurry.
-
Combine all of the sauce elements collectively in a small bowl.
-
Add 1 tablespoon of oil in a big skillet and warmth over medium-high warmth till shimmering. Unfold the shrimp with minimal overlap. Let cook dinner till the underside aspect is gentle golden, 1 minute or so. Flip to the opposite aspect and cook dinner till gentle golden. Stir a number of instances till all surfaces flip white. Switch to a giant plate.
-
Pour within the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, ginger, and inexperienced onion. Stir a number of instances to launch the perfume.
-
Add the celery. Stir and cook dinner for 1 minute. Add the pepper and cook dinner for one more minute.
-
Add again the cooked shrimp. Stir the sauce once more to dissolve the cornstarch fully. Pour into the pan. Shortly stir a number of instances till the sauce thickens.
-
Add the cashews, shortly give it a stir and instantly switch every little thing to a plate. Serve scorching as a principal dish.
Ingredient Substitution Information
- You should use salted cashews or uncooked cashews as effectively. If utilizing uncooked cashews, roast them first (you’ll be able to discuss with this recipe).
- To make this dish gluten-free: use a gluten-free oyster sauce. Use tamari to exchange gentle soy sauce.
Serving: 1serving, Energy: 303kcal, Carbohydrates: 16.3g, Protein: 23.8g, Fats: 16.6g, Saturated Fats: 3.3g, Ldl cholesterol: 179mg, Sodium: 656mg, Potassium: 559mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4.8g, Calcium: 147mg, Iron: 2mg
