Dry-Fried Shrimp with Ginger

“Dry-fried” in Chinese cooking means high heat, minimal sauce, and maximum wok contact. These shrimp hit a blazing hot wok with peanut oil and cook until pink in about a minute, then ginger, garlic, scallions, rice wine, and two types of soy sauce go in for a final three minutes of fast stirring.

The combination of light and dark soy sauce is a technique worth noting. Light soy adds salt and umami. Dark soy adds color and a hint of sweetness. Together they create a more complex flavor than either one alone.

Rice wine (or dry sherry) deglazes the wok and adds a subtle sweetness that rounds out the garlic and ginger. A splash of chicken broth keeps things from drying out entirely, but this isn’t a saucy dish. The coating on each shrimp should be glossy and thin, not swimming in liquid.

Chef Tips

• Get the wok screaming hot before adding oil. A cold wok means the shrimp steam instead of sear, and you lose that characteristic wok flavor.
• Don’t overcrowd the wok. Cook in batches if needed. Shrimp release water, and too many at once drops the temperature.
• Have everything chopped and measured before you start. Stir-frying moves fast and there’s no time to mince garlic mid-cook.
• Peanut oil’s high smoke point makes it ideal for wok cooking at these temperatures. Don’t substitute olive oil.

Variations

• Spicy version: Add dried red chili flakes or Sichuan peppercorns with the garlic and ginger for numbing heat.
• Scallop swap: Use sea scallops cut in half instead of shrimp for a more luxurious take.