Stir-Fry Shrimps

Stir-Fry Shrimps with Chicken (Yum Ha Xia)

A quick, glossy Sichuan-leaning stir-fry from China where plump shrimp are tossed with sliced chicken, a sweet-sour tang of Chinkiang vinegar and sugar, and a finishing drizzle of toasted sesame. It reads like a surf-and-turf in one wok and comes together in under 20 minutes.

Prep

15 min

Cook

8 min

Total

23 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •400 g (14 oz) shelled shrimp, deveined, tails on or off
• •150 g (5½ oz) boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced thin across the grain
• •2 tbsp Shaoxing wine, or dry sherry
• •1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• •3 tbsp Chinkiang black vinegar, key for the authentic sweet-sour note
• •2 tbsp granulated sugar
• •1 tbsp light soy sauce
• •1 tsp dark soy sauce, for color, optional
• •60 ml (¼ cup) chicken stock or water
• •1 tsp cornstarch, mixed with 2 tsp cold water
• •2 tbsp neutral oil, peanut or canola
• •1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
• •2 cloves garlic, smashed
• •1 thumb ginger, sliced

Steps

1. 1 Pat the shrimp and chicken very dry. In a bowl, toss the chicken with 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine and 1 tsp cornstarch; in another bowl, toss the shrimp with the remaining 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine. Let sit 10 minutes.
2. 2 Mix the sauce in a small bowl: black vinegar, sugar, both soy sauces, stock, and sesame oil. Stir to partly dissolve the sugar. Keep the cornstarch slurry close by.
3. 3 Heat a wok over high heat until smoking. Add the neutral oil, swirl to coat, then add the chicken in a single layer. Sear 45 seconds without moving, then stir-fry until just opaque, about 90 seconds more. Transfer to a plate.
4. 4 Add the garlic and ginger to the wok and toss 15 seconds until fragrant. Add the shrimp and stir-fry until they just curl and turn pink, 60 to 90 seconds. Transfer to the plate with the chicken.
5. 5 Pour the sauce into the empty wok and bring to a vigorous boil. Stir the cornstarch slurry and drizzle it in; cook 20 to 30 seconds until the sauce turns glossy and lightly coats a spoon.
6. 6 Return the chicken and shrimp (and any juices) to the wok. Toss briskly for 30 seconds so everything is evenly lacquered. Do not overcook: shrimp should reach 63°C / 145°F internal and the chicken 74°C / 165°F.
7. 7 Tip onto a warm plate, sprinkle generously with toasted sesame seeds, and serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.