Shrimp Stir-Fry

Method

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1. Pat the shrimp dry and toss them with the tablespoon of cornflour and the salt. Stir the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.

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2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok or very large frying pan over high heat until it shimmers. Add the shrimp in a single layer and sear for 1 minute on each side, until pink and just cooked. Tip them onto a plate.

   Mark done Start 1 min timer

3. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan. Stir-fry the broccoli and carrot for 3 minutes, then add the pepper and snap peas and stir-fry for 2 minutes more, until crisp-tender. Add the garlic, ginger and spring onions and stir-fry for 30 seconds.

   Mark done Start 3 min timer

4. Return the shrimp to the pan. Stir the sauce again, pour it in and toss for 1 minute, until the sauce is glossy and thick and the shrimp are cooked through.

   Mark done Start 1 min timer

5. Serve at once over steamed rice.

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Chef’s Tips

• Pat the shrimp dry before the cornflour goes on. Wet shrimp steam in the pan and turn pale and rubbery.
• Get the pan very hot before the shrimp go in, and work in two batches if it is small.
• Stir the sauce again just before it goes in. The cornflour settles, and the sauce will not thicken if it stays at the bottom of the bowl.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Out of spring onions? A small regular onion, finely sliced, or a few chives stirred in at the end both cover the job.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.
• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• Steamed jasmine rice
• Egg drop soup
• A cucumber salad

Storage & Reheating

Best eaten straight away. Keep in the fridge up to 2 days and reheat quickly in a hot pan, though the shrimp toughen.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.