Mom and I couldn’t agree on a name for this dish. The direct Chinese translation (油爆蝦) is Oil Pop Shrimp – which kind of sounds like a pimple gone wrong.
Mom has been making this dish since I can remember and to be honest, I wasn’t always a huge fan of it. Not because it’s not delicious (which it is), but mostly because I’m a lazy eater and to truly enjoy this dish, you gotta work for it.
In true Chinese fashion, this shrimp dish involves leaving the head and shell on – something I’ve struggled to accept. I’ve debated with mom on the merits of this method many times (did I mention I’m a lazy eater?) and the consensus from the rest of the fam is that this is simply the juicier and more flavorful method. So here goes:
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp
- 2 tbsp wine
- 4 tbsp oil for pan-frying
- Sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp five-spice powder
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- Garnish with chopped green onion
Instructions
- De-vein shrimp, leaving the shell and head on. This is the Chinese way.
- Marinate shrimp with wine for 20 minutes
- Heat oil, add shrimp and sauce ingredients. Cook until shrimp is cooked through (about 5 minutes)
Noms From Mom 
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