CHINESE SHRIMP IN TOMATO SAUCE (茄汁蝦 in Chinese aka KETCHUP SHRIMP) is an all-time childhood favourite for me and my siblings. Large succulent shrimp tossed in a sauce of aromatic scallions and ginger, umami soy sauce and tangy sweet ketchup. Yep, ketchup! Don’t throw shade because trust me when I tell you, the sauciness of this dish is sooo tasty. It begs to be served on a bowl of steamed rice. Once you have your ingredients prepped, this dish comes together in 15 minutes, less time than it takes to make rice!
Basic Steps to make Chinese Shrimp in Tomato Sauce
Prep shrimp - thaw, butterfly, devein and remove shells if desired (see question below “Can I Cook the Shrimp Without the Shell”)
Toss shrimp in cornstarch
Mix sauce ingredients together
Pan fry shrimp, set aside
Cook the sauce in the same pan
Add back the shrimp
Simmer to absorb flavours and serve!
Pro Tip for Perfectly Cooked Shrimp
The only trick to this (and any shrimp dish) is to make sure you don’t overcook the shrimp. The shrimp should be succulent and sweet. Overcooked shrimp is tough and rubbery and not very delicious! When you’re browning the shrimp on their own at the beginning, aim to cook them 80-85% through only and finish cooking all the way through later as it simmers in the sauce to absorb all the yummy flavours.
Type of Shrimp to Use
When I can get fresh shrimp from the fish monger (I love fresh Florida gulf shrimp), this dish is definitely worthy of the splurge. However, most of the time, I use thawed shrimp from frozen. I prefer larger sized shrimp in general and definitely for this dish (i.e. 15-count or larger) but of course, any size shrimp works here. To save time, I often buy shell-on shrimp that’s already butterflied and deveined. What a godsend!
Can I Cook the Shrimp without the Shell
It is customary to cook the shrimp with shells for this dish (usually head-on too), especially if using fancier, large shrimp because keeping the shells on during cooking keeps them more succulent. Plus, you have the pleasure of eating with your fingers around a table with others, much like the joy of a seafood boil. However, feel free to remove the shells before cooking, if that’s what you prefer. As mentioned, make sure not to overcook the shrimp, in any case.
Shaoxing Wine - What Is It / Can It Be Substituted or Omitted
Shaoxing wine is a famous Chinese rice wine from the city of Shaoxing, China. Higher quality versions are consumed as a beverage but it’s the inexpensive version that is used ubiquitously in Chinese cooking. It is used in marinades, sauces and braised dishes. You’ll need to visit a Chinese grocery store to purchase it. I’ve seen it online on Amazon but at exorbitant prices so I don’t suggest getting it there. If you can’t get your hands on a bottle of Shaoxing wine, for this recipe where only 2 tbsp is used in the sauce, you may substitute it with Japanese sake (but an inexpensive bottle from the LCBO or liquor store), Chinese clear rice wine if you have it, or people suggest dry cooking sherry. If all else fails, you can simply omit it the wine and just add a splash more water to make up the liquid for the sauce.
Eat well + be well,
Sonia X
You May Also Be Interested in…these other pescatarian recipes:
》EASY SHRIMP SPRING ROLLS
》TUNA + KIMCHI ONIGIRAZU
》TARTINES WITH MACKEREL + REFRIED BUTTER BEANS
CHINESE SHRIMP IN TOMATO SAUCE (茄汁蝦)
Recipe serves 6-8.
INGREDIENTS
2 lb large shell-on shrimp, butterflied and deveined, rinsed and pat dry (mine are 15-count size)
1 tbsp corn starch
6 scallions, cut into 1½” pieces, white and green parts separated
1 slice ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
neutral high-heat cooking oil for cooking (I use avocado oil)
For the sauce:
½ C ketchup
2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
1 tbsp corn starch
2 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp salt or to taste
1 C water
METHOD
Mix sauce ingredients and set aside. Toss shrimp in 1 tbsp corn starch.
Heat skillet over medium to med-high. Add oil and pan fry shrimp in single layer in batches ~1½-2 mins each side or when shrimp are 80%-85% cooked. They will finish cooking later in the sauce. Set aside.
To the oil in the skillet (or add more oil if needed), add scallion white parts and ginger. Stir fry 10 seconds until fragrant. Add sauce mixture and scrape to deglaze the pan. Lower heat. Add back shrimp and scallion green parts. Toss shrimp to coat well in sauce. Simmer on low heat for a minute until sauce is slightly thickened and shrimp are cooked through. Take care not to overcook the shrimp or they will become tough and rubbery. Serve over rice with a side veg.
Enjoy!
