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–+ servings
Plate of shrimp in ketchup sauce.

Stir Fried Shrimp with Ketchup Sauce (Chinese Style)

Ellen
Simple and easy to prepare, this dish is ready in 10 minutes if you're in a time crunch. Serve it with steamed rice and a side of steamed or pickled vegetables for a quick meal.
5 from 2 votes
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Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 5 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Cantonese, Chinese
Servings 2 people

Equipment

  • 8-9 inch fry pan

Ingredients
  

Shrimp & Seasonings

  • 1 lb frozen extra jumbo shrimp (with/without shell on) thawed and deveined with heads removed (approx. 16-20 shrimp) (Note 1)
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp garlic powder (or minced garlic)
  • 1 Tbsp Shaoxing wine

Rest of the Dish

  • 1 small white onion sliced
  • 1 tbsp grapeseed oil (or other neutral oil) for frying
  • 1/2 cup unsalted chicken broth
  • 2 tsp light soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
  • 3 tbsp ketchup
  • chopped green onion for garnish (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (optional)

Instructions
 

Prepare Shrimp

  • Drain and blot dry thawed frozen shrimp with paper towels.
  • Add salt, garlic powder, cornstarch and Shaoxing wine to shrimp. Mix well and set aside. (Note 2)

Cook Dish

  • Heat fry pan on medium/high heat. Add oil.
  • Once oil is hot, add onions and fry till translucent.
  • Add shrimp in one layer (as best you can). Fry until shrimp starts to change color. Flip to the other side and cook for another 30 seconds. (Note 3)
  • Add half the chicken broth, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce (if using). Add a bit more broth if you find the sauce is too thick. (Note 4)
  • Lower heat to medium. Add ketchup and mix well. The sauce should coat the shrimp.
  • Cook for an additional 30 seconds or until gently bubbling. Remove from heat. Check for doneness. (Note 5)
  • Salt to taste. Garnish with green onion and chili flakes (optional). Serve immediately.

Notes

Notes

  1. If you're in a rush and didn't thaw shrimp in time, thaw frozen shrimp quickly by running under room temperature tap water in a bowl.  Soak for 10-15 mins.   The shrimp will soften and any ice will break off.  To speed up the process, pour and replace the water 2 or even 3 times in between.
  2. You can also add the garlic powder during cooking (in case you forget).  As you can see in the in progress pictures, I added it during cooking.   Doesn't make a big difference in the dish! 
  3. Don't wait till the shrimp changes color completely to avoid overcooking.  The shrimp should still have uncooked portions when you start on the sauce.  It's ok if the shrimps overlap each other a little but try to lay them out in one layer for even cooking.
  4. You might not need all the broth. I add half the broth and see if the sauce created is too thick.  I add the broth a bit at a time to thin out if needed. 
  5. Check for doneness.  Scrape a bit of the ketchup sauce off the crevice where the vein is removed closest and on the thickest part of the shrimp where the head was.   If that part is opaque (not translucent), the shrimps are cooked.
 

Substitutions

Shrimp - Imitation crab or surimi.  Fish cakes, fish dace shaped in patties or Korean fried cakes are also great options for texture.  Add some sugar or honey to balance out the absence of shrimp’s natural sweetness.
Gluten Free - Use tamari or gluten free soy sauce in place of soy sauce.  Also substitute Shaoxing wine with dry sherry. 
Ketchup - Homemade ketchup over the bottled stuff would work just fine.  
Keyword shrimp
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