Description
General Tso Shrimp is a vibrant Chinese-American dish featuring crispy fried shrimp coated in a sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy sauce made with soy, hoisin, and rice vinegar. This quick stovetop recipe delivers a perfect balance of flavors and textures, garnished with fresh green onions and sesame seeds for an authentic finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Shrimp and Coating
- 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil for frying
Sauce
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons water (cornstarch slurry)
Garnish
- Sliced green onions
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare the shrimp: Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels to ensure the coating sticks well. Dip each shrimp into the beaten eggs, then evenly coat with cornstarch, shaking off any excess.
- Fry the shrimp: Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Fry shrimp in batches, cooking each side for 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Remove cooked shrimp and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Sauté aromatics: Remove all but about 1 teaspoon of oil from the skillet. Add minced garlic and ginger to the skillet and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, sugar, crushed red pepper flakes, and water. Pour this sauce mixture into the skillet with garlic and ginger. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the cornstarch slurry.
- Thicken the sauce: Cook the sauce for 1 to 2 minutes while stirring continuously until it thickens to a glossy glaze consistency.
- Combine shrimp and sauce: Return the fried shrimp to the skillet and toss to coat evenly in the thickened sauce, ensuring each piece is well coated.
- Garnish and serve: Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately, preferably over steamed white rice or fried rice.
Notes
- Serve over steamed white rice or fried rice for a complete meal.
- Adjust the amount of crushed red pepper flakes to control the spiciness level according to your preference.
- For crispier shrimp, ensure oil is hot enough before frying and avoid overcrowding the pan.
