Original: English

Shrimp Chili

Achieve a professional, restaurant-quality taste right in your own kitchen。 We're revealing the secrets behind perfectly plump and flavorful shrimp chili. With the addition of salt koji for a deep, rich flavor, this classic Chinese dish is perfect with beer or rice. Chef Wakiya will guide you through creating a dish that everyone from kids to adults will love.

📖Cooking Basics

dry（tantanmen）

Steps

Thaw the frozen shrimp under running water.
🕒 00:42
Peel the thawed shrimp from head to tail, sliding the shell off smoothly.
🕒 00:46
Rub the peeled shrimp with salt and potato starch to remove slime and impurities.
🕒 01:12
Rinse the shrimp thoroughly with clean water until the water runs clear.
🕒 01:30
Pat the rinsed shrimp completely dry with paper towels. This is the key! Thoroughly drying the shrimp ensures a plump and juicy texture.
🕒 01:54
Add salt again to the dried shrimp and knead until sticky. This is the key! Kneading with salt draws out excess moisture and firms up the shrimp.
🕒 02:13
Add egg white (approx. 1 tsp) to the sticky shrimp and knead until the egg white is evenly coated. This is the key! Adding egg white prevents the shrimp from becoming tough and shrinking during cooking, maintaining their plump texture.
🕒 02:38
Add potato starch (approx. 1 tbsp) to the egg white-coated shrimp and toss to coat evenly.
🕒 03:23
Add vegetable oil (1 tsp) to the starch-coated shrimp and toss to coat. This is the key! Adding vegetable oil prevents the coating from peeling off during cooking.
🕒 03:54
Shred the lettuce for garnish.
🕒 05:19
Finely mince the long onion. This is the key! Making parallel cuts with your knife before finely chopping allows for quick mincing.
🕒 05:31
Finely mince the ginger and garlic. If finely mincing is difficult, grating is also an option.
🕒 06:15
Heat plenty of oil in a frying pan and fry the pre-treated shrimp.
🕒 06:31
To avoid overcooking the shrimp, remove them from the oil when they are about 70% cooked. This is the key! Overcooked shrimp become tough, so removing them slightly early preserves their plumpness.
🕒 07:20
Add doubanjiang (chili bean paste) to the frying pan and stir-fry until fragrant.
🕒 07:44
Add the minced long onion, ginger, and garlic to the doubanjiang and stir-fry until aromatic without burning.
🕒 07:56
Add cooking sake (rice wine) and chicken soup to the stir-fried ingredients and mix well.
🕒 08:20
Add salt koji, then stir in sugar and ketchup to create the sauce. This is the key! Salt koji adds depth and richness, resulting in a professional-level flavor.
🕒 08:47
Add the fried shrimp to the prepared sauce and mix until the sauce is evenly coated.
🕒 09:45
Add potato starch slurry (approx. 1 tsp) and mix quickly to thicken.
🕒 09:57
For the finishing touch, stir in scallion oil (1 tsp) and vinegar (1 tsp).
🕒 10:15
Plate the dish, garnish with shredded lettuce, and serve.
🕒 11:05