Chinese Cuisine
Sweet and Sour Braised Shrimp
Fresh shrimp are pan-fried until golden, then coated in a rich sweet-and-sour sauce made with garlic, ginger, cooking wine, soy sauce, and ketchup. A quick and flavorful seafood dish perfect for weeknight dinners.
- Total
- 30 minutes
Quick Recipe Summary
- Cuisine
- Chinese
- Category
- Chinese Cuisine
- Method
- Braising or simmering
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Main Ingredient
- Fresh Shrimp
About This Recipe
Fresh shrimp are pan-fried until golden, then coated in a rich sweet-and-sour sauce made with garlic, ginger, cooking wine, soy sauce, and ketchup. A quick and flavorful seafood dish perfect for weeknight dinners.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ready in about 30 minutes, so it can fit into a busy cooking day.
- Beginner-friendly enough for cooks who are still building confidence in the kitchen.
- Good for learning how seasoning and simmering build flavor over time.
- Gives the dish a clear sweet and sour flavor profile without making the method feel complicated.
- Useful as a reference recipe because the steps explain both what to do and what to watch for.
Ingredients
- 16 pieces Fresh Shrimp
- 1 bunch Green Onions
- 2 cloves Ginger
- 1 head Garlic
- 1 tbsp Cooking Wine
- 1 tbsp Rice Wine
- 1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Tomato Ketchup
- 1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
Ingredient Notes
These notes explain the role of the main ingredients so the recipe is easier to adjust.
Fresh Shrimp
This ingredient helps define the flavor, texture, or structure of the dish.
bunch Green Onions
Scallions add freshness and are useful both as an aromatic base and as a finishing flavor.
Ginger
Ginger adds clean aroma and helps balance meat, seafood, tofu, and fermented flavors.
head Garlic
Garlic gives the dish a savory base and becomes most fragrant when cooked briefly in oil or brine.
Ingredients & Techniques Used in This Recipe
These guides explain the key sauces, ingredients, and cooking techniques used in this recipe, so you can understand the dish instead of only following steps.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1
Rinse the shrimp thoroughly under running water.
Step 2
Trim off the whiskers and legs using kitchen scissors.
Step 3
Use a toothpick to remove the intestinal vein from the back of each shrimp.
Step 4
Trim the sharp rostrum (shrimp horn) from the head.
Step 5
Remove the sand sacs from the head area and rinse again.
Step 6
Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels.
Step 7
Prepare the aromatics and seasonings.
Step 8
Finely mince the garlic and ginger, and chop the green onion greens.
Step 9
Heat oil in a skillet and pan-fry the shrimp until one side turns pink and lightly golden.
Step 10
Flip and cook the other side until fully pink.
Step 11
Remove the shrimp and set aside.
Step 12
Using the remaining oil, sauté the garlic and ginger until fragrant. Add cooking wine, rice wine, soy sauce, ketchup, and black pepper. Stir well and bring to a simmer.
Step 13
Return the shrimp to the pan and toss until evenly coated with the sauce. Simmer briefly over high heat to reduce the sauce.
Step 14
Cook until the sauce thickens and clings to the shrimp.
Step 15
Garnish with chopped green onions before serving.
Step 16
Serve hot and enjoy.
Cooking Tips
- Rice wine adds extra aroma and enhances the natural sweetness of the shrimp. Drying the shrimp thoroughly before frying helps prevent oil splatter and promotes better browning. Avoid overcooking the shrimp to keep them juicy and tender.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve it with steamed rice when you want a simple Chinese home-cooked meal.
- Serve with rice to catch the sauce, plus a crisp vegetable dish for balance.
- Leftovers often reheat well; add a splash of water if the sauce thickens too much.
Recipe Card
Fresh shrimp are pan-fried until golden, then coated in a rich sweet-and-sour sauce made with garlic, ginger, cooking wine, soy sauce, and ketchup. A quick and flavorful seafood dish perfect for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
- 16 pieces Fresh Shrimp
- 1 bunch Green Onions
- 2 cloves Ginger
- 1 head Garlic
- 1 tbsp Cooking Wine
- 1 tbsp Rice Wine
- 1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
- 2 tbsp Tomato Ketchup
- 1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
Method
- Rinse the shrimp thoroughly under running water.
- Trim off the whiskers and legs using kitchen scissors.
- Use a toothpick to remove the intestinal vein from the back of each shrimp.
- Trim the sharp rostrum (shrimp horn) from the head.
- Remove the sand sacs from the head area and rinse again.
- Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels.
- Prepare the aromatics and seasonings.
- Finely mince the garlic and ginger, and chop the green onion greens.
- Heat oil in a skillet and pan-fry the shrimp until one side turns pink and lightly golden.
- Flip and cook the other side until fully pink.
- Remove the shrimp and set aside.
- Using the remaining oil, sauté the garlic and ginger until fragrant. Add cooking wine, rice wine, soy sauce, ketchup, and black pepper. Stir well and bring to a simmer.
- Return the shrimp to the pan and toss until evenly coated with the sauce. Simmer briefly over high heat to reduce the sauce.
- Cook until the sauce thickens and clings to the shrimp.
- Garnish with chopped green onions before serving.
- Serve hot and enjoy.
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