Mildly sweet, salty and vinegary – with a slight peppercorn powder zing, this Shrimp with Chinese Black Vinegar is one of the most delicious ways to eat shrimp. Chinese black vinegar is the star, lending a distinct flavor that sets this shrimp dish apart from others.
Notes for Shrimp with Chinese Black Vinegar
Air frying shrimp, rather than conventional pan frying, works beautifully, and ensures shrimp is always tender and perfectly cooked. This recipe includes steps for air frying jumbo-sized shrimp.
Chinese black vinegar is also referred to as Chinkiang Vinegar or Zhenjiang vinegar. It has similar hues to soy sauce, an underlying sweetness and a mild acidic taste that resembles balsamic vinegar – but less tart. Like soy sauce, black vinegar is tightly integrated into Asian cuisines and used innumerable ways – as a quick dumpling sauce, as a soup garnish for Taiwanese style soups, in stir-fries, in salads such as seaweed salad and much more.
Brining colossal-sized shrimp before cooking may be useful. Use the steps outlined in “How to Brine Meat” to brine shrimp.
This recipe assumes shrimp is peeled, de-headed and unshelled. To devein and remove the poop line for shrimp, either 1) slice along the back and pick out the poop line or 2) take a toothpick and insert it below the poop line around where the 2nd or 3rd shell would be and lift up.
Wild caught shrimp tends to have firmer meat than farmed shrimp. However, they have fewer chemicals and consume a natural diet lower in saturated fat.
Shrimp with Chinese Black Vinegar Sauce
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Loading...Mildly sweet, salty and vinegary – with a slight peppercorn powder zing, this classic and common Chinese shrimp dish is one of the most delicious ways to eat shrimp. Chinese black vinegar is the star, lending a distinct flavor that sets this shrimp dish apart from others.
Ingredients
- .75 lb. shrimp
- 1.5 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. Chinese black vinegar (Chinkiang Vinegar)
- 1.5 teaspoon sugar or to taste
- ¼-½ teaspoon Sichuan peppercorn powder
- 2 slices ginger
- 2 scallions chopped, white and green parts separated
- 2 cloves garlic sliced
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 1/2 tsp cornstarch + 1/2 tsp water (optional)
Instructions
In a bowl combine the sauce ingredients: soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, sugar/sugar substitute.
Toss the shrimp with Sichuan peppercorn powder.
Cook shrimp on the stove:
In a skillet over high heat add a teaspoon of oil. Add the shrimp and sear until 80% cooked – about 1-3 minutes each side (longer for larger shrimp). Remove and set the shrimp aside.
Air fry shrimp:
Hang shrimp individually on an air fryer rack. Air fry for 7 minutes at 375F.
With a skillet over medium heat, add a teaspoon of oil, white parts of the green onions, garlic and ginger and cook until sizzling.
Pour in sauce and add back shrimp. Coat the shrimp in sauce. Blend in the cornstarch slurry, if using, to thicken the sauce.
If necessary cook shrimp further until their flesh becomes firm and clear. Immediately remove the shrimp from pan to prevent further cooking. Garnish with reserved green onions and serve.
Informational Resources
- Wild vs Farmed Shrimp – What Are the Differences? Marithyme Seafood Company.
- Wild caught vs. farm raised seafood. Colorado State University.
