All of us are still in a grumpy haze from losing a sweet sweet hour of sleep (What are we? Farmers?), so going for something short and sweet tonight! I've had this book since 2014 when it was recommended in BuzzFeed (back when BuzzFeed wasn't just an Amazon "best thing people have purchased" site).
I am a strong believer in many things - there's never too much garlic, always multiply the sauce, and try to add something green in every meal. This has played out in a few changes to the recipe. I quadrupled the sauce, added broccoli, and I lost count on the amount of garlic.
Ingredients:
Shrimp:
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Sauce:
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
2 TB chili sauce/sriracha [or to taste - I usually like spice, but the full amount was a lot for me]
1 TB peanut or vegetable oil
5-6 cloves garlic
1 TB minced fresh ginger
3 shallots, finely chopped
2 broccoli crowns, cut into florets
Cilantro to serve
If you're like me, and you have a wok that you haven't used since you bought it 3 years ago - you're going to want to season it at some point before trying this recipe. The book says to heat the wok on high for a minute, add 3 TB of peanut/vegetable oil and let it heat until shimmering, then add the white portion of 3 scallions. Use a spatula to move the scallions around and up/down the wok, bringing the oil all around. The flavor from the scallions will embed in the wok as it cooks. Cook and move around for 5-10 minutes (until it starts smoking). Wipe out the wok with paper towels and repeat 4-5 times until a shiny brown patina develops on the base. Let the wok cool.
In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with the cornstarch, salt, and pepper.
Prepare the sauce: in a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, honey, vinegar, and sriracha.
Mis en place your veggies - shallots, garlic, and ginger in one bowl; broccoli in another. Things move fast so you want them close! You'll need a half cup of water for steaming the broccoli too.
Heat your wok (or large skillet) over high heat until a bead of water sizzles and evaporates on contact. Add the peanut oil and swirl to coat the bottom. Add the garlic, ginger, and shallot and stir-fry until fragrant, 30 to 40 seconds. Add broccoli and stir fry for a minute, add the water and cover for 2 minutes. Uncover and allow the water to evaporate. Add a little more oil if necessary and add the shrimp. Stir-fry for 2 minutes (until the shrimp curls and turns pink), then add the sauce. Continue cooking for another minute.
Serve over rice and add cilantro leaves.
We're a house divided. I thought this was a bit too spicy and one note, but my husband loved this and would have it again without question. The cilantro definitely added a great fresh flavor, but I think next time I'd maybe reduce the sriracha, add more cilantro, and add a bit of brown sugar. There are a bunch of other recipes I want to try in this book - next will be stir-fried sesame chicken!
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