Shrimp and Snow Peas
Light, fresh, and filled with seafood and veggies, this shrimp and snow peas recipe comes together in a flash! It’s easy to make, and the homemade sauce features rich and spicy Shaoxing cooking wine and fish sauce.
I’m a firm believer in no-fuss recipes that use simple, everyday items. Yes, sometimes I like to hunt down uncommon ingredients and spend hours in my kitchen preparing them. But, there are other times when I crave something simple and easy to put together!
A few easy recipes that I know and love are Bok Choy Stir Fry, Pepper Steak with Onion and Tomatoes, Chinese Curry Beef Stir Fry, or this Szechuan Pork and Eggplant Stir Fry. Today’s dish of shrimp and snow peas falls into the same category. All you’ll need are a handful of ingredients and about 30 minutes to put it all together!
The key to flavor comes from the sauce, which features delicious Shaoxing cooking wine that you can find at your local supermarket. If you can’t find it, dry sherry or sake will substitute. You’ll be so impressed by the simplicity (and flavor) of this meal!
INGREDIENT NOTES AND SUBSTITUTIONS
- Shrimp – You’ll need to use shelled and deveined shrimp. It’s easy to do on your own, or you can ask your local fishmonger to do it for you! They also sell pre-shelled and deveined shrimp at most supermarkets.
- Snow Peas – The other main character of this dish are the fresh snow peas. Keep an eye out for fresh, bright green peas for the best results.
- Celery & Carrot – The peas aren’t the only vegetable in this dish! I love the added flavor and crunch of the celery, plus the extra color from the carrot.
- Green Onions – Opt for green onions (also called spring onions or scallions).
- Fresh Ginger & Garlic – These ingredients adds a bit of a kick and extra flavor to your shrimp and snow peas dish!
- Cornstarch – Used as a thickener, cornstarch also helps the flavors adhere to the shrimp.
- Salt & Black Pepper – To season the shrimp.
- Water – The base of the homemade sauce.
- Shaoxing Cooking Wine – Featuring a unique, spicy and vinegary flavor, this ingredient gives the homemade sauce its distinct flavor. You can also use sake or dry sherry instead.
- Fish Sauce – Despite its name, fish sauce isn’t as fishy as you may think. That said, it adds a delicious salty and slightly sweet flavor!
- Sugar – To add a bit more sweetness to the mix.
- White Pepper – This type of pepper is a bit milder than black pepper.
- Sesame Oil – Slightly nutty, this sauce is often seen in stir fries like this shrimp and snow peas recipe.
HOW TO MAKE SHRIMP AND SNOW PEAS
1. Prep The Ingredients. Rinse the shrimp and pat them dry with a clean paper towel. Place them in a bowl and toss with the salt, pepper, and cornstarch, then set aside. Wash, trim, and cut the vegetables, garlic, and ginger as seen in the photo above and as described on the recipe card.
2. Assemble The Sauce. Add the water, Shaoxing cooking wine (or sake or dry sherry), fish sauce, sugar, white pepper, and sesame oil together in a small bowl and mix to form the sauce.
3. Blanch The Veggies. Place a wok over high heat and add 4 cups of water, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil. Once it comes to a boil, add the carrots and blanch for 30 seconds. Then, add the celery and do the same. Add the green onions and snow peas and blanch for another minute, then drain them using a colander.
4. Stir Fry The Shrimp. Wipe down the wok with a paper towel to remove any moisture and place it back over high heat. Add 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil and stir fry the shrimp until no longer pink. Remove and set aside.
5. Add The Vegetables. Add the ginger and garlic to the pan and stir fry for 1 minute. Add the vegetables and the shrimp, then pour the sauce over the mixture. Toss to coat and allow to cook for 2 more minutes. Serve with steamed rice and a few sesame seeds on top!
How Do You Prepare Snow Peas To Eat?
The best way to prepare snow peas for this shrimp and snow peas recipe is to remove the strings from both sides. You can do so by snipping or pinching off the tough ends on one side and then peeling off the fibrous string. Trim the ends of the peas and you’re good to go!
Do You Blanch Snow Peas Before Stir-Frying?
Yes! As seen in the instructions above and below on the recipe card, you’ll have to blanch all of the vegetables before you add them to your wok frying pan. This guarantees that they are cooked through and tender.
What’s The Difference Between Snap Peas And Snow Peas?
Snap peas, also known as sugar snap peas, are a cross between garden and snow peas. Snow peas tend to be smaller and flatter than snap. Their flavors are very similar, but sugar snap peas are a bit sweeter.
Shrimp and Snow Peas
Ingredients
- 1 lb large shrimp shelled and deveined
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 10 oz snow peas
- 4 celery
- 4 green onions
- 1 carrot large
- 1 oz fresh ginger minced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
Sauce
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing cooking wine (See Note 1)
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
Instructions
Prep
- Rinse shrimp and pat dry with paper towel. Place in bowl and toss with salt, pepper and cornstarch. Set aside.
- Remove the strings from both sides of the snow peas by snipping off the tough end on one side, peel and discard.
- Trim the ends and slice the celery and green onions into 1-inch pieces cut at an angle.
- Peel the carrot and slice into 1/2-inch pieces cut at an angle. Stack 2-3 pieces and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips.
- Using a spoon, scrape the skin off the ginger root and cut into 1/8-inch pieces. Stack several pieces at a time and cut inch 1/8-inch strips, turn and cut into small mince. Smash the garlic with the side of your knife and mince.
- In a small bowl mix together the Sauce ingredients.
Cook
-Blanch Veg
- Heat a wok over high heat with 4 cups of water, 1 tsp of kosher salt and 1 tsp of vegetable oil. Bring to a boil and blanch the carrots for 30 seconds, add celery and blanch for another 30 seconds. Add the green onions and snow peas, blanch another minute. Pour vegetables and water into a colander to drain.
-Stir Fry
- Wipe the wok dry with paper towel and put back on high heat. Add 2 teaspoons vegetable oil and stir fry the shrimp until no longer pink on both sides. Quickly remove and set aside.
- Add the ginger and garlic, stir fry 1 minute and add cooked vegetables and shrimp. Pour sauce over and quickly toss to coat, cooking for another 2 minutes.
- Serve with steamed rice and optional black sesame seeds.
Notes
- Substitutes for Shaoxing wine can be sake or dry sherry.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Absolutely delicious with some steamed rice. Well done!
Much appreciated Nathan!
This was an excellent recipe and prefect for family. White pepper could be a little less. Salt on shrimp could be reduced a little all depending on individual taste. For me, just right. For wife a little warm. Would recommend to those that like seafood.
So glad you and the family enjoyed this one Zane. Cheers!