Easy Shrimp And Broccoli Recipe
Make the Easy Shrimp And Broccoli Recipe tonight for glossy, seared shrimp and crisp broccoli in 25 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 head broccoli, cut into florets
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil (or canola oil)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
Instructions
Step 1: Marinate the shrimp
Toss the peeled, deveined shrimp into a large matte ceramic bowl, then add the Shaoxing wine, a pinch of salt, a grind of white pepper, and the cornstarch. Mix gently with a spoon until each shrimp is lightly coated in a thin, pearl-like slurry. Let them sit and develop a touch of seasoning and velvety texture while you prepare the rest — this brief rest firms the shrimp and gives the surface a slightly glossy tackiness that helps achieve a golden sear.
Step 2: Make the sauce
Combine the chicken stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, a pinch of white pepper, and the tablespoon of cornstarch in a medium glass mixing bowl. Whisk or stir thoroughly until the sugar and cornstarch are fully dissolved and the mixture looks smooth and uniformly glossy, free of granules. The sauce should be a deep, savory-brown liquid with a slightly viscous sheen, ready to thicken when heated.
Step 3: Cook the broccoli and prep the pan
Place the broccoli florets in a shallow ceramic plate and briefly steam/blanch them in a skillet with a splash of water until the crowns turn bright green and remain tender-crisp; transfer the florets to a clean plate and blot the skillet dry with a paper towel so it’s ready for high-heat searing. The broccoli should look vibrant, with tight compact crowns and a fresh matte sheen.
Step 4: Sear the shrimp with aromatics
Heat a thin film of peanut oil in a wide, low matte black skillet and spread the marinated shrimp into a single layer. Let them cook undisturbed until the exposed bottoms take on a warm golden-orange crust, then flip each shrimp so they curl into plump crescents. Add the minced garlic and ginger to the hot surface so their oils bloom and become translucent and fragrant; toss a few times so the shrimp pick up those glossy, speckled flecks of toasted aromatics.
Step 5: Bring everything together and thicken the sauce
Give the sauce one final stir to ensure the cornstarch is fully suspended, then pour the glossy mixture over the seared shrimp and add the blanched broccoli back to the skillet. Stir gently and continuously until the sauce reduces and thickens into a lacquer that clings to shrimp and broccoli — glossy, silky, and coating each piece evenly. Once it reaches a shiny, clingy consistency, transfer the contents to a warm serving plate.
Step 6: Plate and serve
Spoon the hot shrimp and broccoli over a mound of steamed white rice in a shallow, wide ceramic bowl, letting the glossy brown sauce pool slightly against the rice. Garnish visually with a neat pair of dark wooden chopsticks resting on the bowl’s rim; serve immediately while the shrimp remain juicy and the broccoli retains a bright, tender-crisp bite.
Notes
- Pat shrimp very dry before marinating to help achieve a good sear.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan; cook shrimp in batches if necessary.
- Dissolve cornstarch fully in the sauce to avoid lumps.
- Add a splash of stock when reheating to loosen the sauce.
- For a vegetarian version, replace oyster sauce with mushroom sauce and use vegetable stock.