Ketchup Shrimp Recipe (茄汁蝦 ….哈哈笑)

I know this might be a little early, but in Chinese culture, new year celebration dinner usually consists of 9 dishes plus a soup dish which equates to 10 dishes. There is a saying that 10 dishes results in perfection. also known as “十全十美”.

Get used to these phrases because each dish has its own lucky phrase. Chinese people love lucky phrases during new year celebrations. Everything from placing flowers , decorations to the different dishes are named after lucky phrases. These lucky phrases are believed to bring good luck (obviously) and good fortune into the new year.  

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This delicious ketchup shrimp is going to change your view on ketchup and how it can be used other than a side dipping sauce for your fries. The balance in the sourness of the ketchup and sweetness of the soysauce brings in a unique sweet and sour taste

LUCKY PHRASE MEANING ( 哈哈笑 )

“Ha” or “哈” in Chinese means shrimp ,but also the pronunciation sounds like laughter in any language. That is why 哈哈笑 is the name of this dish to bring in all the happiness into the new year.

INGREDIENTS:

• 454g (1 lb) Black Tiger Shrimp
• 4 cloves of garlic 
• 2 green onions (optional)
• 2 tbsp cornstarch

Sauce Ingredients

• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp mirin
• ½ cup water

INSTRUCTIONS:

First, defrost the shrimp. Cut the legs and eyes of shrimps and remove the shrimp intestines. Rinse the shrimps. Dry them up after washing.

Cut garlic into slices.

Mix up all sauce ingredients and stir them evenly.

Put a thin layer of cornstarch on each shrimp and deep fry them until it is 80% cooked. Put aside.

Keep the oil that is used on deep frying the shrimps.

In a wok, add 1 tbsp of the previous oil to fry garlic’s slices with a sprinkle of black pepper in the same wok. Pour sauce to boil and add shrimps to fry evenly.

TIPS:

1. You can add green onions after you fry the shrimp and sauce evenly.
2. You can use oils from frying the shrimp to make homemade dumplings. 
3. Make sure to cut the eyes of the shrimps to prevent an oil explosion on your pan !

I wish you and your family a year full of happiness ! Happy New Year !

Make sure to check out the other Chinese New Year Recipes 2023 in our series !

Ketchup Shrimp (茄汁蝦 ….哈哈笑)

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Ingredients

  

• 454 g 1 lb Black Tiger Shrimp
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 green onions optional
• 2 tbsp cornstarch

Sauce Ingredients :

• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp mirin
• ½ cup water

Instructions

 

• First, defrost the shrimp. Cut the legs and eyes of shrimp and remove the shrimp intestines. Rinse the shrimps. Dry them up after washing.
• Cut garlic into slices.
• Mix up all sauce ingredients and stir them evenly.
• Put a thin layer of cornstarch on each shrimp and deep fry them until it is 80% cooked. Put aside.
• Keep the oil that is used on deep frying the shrimps.
• In a wok, add 1 tbsp of the previous oil to fry garlic’s slices with a sprinkle of black pepper in the same wok. Pour sauce to boil and add shrimps to fry evenly.

Notes

1.You can add green onions after you fry the shrimp and sauce evenly.

2.You can use oils from frying the shrimp to make homemade dumplings.

3. Make sure to cut the eyes of the shrimps to prevent an oil explosion on your pan !

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