Dry Pot Shrimp Recipe

Prepare shrimp

Rinse and pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels. Toss the shrimp in a bowl with Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, cornstarch and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil. Let sit while you prepare other ingredients (10–15 minutes).

Slice garlic thinly, julienne ginger, thinly slice shallot or red onion, and cut scallions into 1-inch pieces. Remove seeds from some dried chilies if you want less heat; leave whole otherwise.

In a small bowl combine doubanjiang, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce (if using), rice vinegar, sugar and 2 tablespoons water or stock. Stir until sugar dissolves and set aside.

Heat neutral oil in a deep sauté pan or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering (about 350°F/175°C if using a thermometer). You want enough oil for shallow-deep frying (about 1 cup in a 10–12-inch pan).

Working in one or two batches (do not overcrowd), carefully add shrimp to the hot oil and fry until just opaque and pink, about 1 to 1½ minutes per side depending on size. Shrimp cook quickly — remove when they curl and turn firm but not rubbery.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer fried shrimp to a paper-towel-lined tray to drain. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the frying oil in the pan and carefully discard the rest (or strain and save for another use).

Return the reserved 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan over medium heat. Add Sichuan peppercorns and dried chilies; toast briefly until fragrant, about 30–45 seconds (be careful not to burn).

Add sliced garlic, ginger and shallots to the pan. Stir-fry 1–2 minutes until aromatic and shallots begin to soften.

Stir in the prepared sauce (doubanjiang mixture). Cook 30–45 seconds until it bubbles and becomes fragrant, scraping any browned bits from the pan.

Add the fried shrimp back into the pan, tossing to coat evenly in the sauce and aromatics. Cook together for 1–2 minutes so flavors meld. If the pan looks dry, add up to 1 tablespoon water or stock to help coat — the idea is mostly dry with just a light glaze on the shrimp.

Add scallion pieces and drizzle sesame oil, tossing briefly to combine.

Taste and finish with coarse salt as needed. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and cilantro leaves if using.