We. Love. Asian. Food. Looooooove it. We love it for the spices and the use of lots of vegetables. You’ve probably had General Tso’s chicken at your favorite Chinese restaurant. THIS, my friends, is every bit as good but probably better than that. Just test it. Despite frying the shrimp, they stay nice and juicy beneath the coating, without drying out. The greens are vibrant and are the perfect balance to the fried shrimp – the broccolini with their long stems are just gorgeous and retain a delightful crunch, and something magical happens to scallions when they are stir-fried… they become sweet. This dish is wonderfully sweet and spicy… the perfect yin and yang. We suggest serving over Thai jasmin rice, who’s grain is the perfect size and “stickiness” for this dish.
Tip (unsponsored): We are pretty picky about shrimp. They must have the right texture (be firm and gray when raw and really meaty when cooked. It’s hard to describe the textural difference between “good” and “bad” shrimp, but there truly is a distinct difference, at least to us). They should smell of the sea but not bad. We are always happy with the raw shrimp in Costco’s frozen case. We recommend using the 21-15 shrimp per pound bag. Using these larger shrimp will be a little more forgiving when cooking, as this dish cooks up very quickly.
If you plan on cooking more Asian in the near future like we do, it might be to your advantage to buy larger bottles of things like the sweet chili sauce called for here from an Asian market if you have one. Just do a Google search. The prices are usually much better when purchased in larger quantities.
Like many Asian dishes, it is very important to have all your ingredients prepped and by the stovetop before ever turning it on. This is a very quick-cooking dish that requires all of your attention at once, but it completely manageable if you are prepared.
Have your children help you cut the broccolini and whisk the sauce. As you prepare and enjoy this meal with your family, teach them about some of the health benefits of some of the ingredients:
- Broccolini has vitamin C, which improves your collagen, helping your skin and bones stay strong.
- Scallions help your blood vessels stay healthy.
- White rice has amino acids that give you energy and help your muscles stay strong.
A few facts about Taiwan and it’s people:
- Many of the garbage trucks play music to encourage people to bring out their trash.
- Taiwan has one of the lowest fertility rates in the world.
- People love to ride bikes in Taiwan.
Adapted from: General Tso’s Shrimp with Broccolini
- 1 large egg white
- 3 tablespoons dry sherry
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch, plus more for coating (about ¾ cup)
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails intact)
- ⅓ cup Thai-style sweet chili sauce
- 3 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil, plus more for deep-frying
- 2 bunches broccolini, trimmed
- 1 bunch scallions, cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 cups cooked white rice (preferably Thai jasmin), for serving
- Have all your ingredients prepped and close at hand before beginning.
- Whisk the egg white with 1 tablespoon each rice wine, soy sauce and cornstarch in a large bowl. Add the shrimp and toss; refrigerate until ready to fry. Whisk the chili sauce, the remaining 2 tablespoons each rice wine and soy sauce, 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 cup water in a bowl; set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok or large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the broccolini; stir-fry until charred in spots, 3 minutes. Add ½ cup water and stir-fry until crisp-tender, 1 to 2 minutes (you want it slightly crisp still); transfer to a plate. Reduce the heat to medium; add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, the scallions, garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir-fry until tender, 2 minutes. Add the chili sauce mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 1 minute. Cover and set aside.
- Heat 1 inch of oil in a deep saucepan over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 365 degrees F. Working in batches, toss the shrimp in cornstarch to coat, then fry until crisp and golden, about 1.5 - 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- Return the wok to medium heat and reheat the sauce if needed. Add the broccolini and shrimp and cook, tossing, until warmed through, 2 minutes. (Add up to ½ cup water if the sauce is too thick.) Serve with the rice.
