Easy Shrimp & Vegetable Stir Fry (w/Cantonese Style White Sauce)

What is a Chinese White Sauce?

Chinese white sauce is a traditional sauce that's made without soy sauce and often includes chicken stock, Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce or hoisin sauce, sesame oil,  garlic, scallions, ginger, and a dash of white pepper.

Cornstarch and bean starch are two of the most common types of thickeners used in Chinese cooking and are also what give stir-fry its traditional glossy finish and luxurious mouthfeel we all associate with "real Chinese food."  

This style of sauce is usually the base for stir-fries containing lean meats and vegetables, and also happens to be one of the healthiest there is to eat or make. 

Cooking Chinese Food at Home - Techniques + Tips for Making Better Stir-Fry at Home

If you've ever made stir-fry or another type of Chinese food at home and been disappointed with the results, you're not alone. As with any cuisine, certain techniques make up the foundation for getting the best-tasting and most consistent results, just like what you'd expect from your favorite restaurant or from a local when traveling abroad.

Here are a few common mistakes people make when cooking Chinese food at home (particularly when stir-frying) and how to avoid them.

Use the Right Ingredients

If you're serious about cooking Chinese food at home, a well-stocked Asian pantry is necessary. You can buy just about anything online, but you'll find it cheaper at your local Asian grocery store.

Start with the basics:

• Shaoxing wine
• Soy sauce, light soy sauce, and dark soy sauce
• Oyster sauce
• Hoisin sauce
• Fish sauce
• Chinese black vinegar (Chinkiang or Zhenjiang vinegar)
• Rice wine vinegar
• Toasted sesame oil
• Cornstarch (or bean starch)
• Sesame seeds
• Scallions
• White pepper
• Ginger and garlic

For cooking Sichuan food or another region-specific Chinese cuisine, you'll need to add a handful of ingredients to this list that we'll cover in another post.

Use a Wok (or a Pan with a Large Surface Area)

You need a cooking vessel with a large surface area that allows for fast, high-heat cooking.

I used to have a 14-inch flat-bottomed carbon-steel wok before living in China. For most people, this size and shape are the most convenient because you don't need a wok ring (which is necessary for round-bottomed woks to fit onto a western-style burner). This wok served me well in both my tiny NYC kitchen and my more spacious Brooklyn kitchen.

I've since invested in a traditional 16-inch round-bottomed wok because it allows for more even heat distribution, larger quantities, and less food accidentally flying over the sides while tossing. If you have the space (including for storage), I highly recommend this style and size.

Bonus: You can do a lot more than just stir-fry in a wok, like fry chicken or cannoli shells. The longer you have it and take care of it, the more seasoned it becomes, and the better the food tastes, just like cast-iron cooking.

Don't Overcrowd the Wok

Depending on the size of your wok (or skillet or saute pan), you may need to cook ingredients in batches. This gives the wok time to recover its temperature after each addition and maintain consistent high heat throughout.

Adding too many ingredients at once without enough space and heat often results in overcooked meats, soggy vegetables, and a sauce that won't thicken properly.

Prep Everything Before You Start Cooking

One of the best things about cooking Chinese food at home is that it's fast and ready in minutes. But that speed only works if all of your ingredients are chopped, measured, whisked, and ready to go before the wok gets hot.

Have everything sitting on the sideline, waiting to be added as soon as the recipe calls for it. Line up the ingredients in the order they should be added to the wok for an even smoother workflow.

"Velvet" Your Meats Before Cooking

Velveting is a Chinese marinating technique that creates tender, flavorful slices of chicken, pork, beef, and sometimes shrimp. It forms a protective barrier between the meat and the hot wok, helping it retain moisture and develop better texture.

Three Main Velveting Methods

• Oil + cornstarch method
• Baking soda method (also tenderizes from the inside out, but the meat must be rinsed well before seasoning)
• Egg white + cornstarch method

Use a Cornstarch Slurry to Thicken Sauces

Ever wonder why your stir-fry isn't glossy and silky like at your favorite restaurant? You're probably not using a cornstarch slurry.

When you add the slurry to the wok and let it slightly thicken, it binds all of those delicious flavors from your seasonings into a glossy coating that covers the entire stir-fry. You get to decide how thick or thin you want the sauce, so add it gradually until you hit the consistency you're looking for.

Shrimp and Vegetable Stir Fry (w/Cantonese Style White Sauce) Ingredients 

If you're wondering what kinds of veggies go in stir fry, you can use any variety you have on hand or that your family enjoys. We just happened to have fresh sweet peas, asparagus, and sweet Borretane onions in season, and to that, I added red bell pepper, carrots, and a sweet Italian cabbage we love.

Feel free to add sliced water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, straw mushrooms, or baby corn. Also, I used frozen Argentinian red shrimp for this recipe, but any variety of shrimp works well here, whether it's fresh or frozen. 

SHRIMP MARINATING INGREDIENTS

• ½ to 1 pound of Argentinian Red shrimp, shells removed + deveined (225 to 450g)
• 1 teaspoon vegetable or grapeseed oil (4g)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• a pinch or two of white pepper
• plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (reserved for cooking the shrimp) (15g)

SAUCE INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (15g)*
• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce (4g)
• ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil (1g)
• ¼ teaspoon sugar (1g)
• ½ teaspoon salt (2g)
• pinch of white pepper, or to taste
• 1 ½ cups homemade or other low-sodium chicken stock, heated to a boil (350g)

CORNSTARCH SLURRY INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoon cornstarch (15g)
• 2 tablespoons chicken stock (or water) (30g)

FOR THE VEGETABLE STIR-FRY

(use about 6 cups of thinly sliced or chopped vegetables - any variety)

• garlic
• fresh ginge
• vegetable oil
• napa cabbage
• onions or scallions
• 2 carrots, julienned
• red bell pepper
• asparagus spears
• sweet peas (frozen or fresh)
• white pepper
• salt

Note: If you use high-quality unsalted Shaoxing wine, you may need to add a bit more salt to compensate. Can't find Shaoxing wine? Dry sherry works as a 1:1 substitute. Mirin is acceptable in a pinch, but keep in mind it has a noticeably different flavor and adds sweetness.

How to Make Shrimp and Vegetable Stir Fry (wCantonese Style White Sauce)

Before you start, make sure all of your ingredients are measured, sliced, chopped, and stirred. If your wok is on the smaller side or you're using a saute pan, work in batches. It may take a little more time, but everything will cook better.

Step 1. Marinate the shrimp. Add the shrimp, 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, salt, and a pinch or two of white pepper to a bowl. Mix well to combine and set aside while you prepare the white sauce.

Step 2. Make the white sauce. Add all of the sauce ingredients except the chicken stock to a small bowl. Stir well to combine and set aside while you prepare the slurry.

Step 3. Make the cornstarch slurry. Add the cornstarch and chicken stock (or water, if using) to a small bowl and stir well to combine. Set aside until ready to use, but give it another good stir just before adding it to the stir-fry.

Step 4. Par-cook the shrimp. In a preheated wok over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and the shrimp. Cook on the first side for 15 to 20 seconds, flip, and cook an additional 20 seconds. Remove to a plate. Don't cook them all the way through here. They'll go back into the wok with the vegetables later to finish cooking.

Step 5. Stir-fry the vegetables and add the shrimp. Turn the wok up to high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, garlic, and ginger. Fry until fragrant and toasty golden, about 45 seconds.

Next, add the vegetables and stir-fry, moving them around the pan for about 5 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock, toss to combine, and cook for about 1 minute. Add the par-cooked shrimp, toss well, and cook for about 1 minute. Add the remaining sauce ingredients, toss to combine, and cook for about 1 minute.

Step 6. Add the cornstarch slurry, toss to combine, and cook until the sauce thickens, turns glossy, and coats the stir-fry, about 3 minutes. Adjust seasonings and serve. Taste and add salt or white pepper if needed. Serve with a side of steamed rice, enjoy!

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