Name: Shrimp and Vegetable Stir Fry (w/Cantonese Style White Sauce)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 11 min
Total time: 26 min
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 1/2 to 1 pound of Argentinian Red shrimp, shells removed + deveined (225 to 450g); 1 teaspoon vegetable or grapeseed oil (4g); 1/4 teaspoon salt; a pinch or two of white pepper; plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (reserved for cooking the shrimp) (15g); 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (15g)*; 1 teaspoon oyster sauce (4g); 1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (1g); 1/4 teaspoon sugar (1g); 1/2 teaspoon salt (2g); pinch of white pepper, or to taste; 1 1/2 cups homemade or other low-sodium chicken stock, heated to a boil (350g); 2 tablespoon cornstarch (15g); 2 tablespoons chicken stock (or water) (30g); 2 cloves of garlic, smashed; 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, sliced or cut into matchsticks (20g); 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for cooking the vegetables) (15g); 1 pound napa cabbage, washed and shredded (500g); 2 sweet Borretane onions, or 1 small sweet white onion or 1/2 cup scallions sliced; 2 carrots, julienned; 1/2 to 1 whole red bell pepper, chopped into bite-sized pieces; 8 asparagus spears, tough ends removed, sliced; 1/2 to 1 whole red bell pepper, julienned; 1/2 cup sweet peas (frozen or fresh); salt and white pepper to taste

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If you love Chinese food as much as we do, we think you'll love this restaurant-style Argentinian Shrimp and Vegetable Stir-fry recipe. This easy shrimp and veggie stir fry is coated in a traditional Cantonese-style white sauce that's light and silky and tastes like a cross between Moo Goo Gai Pan sauce and Shrimp in Lobster sauce. Cooking Chinese food at home is simple whether it's the Americanized takeout dishes we all know and love, or the authentic regional plates straight from the mainland or Hong Kong. All you need are a few pantry staples (which can be purchased cheaply at your local Asian grocery store), a wok (or another large skillet), and a few smart techniques.

For anyone who may be new to stir-frying at home, we've included step-by-step recipe photos at the end of the post.

smashed garlic cloves and sliced ginger cooking in hot oil inside of a wok

Why We Love This Shrimp Stir-Fry Recipe?

It's quick and easy to make
Argentinian red shrimp are extra tender and delicious
You can use just about any kind of seasonal vegetables
It's light, but the sauce is super delicious and all natural
This is a healthy Chinese takeout recipe that's easy to make at home

What is a Chinese White Sauce?

A 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 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, there are certain techniques that make up the foundation for getting the best (and most consistent) results like what you'd expect from your favorite restaurant or from a local when traveling abroad. We've outlined 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. You can start with just the basics which include Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, fish sauce, Chinese black vinegar (Chinkiang or Zhenjiang vinegar), rice wine vinegar, toasted sesame oil, corn starch (or bean starch), sesame seeds, scallions, white pepper, ginger, and garlic. And 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 get into in another post.
Use a wok or comparable cooking vessel with a large surface area that allows for fast and quick high-heat cooking. I used to have a 14-inch flat-bottomed carbon-steel wok before living in China and for most people, this size and shape are most convenient because you don't have to purchase a wok ring (necessary for round-bottomed woks to fit onto a western-style burner). This wok served me well in both my tiny NYC kitchen and way more spacious Brooklyn kitchen. But I've since invested in a traditional 16-inch wok with a round bottom because it allows for more even heat distribution, cooking larger quantities, and less food getting accidentally tossed over the sides while moving everything around. If you have the space (including for storage) I highly recommend this style and size. Plus, you can do a lot more than just stir-fry in a wok (like fry chicken, or cannoli shells). The longer you have the wok and take care of it, the more seasoned it becomes, and the better the food tastes (just like with cast-iron cooking).
Don't overcrowd the wok with too many ingredients at one time. As mentioned above, depending on the size of your wok (or skillet, sauté pan, etc.), you may need to cook ingredients in batches so that the temperature of the wok has a chance to recover after each addition and maintain a more consistent high heat throughout. Adding too many ingredients all at once without the proper space and high heat often results in overcooked meats and vegetables and occasionally not being able to get your sauce the right consistency (or both).
Have all of your ingredients chopped thinly, measured, whisked, and ready to go before you start cooking. It goes without saying that one of the best things about cooking Chinese food at home is that it's fast and ready in just minutes. This means you need to have all of your ingredients sitting on the sideline waiting to be added as soon as the recipe indicates. You can also line up the ingredients in the order they should be added to the wok which makes it even easier.
"Velvet" meats before you cook them. Velveting is a Chinese marinating technique used to create tender flavorful slices of chicken, pork, beef, and even sometimes shrimp. Velveting the protein creates a barrier between the meat and the hot wok which safeguards it to retain both moisture and enhance the texture. In some cases (for instance, the baking soda method) this process also tenderizes the meat from the inside out, but with this type of velveting, the meat needs to be rinsed well before moving on to flavoring it with sauces or additional spices. There are 3 main ways to velvet proteins:
- oil + cornstarch method
- baking soda method
- egg white + cornstarch method
When called for, use a cornstarch slurry to thicken sauces and make the dish glossy. Have you ever wondered why your stir fry isn't glossy and silky like at your favorite restaurant? It's probably because you're not adding a corn starch slurry to your sauce. When you add the slurry to the wok and allow it to slightly thicken up, it binds all of those delicious flavors from your seasonings into a glossy coating that covers your stir fry. And you get to decide how thick or thin you want the sauce.

Shrimp and Vegetable stir fry ingredients on a cutting board

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 and no matter if 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)

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

2 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, sliced or cut into matchsticks (20g)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for cooking the vegetables) (15g)
1 pound napa cabbage, washed and shredded (500g)
2 sweet Borretane onions, or 1 small sweet white onion or ½ cup scallions sliced
2 carrots, julienned
½ to 1 whole red bell pepper, chopped into bite-sized pieces
8 asparagus spears, tough ends removed, sliced
½ to 1 whole red bell pepper, julienned
½ cup sweet peas (frozen or fresh)
salt and white pepper to taste

*If you use high-quality unsalted Shaoxing wine, you may need to increase the amount of salt you add. If you can't find Shaoxing wine, use dry sherry in a 1:1 ratio. If you're thinking about using mirin, it's acceptable if that's all you've got (but it really has a totally different flavor than Shaoxing wine and it's also a bit sweet).

How to Make Easy Homemade Shrimp and Vegetable Stir Fry (w/Cantonese Style White Sauce)

Before you get started, make sure all of your ingredients are measured, sliced, chopped, and stirred. And if you need to, work in batches if your wok is smaller or you're using a sauté pan instead which will allow you to cook everything well even if it takes a little more time.

Marinate the shrimp. Add the shrimp, 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, salt, and a pinch or two of white pepper to a bowl and mix well to combine. Set aside while you prepare the white sauce.
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.
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 be sure to stir the slurry again just before it's added to the stir fry.
Par-cook the shrimp. In a preheated wok on medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and the shrimp. Cook on the first side for about 15 to 20 seconds, flip them over, and cook an additional 20 seconds. Remove them to a plate. *Do not cook them all the way through in this step because you'll add them back to the stir fry with the vegetables later on to allow them to finish cooking.
Stir fry the vegetables + add the shrimp.

With the wok turned up to high heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil, garlic, and ginger and fry until the ginger and garlic are fragrant and turn a toasty golden color (about 45 seconds).
Add the vegetables and stir fry moving them around the pan for about 5 minutes.
Add the hot chicken stock and toss to combine and cook for about 1 minute.
Add the par-cooked shrimp, toss well to combine, and cook for about 1 minute.
Add the remaining sauce ingredients, toss well to combine, and cook for about 1 minute.
Add the cornstarch slurry, toss well to combine, and cook until the sauce thickens, turns glossy, and coats the stir fry, about 3 minutes.