Apr 12, 2012

Gan Shao Xia (Sweet and Sour Shrimp)

Home cook Eatty Du makes these Shanghainese shrimp bathed in a sweet and tangy sauce. This recipe first appeared in our April 2012 issue along with Andrea Sun's story Nothing Better Than a Home-Cooked Meal

Credit: Todd Coleman

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

¼ cup ketchup
2 tbsp. Chinese rice wine (available at Indian Foods Company)
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. mirin (available at Indian Foods Company)
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. canola oil
1 tbsp. minced ginger
3 scallions, cut into 2″ pieces
1 lb. large head-on shrimp, shelled and deveined
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Cooked white rice, to serve

INSTRUCTIONS

Whisk together ketchup, wine, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and 1 tbsp. water in a bowl; set sauce aside. Heat oil in a 14″ flat-bottom wok or skillet over high heat. Add ginger and scallions; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add shrimp; cook, stirring, until beginning to turn pink, about 2 minutes. Add sauce; cook, stirring, until thick, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; season with salt and pepper. Serve with rice.

This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #146

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Ratings & Reviews (12)

by urbanfoodguy on 2012-04-25

Ketchup? Really? And you don't even bother to maybe want to say instead of buying Heinz (or any other brand name ketchup) which has 2 different kinds of GMO HFCS in it you might want to try cane sugar and tomato paste or organic Ketchup (Whole Foods organic is made with sugar and is cheaper then Heinz last time I looked).

How authentic can Chinese food with ketchup be? I mean you even go out of your way to give the Chinese Name for the dish, which I bet if you looked at it's history certainly didn't start out being made with ketchup.
This is the American/Chinese corporate version, right?

by SUE-ON on 2012-04-25

Ketsup has been an ingredient used in many Chinese dishes, though not as a main ingredient. My 101 year old mother used a couple tbsp in her beef and tomato to balance the flavour. It is great in tomato shrimp as shown in Andrea and Etty's recipe. The only difference I'd make is to use shell-on shrimp. To use shelled and deveined would be American/Chinese corporate version;-)

by AZCook on 2012-04-28

I absolutely agree wuth urbanfoodguy - I've never liked the use of ketchup in Chinese sweet sour dishes - tomato paste, vinegar, soy sauce, soft brown sugar and garlic are always preferable to ketchup imo. Ketchup always leaves a dish tasting of ... well ... ketchup. :)

by harry merritt on 2012-06-11

DEAR URBANFOODGUY

KETCHUP WAS INVENTED (DEVELOPED) IN CHINA

by artoeat on 2012-06-12

I wouldn't get up on the ketchup issue-it's the proportions that are inportant. Use 1/4C tomato paste substitution. I too have many Chinese recipes that call for ketchup I'm sure they aren't thinking Heintz.

by artoeat on 2012-06-12

by FREAKYCHICKEN on 2012-06-13

I just HAD to reply here.
I am on a limited income, I cant afford to have a pantry filled to the brim with items. I have to pick and choose. (not only that but I dont cook as much as I used to as its just me) While making your own sauce from scratch would, more than likely, be the favorite choice, I have to say using ketchup would save me. Its an all in one type thing and I usually have it on hand. On the other hand, having all those ingredients which were mentioned as preferable by AZCook, I dont always have them on hand and cannot afford to do so for any recipe.
So I for one do appreciate the chance to try something new without ending up paying an arm and a leg for it! I am always open to innovation rather than being stuck in a rut.

by marcolius on 2012-06-13

My family balked at the ketchup, too, so I substituted a medium large tomato, which I poached, peeled, cored, and then finely chopped. Included all the liquid it expressed. Added a couple tsp of rice vinegar to provide the acid which would have been in the ketchup. Worked great; and it added a nice freshness to the flavor. Big hit with the clan.

by dmangia on 2012-08-10

Ketchup is used a lot in Hong Kong cafe dishes.

by SEAFALCON on 2012-08-13

incorporated some cut of red and yellow bell pepper w/ sorreno-tastes very good thank you; JTC would love it.........

by DC DEB on 2012-10-11

Actually, ketchup is used in Chinese cooking, especially Hong Kong/Cantonese style. Other common western ingredients include Bird's Custard mix, Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce, and evaporated milk.

The non-traditional ingredients were integrated by cooks in the colonial era and have been in use for over a hundred years.

GMO/HFCS issues aside, this is a real and delicious dish.

by mcbrian on 2013-05-12

Many of these reviews are weird. I made this and it was awesome. It's a recipe from a home-cook, read the associated piece.

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