Sichuan Pepper Oil-Fried Shrimp

Name: Sichuan Pepper Oil-Fried Shrimp
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined; 3 stalks green onions, cut into sections; 4-5 slices fresh ginger, sliced; 2 tablespoons rock candy or large crystal sugar; 1 tablespoon light soy sauce; 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine; 1 teaspoon black vinegar; 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns; 1/3 cup vegetable oil

Restaurant-quality crispy shrimp glazed with a sweet and numbing sauce. The caramelized rock candy creates a beautiful lacquer while Sichuan pepper adds that signature tongue-tingling warmth.

30 min

Medium

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This restaurant classic comes together in under 30 minutes. The key is cooking the shrimp in two stages—first for texture, then for sauce absorption. Don't skip the葱姜油 (scallion-ginger oil) at the start; it forms the flavor foundation.

Ingredients

large shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 pound

green onions, cut into sections 3 stalks

fresh ginger, sliced 4-5 slices

rock candy or large crystal sugar 2 tablespoons

light soy sauce 1 tablespoon

Chinese rice wine 1 tablespoon

black vinegar 1 teaspoon

Sichuan peppercorns 1 teaspoon

vegetable oil 1/3 cup

Instructions

Prep the shrimp

Rinse shrimp and pat completely dry. Make a shallow cut along the back of each shrimp to help them curl beautifully when cooking. Remove any remaining veins.

Create the aromatic oil

Heat oil in a wok over medium-low heat. Add ginger slices and green onion sections. Let them sizzle and turn golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Remove and discard the aromatics, keeping the fragrant oil in the wok.

First fry the shrimp

Increase heat to high. Add shrimp in a single layer and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until they curl up and turn pink. The flesh should just start pulling away from the shell. Remove and set aside.

Caramelize the sugar

Add 2 tablespoons of fresh oil to the wok. Reduce heat to medium-low, add rock candy, and stir constantly until it melts into an amber caramel. Watch carefully—it can burn fast.

Bloom the pepper

Add Sichuan peppercorns and remaining ginger slices to the caramel. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. The peppers will release their oils and create that signature numbing aroma.

Finish with sauce and shrimp

Return shrimp to the wok. Pour in soy sauce, rice wine, and vinegar (pre-mixed), then toss everything together. Cook 1-2 minutes until sauce clings to the shrimp and they are fully cooked through. Serve immediately over rice.