Servings
Font
Back
0 from 21 votes

Sweet and Sour Shrimp

Sweet and sour shrimp is an impressive yet easy recipe, with a tangy sweet and sour sauce, peppers, pineapple, and of course, crispy shrimp!

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 282 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese-American Fussion

Ingredients

For the shrimp:
  • 16 peeled and deveined shrimp (16 to 20 size; 16 shrimp at this size equals about 12-16 ounces/340-450g)
  • neutral oil (such as vegetable, canola, or peanut oil, for frying)
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 pinch turmeric powder (optional)
  • 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 cup cold seltzer or club soda
For the sweet and sour sauce:
  • 1/3 cup red onion (cut into 1-inch pieces)
  • 1/3 cup red bell pepper (cut into 1-inch pieces)
  • 1/3 cup green bell pepper (cut into 1-inch pieces)
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 3/4 cup Canned Pineapple Chunks
  • 3/4 cup pineapple juice from can
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch (mixed into a slurry with 2 tablespoons water)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Pat your shrimp dry with a paper towel. Heat 3 inches of oil in a small pot to 325°F. (Using a smaller pot conserves oil.) If you don’t have a thermometer, check the temperature by putting a drop of batter into the oil. The batter should sizzle, rise immediately to the surface, and stay a light color. If it turns brown right away, the oil is too hot.
  2. To make the batter, mix together the flour, baking powder, cornstarch, salt, turmeric, and white pepper. Just before you’re ready to fry, mix in the sesame oil and cold seltzer water until the batter is smooth.
  3. Next, drop the shrimp into the batter. Ensure they are evenly coated, but allow the excess to drip off. Carefully place the shrimp into the oil one piece at a time, ensuring that they don’t stick to each other. Fry in batches so the shrimp aren’t overcrowded and don’t stick together, turning the shrimp as needed and cooking each batch for about 2 minutes, or until golden brown.
  4. Scoop the shrimp out using a slotted spoon, and transfer to a cooling rack placed over a baking sheet to drain. Repeat until all the shrimp has been fried.
  5. Next, put two teaspoons of the frying oil in a separate wok or skillet over high heat, and toss in the onions and red and green bell peppers. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, then clear a place in the center of the wok. Add another teaspoon of oil, along with the ketchup, and fry for another 20 seconds.
  6. Mix in the pineapple, pineapple juice, water, red wine vinegar, sugar, and salt. Bring the liquid to a low simmer for 2 minutes.
  7. While the sauce is coming up to a simmer, refry your shrimp in batches (with the oil heated to 350°F). The temperature will drop when you add the shrimp. Continue frying at around 325°F for about 2 minutes.
  8. With the sweet and sour sauce still simmering, slowly stir in the cornstarch slurry until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon.
  9. Once all of the shrimp are fried, toss them into the wok, and fold into the sauce with 3 or 4 scooping motions until they are lightly coated. Serve immediately!

Nutrition Information

Calories 282kcal (14%) Carbohydrates 43g (14%) Protein 25g (50%) Fat 1g (2%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 1g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 183mg (61%) Sodium 506mg (21%) Potassium 523mg (15%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 21g (42%) Vitamin A 493IU (10%) Vitamin C 35mg (39%) Calcium 101mg (10%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 282

% Daily Value*

Calories 282kcal 14%
Carbohydrates 43g 14%
Protein 25g 50%
Fat 1g 2%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 1g 5%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 183mg 61%
Sodium 506mg 21%
Potassium 523mg 11%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 21g 42%
Vitamin A 493IU 10%
Vitamin C 35mg 39%
Calcium 101mg 10%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.