Ketchup Shrimp
If you've purchased frozen shrimp for use in this recipe, rinse the shrimp under cold running water until they have thawed. Be sure to drain the shrimp thoroughly.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 3 to 4
- ¾ pound medium shrimp, shelled, deveined
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
Rinse the shrimp and pat dry with paper towels.
Combine the ketchup, dark soy sauce, white vinegar, and sugar in a bowl. In another small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch into the water. Set aside.
Heat a wok or skillet over medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the chopped garlic. Stir-fry for about 15 seconds, until it is aromatic; then add the shrimp.
Stir-fry the shrimp briefly until they start to turn pink. Push the shrimp to the sides of the pan. Add the sauce in the middle and bring to a boil.
Add the dissolved cornstarch and water into the sauce, stirring to thicken.
As soon as the sauce has thickened, stir to combine it with the shrimp. Serve hot.
Ketchup History
It's hard to picture a bottle of ketchup as anything but red, but originally the word referred to salty sauces made with everything from blueberries to mushrooms. Tomato-based ketchup recipes didn't become popular until the nineteenth century.
