Soy Sauce Shrimp (豉油王蝦/干煎虾碌) is an easy Chinese prawn recipe that takes only twenty minutes to prepare and uses primarily soy sauce to season.  This pan-fried shrimp has a very different flavor from the Western-style garlic butter shrimp, shrimp casserole, or other fried shrimp coated with batter.

Try this recipe, and you will forever remember the taste!

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The main ingredients for preparing the soy sauce shrimp

a. Shrimp

Large fresh prawns are ideal for Chinese prawn recipes, as they are more flavorful and meaty. Frozen shrimp are less flavorful and more suitable for dishes with many ingredients, such as shrimp fried rice.

b. Premium-grade soy sauce.

Light soy sauce. Light soy sauce is the primary seasoning ingredient in this soy sauce shrimp recipe. You can find it in nearly every Chinese pan-fried shrimp recipe. Most Asian prawn recipes prefer light rather than dark soy sauce because the color of dark soy sauce will overshadow the bright, natural color of the shrimp. It is only used in a small amount for its caramelized flavor when necessary.

Premium grade soy sauce (also called first draw soy sauce / 头抽) is preferred as this dish heavily depends on the quality of soy sauce. Since soy sauce’s saltiness varies from brand to brand, you may need to adjust the amount mentioned in the Chinese prawn recipe.

c. Other seasonings

• Shaoxing wine. Shaoxing wine is the standard wine for Chinese cooking. If you do not prefer alcohol, substitute it with chicken broth.
• Sesame oil. Sesame oil has a strong flavor and is only used sparingly. It is very useful to mask the fishy smell of seafood.
• Oyster sauce. You can add an equal amount of oyster sauce and light soy sauce to make it taste different.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Making Soy Sauce Shrimp

1. Prepping the shrimp

• Remove the head and leg of the shrimp with a sharp knife or a pair of scissors. Remove the telson, i.e., the last segment of the abdomen, which is very sharp.
• Make a shallow cut down the back of the prawns, from the front to the tail. Pull out the intestinal vein, which is just below the surface.
• Butterfly the shrimp by making the cut on the back deeper. This is done for appearance and to speed cooking by reducing the thickness.
• Rinse the shrimps under running water. Drain away the water with a colander or a wire mesh strainer.

2. Marinate the shrimp

Marinade with light soy sauce, cornflour, pepper, and sugar. The cornstarch helps to hold the remaining liquid of the shrimp so that it will not splatter too much while frying. Marinating for fifteen minutes should be sufficient. Most Chinese recipes use white instead of black pepper, but I find it will not make any noticeable difference.

3. Make the sauce

The sauce is easy to make; combine soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and sesame oil. I have included some flavor variations by adding other ingredients in the tips section below.

4. Pan-fried the shrimp

• Pour two tablespoons of vegetable oil into the frying pan. Peanut oil is my preference, but any vegetable oil with a neutral flavor is also suitable.
• Add the shrimp to the pan while the oil is not too hot. Increase the heat gradually to medium. The shrimp stick to the pan if you add them to the hot oil.
• Sear the shrimp on both sides for about a minute over medium-high heat. (Larger prawns need 1 1/2 minutes). Do not move the shrimp around the pan while searing.
• Add minced garlic and scallion when the shrimp are about 70% cooked. Saute until it turns aromatic. By now, the shrimps should have cooked and turned opaque. Do not overcook the shrimp, as they will become tough and rubbery.
• Before you add the sauce, check if there is too much oil in the pan. If you do not want it too oily, Remove part of the oil before adding the sauce.
• Add the sauce to the shrimp. Stir-fried the shrimps until the sauce starts to dry out, forming a coating on the shrimps’ surface.
• Dish up and garnish with chopped scallions (also called spring onion or green onion) and white sesame seeds (optional). Serve the Chinese stir-fry prawns with white rice.

Note: You can add some bell peppers during stir-frying if you prefer it with some vegetables. Otherwise, add some chili pepper if you like spicy food.

Tips to make the best Chinese soy sauce shrimp

1. Is it better to remove the shell before frying?

You can keep the shell intact or leave the tail section on for a more appealing appearance. Shrimp with shells look gorgeous on the dining table, are more succulent, and capture all the natural flavor. I will leave the shell on in this Chinese stir-fry prawn recipe and only remove the heads and legs.

You may consider unshelled shrimp for your everyday meal at home. However, unshelled shrimp lose flavor, just like cooking bone-on meat versus their boneless counterparts.

The flavor of pan-fried shrimp differs slightly between the shell and unshelled treatment. The unshelled shrimps are seared quickly. On the contrary, shrimp with a shell can hold more sauce and be more succulent. You are the person who decides which version is best for you.

2. Is it really necessary to marinate the shrimp?

You might have noticed that not all Chinese prawn recipes call for marination. Some people prefer to pat dry the shrimp with a kitchen towel and fry them shrimp without marinating them. However, marinade helps infuse more flavor into the shrimp but ensures it is not too overwhelming. Keep in mind that we will coat the shrimp with the sauce later. That is why we omit salt in the recipe.

3. Use green onion and garlic

Scallions (green onions) and minced garlic are used in Asian prawn recipes as aromatic. Add the garlic and scallions to the shrimps only when they are about 70% cooked since they are cooked quicker than the shrimps and burn if cooked over a long period.

4. Variation of flavor

I recommend two ingredients that can either be added to or partially replace soy sauce for some variation.

• Tomato ketchup. The taste will drastically change once you substitute half of the light soy sauce with tomato ketchup. This recipe is common in Hong Kong, called Stir Fried Ketchup Shrimps (茄汁蝦碌).
• Worcestershire sauce. This sauce is not strictly Chinese but is widely used in Chinese restaurants. I have been staying in Malaysia and Hong Kong, both Commonwealth countries. Worcestershire sauce was introduced to these places during the settlement of the British. The locals find that it can enhance the taste of many traditional Chinese cuisines. I suggest adding a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce and a tablespoon of tomato ketchup. This magic pair of sauces is also used in the Japanese Hambagu, which I posted separately.

Are shrimp and prawns the same thing?

Shrimp and prawns are often used interchangeably and called 虾 in Chinese. Therefore, most Chinese would not consider them to be different things. The main difference between the two is the size and shape of their bodies. Shrimp are generally smaller and have a more slender, curved shape, while prawns are larger and have a more straight, elongated body. Because of that, I will use the words shrimp and prawns interchangeably in this article.

Note: Perfectly pan-fried shrimp is slightly firm with a slight hint of a crunch. The meat is bouncy and juicy. This can only be achieved if you use fresh shrimp and not overcook them.

If you like this Asian pan-fried shrimp, I have a few more Chinese prawn recipes:

• Honey garlic shrimp can be done in fifteen minutes. The meat is imbued with honey and soy with a splash of Shaoxing wine.
• The salt and pepper shrimp is deep-fried and is best for the occasional indulgence. It is ideal for any special dinner or gathering.
• Shrimp fried rice is a quick meal for everyone. This article also describes how to prepare fried rice in detail.
• Kung Pao shrimp. If you like nice spicy food, try this Kung Pao shrimp. It is the spin-off recipe from the famous Kong Pao Chicken.