Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Pat the shrimp completely dry with paper towels. Press firmly on both sides, removing surface moisture is the most important step for achieving a good sear rather than steaming.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, brown sugar (or monk fruit), and cornstarch slurry. Set the sauce aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering and just beginning to smoke. The pan needs to be very hot before the shrimp go in.
- Add the shrimp in a single layer, do not crowd. Cook undisturbed for 1½ to 2 minutes until the underside is pink and lightly golden. Flip and cook for another 1 minute. Work in two batches if needed. Transfer cooked shrimp to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the same pan. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger. Toss constantly for 30 seconds until fragrant, watch carefully as both burn quickly at this heat.
- Pour the sauce into the pan and stir to combine with the aromatics. Let it simmer for 30 to 45 seconds, stirring, until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon.
- Return the shrimp to the pan and toss to coat evenly in the sauce. Cook for 30 seconds just to reheat, the shrimp are already cooked and don't need more time on heat.
- Transfer to a serving plate. Garnish with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes if using. Serve immediately over cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, or steamed broccoli.
Nutrition
Notes
Net carbs: 5g per serving (6g total carbs minus 1g fiber).
Sodium note: Estimated ~750mg per serving based on 3 tbsp soy sauce divided across 4 servings. Use low-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos to reduce this significantly.
Substitutions: Tamari or coconut aminos replace soy sauce for a gluten-free version. Monk fruit sweetener or allulose replaces brown sugar for a lower-sugar or diabetic-friendly version. Coconut aminos are slightly sweeter than soy sauce, if using them, reduce sweetener by half.
Keto note: At 5g net carbs, this recipe is keto-compatible for most practitioners. Swap brown sugar for monk fruit to drop it further below the strict threshold.
Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Freezing cooked shrimp is not recommended, texture suffers significantly on thawing.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. Avoid the microwave if possible, it tends to make shrimp rubbery.
