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 30–45 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.
