Sweet and Sour Shrimp

A glossy, lacquered sauce coating pearly shrimp. The crunch of peppers balances with the pineapple's acidity for a clean textural contrast.

• Prep time: 15 min
• Cook time: 10 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 361
• Protein: 30 g
• Carbs: 31 g
• Fat: 13 g

Ingredients

• 500 g Wild shrimp ( peeled )
• 1 piece Red bell pepper ( squared )
• 1 piece Green bell pepper ( squared )
• 1 piece Onion ( roughly sliced )
• 200 g Ananas comosus (L.) Merril ( diced )
• 2 piece Garlic ( minced )
• 3 tbsp Peanut oil
• 4 tbsp Rice vinegar
• 3 tbsp White sugar
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Corn starch
• 50 ml Orange juice
• 1 tbsp Tomato paste

Instructions

1. Garnish preparation

   Cut the peppers and onion into regular 2 cm squares. Cut the pineapple into cubes of the same size. Finely chop the garlic.

2. Searing the shrimp

   Heat the peanut oil in a wok or skillet until it smokes slightly. Sear the shrimp for 1 minute per side until they turn pink and firm. Remove from the pan.

3. Sautéing the vegetables

   In the same pan, toss in the onion, peppers, and pineapple. Sauté over high heat for 3 minutes. The vegetables should remain firm to the bite, not soft.

4. Binding the sauce

   Mix the vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, orange juice, tomato paste, and cornstarch. Pour over the vegetables. Bring to a boil: the sauce should thicken instantly and coat the spoon.

5. Finishing and glazing

   Put the shrimp back into the sauce. Mix vigorously to glaze them. Serve as soon as everything is steaming and shiny.

Chef's tips

• Do not overcook the shrimp initially; they will finish heating in the sauce to stay tender.
• Cornstarch must be fully dissolved in cold liquids to avoid lumps.

Storage

Keep refrigerated for 24 hours. Reheat quickly in a pan to avoid toughening the shrimp.