^{This post has been sponsored by Andria's. All opinions expressed are my own.}

Succulent shrimp is pan fried to golden perfection in a savory mix of soy sauce, garlic, and scallions, served over a bed of plump white rice. A tossed cabbage and spring greens salad completes the portrait of this picture-perfect meal, one that’s deliciously elegant, while being wonderfully simple to bring together.

The shrimp fry up with a tantalizing glossed-brown glaze, imbuing the shrimp with sweet and savory deliciousness. We’ll be serving the shrimp over sticky white rice, before garnishing with fresh cilantro and scallions for added color and depth.

We’ll be doing all of this with a little help from my dear friends over at Andria’s Steak House, without whose Brush-On Steak Sauce and Salad Dressing today’s meal simply wouldn’t be complete. More on them below.

For today’s recipe, I’ll be providing you with an ingredient list for each phase of preparation. After that, I’ll be giving you some pro-tips on how to select the best shrimp possible.

Now, without further delay, let’s stir fry some shrimp.

Ingredient Checklist – For the Salad

Cabbage. The greenery for today’s salad, but your choice of romaine, iceberg, or arugula, would all work perfectly.
Red Onion. For color and oniony bite. Sweet onions would also pair deliciously, if you prefer, though they’ll make the salad a fair bit sweeter than intended.
Spring Greens. Simple spring greens for depth of flavor and bit of color.
Grape Tomatoes. I’m using grape tomatoes simply because those are what I had on hand, and because they look lovely if kept whole in the salad.
Scallions. One of my favorite garnishing greens. As a nice bonus, they also bring a bit of their own ‘oniony flavor.’
Carrots. We’re shredding these up to ensure a smooth and unobtrusive texture, while still adding bright carrot color and flavor.
Radishes. Color, bite, a crisp texture, and background sweetness are the reason we include radishes.
Sushi Ginger. A vibrant pink hue, juicy texture, and subtle sweetness, combined with an aroma reminiscent of plucked rose petals, makes sushi ginger one of my favorite ingredients ever. I’m not joking when I say I actively look for any excuse to include sushi ginger in a recipe
Andria’s Salad Dressing. This salad dressing starts with a rice vinegar base, mixed with molasses and a generous splash of Worcestershire. Garlic, tamarind, mixed vegetables and herbs, round out the ingredient list, creating a depth of flavor that manages to be both rich and pungent, while retaining a delicious balance. While this dressing will turn any salad into a delight worth savoring, it’s also incredibly versatile, being well at home on grilled veggies, as a marinade for block tofu, or over fish.

Ingredient Checklist – The Shrimp

Rice. Plain white sticky rice is what I suggest for this particular recipe, but of course feel free to use the rice of your choice. Jasmine, basmati, and wild brown rice would all pair perfectly.
Shrimp. Tips and tricks for selecting the best shrimp possible below.
Vegetable Oil. We’re using this as our cooking oil of choice because it’s entirely flavor neutral.
Scallions. Oniony bite, with a bit of ‘brightness’ and ‘vegetal’ flavor.
Garlic. Be sure to dice the garlic up as fine as you can manage for this particular recipe.
Cilantro. I love cilantro. I’ll describe cilantro herb as richly aromatic, with a bright flavor that’s a bit of ‘citrus mixed with nutty and earthy notes.’ While we’re using it in today’s recipe simply as garnish, its distinctive qualities nevertheless manage to make themselves known, enhancing the recipe beyond simply adding eye appeal.

Ingredient Checklist – Marinade for the Shrimp

Soy Sauce. Plain light soy sauce is all you’re looking for. Yes, low sodium works just fine for this recipe.
Black Pepper. Plain ground pepper is all you need. For best results, however, I strongly suggest grinding fresh peppercorns in a mortar and pestle.
Sugar. The sugar here is serving to caramelize the marinade into a ‘glaze’ during cooking, and of course to add a touch of background sweetness. In addition, it can help bring out the sweetness of the vegetables (such as the scallions and garlic) as well as the proteins (the shrimp), while also helping to balance out the saltiness of other ingredients (such as the soy sauce).
Corn Starch. The key behind any good stir fry is the use of cornstarch, where it acts as a thickening agent (in this case for the glaze), and as a crisping agent for the food being stir fried (the shrimp).

Ingredient Check – The Sauce

Soy Sauce. Once again, plain light soy sauce is all you’re looking for.
Rose Wine. You want a dry wine for this recipe. Shaoxing Wine would work beautifully. I’m using rose wine simply because that’s what I gravitated towards. In essence, wine adds depth of flavor to a dish, as well as helping to tenderize proteins and reduce the bitterness of certain vegetables. It is also works to deglaze cooking surfaces, creating a flavorful sauce (in this case deglazing the pan as the shrimp cooks, thereby enhancing the flavor of the shrimp).
Sesame Oil. Adds background nuttiness and earthy notes.
Andria’s Brush-On Steak Sauce. If you’re looking for a great way to spruce up your next steak dinner, Andria’s Brush-On Steak Sauce is the way to go. And as today’s recipe proves – it’s delicious on far more than just steak. It’s a wonderful accompaniment for poultry, fish, and as a brush-on for things like grilled vegetables. Made with a delicious mix of onions and parsnips, along with turnips, carrots, and parsley, this sauce is richly textured, and has a wonderful depth of flavor. Though obviously most at home on steak, beef roasts, or pork shoulders, it is delightfully versatile – as today’s shrimp proves, and as you can see from my Glazed Turkey Wings. Try it, I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Selecting Quality Shrimp – A Few Tips

Fresh or Frozen? The hard truth is that unless you are buying directly – as in directly off the fishing boat or pier – you are buying frozen fish…or at least fish that ‘was’ frozen before your fishmonger defrosted it for display. This isn’t a bad thing, and it’s almost entirely unavoidable. According to the National Fisheries Institute, some 85% of all commercially available fish has been frozen at some point on its journey to market. This is a good thing and the quicker the fish was frozen after being caught, and the longer it remained frozen before finding its way to the display case of your local market the better. The same applies to shrimp.
The Right Question to Ask Your Fishmonger is None at All. Asking your fishmonger if the fish on display is ‘fresh’ is likely pointless. If you have an honest fishmonger, he or she won’t be displaying spoiled fish. If you have a dishonest, lazy, or inept fishmonger, they’ll likely assure you it's fresh even if it isn’t. Instead, find a market that you trust to display good fish. If you really must inquire about the quality of the fish, ask for fish that has ‘never’ been defrosted. Conversely, let’s learn how to tell if the fish is ‘good’ or ‘fresh’ or ‘not,’ which brings us to my next point…
Buy Shell-On Shrimp. Freezing or storing shrimp after it has been shelled and deveined causes a loss of flavor, since deshelling causes the shrimp to drain away its juices. This is true even when flash freezing the shrimp immediately after shelling and deveining. This doesn’t mean that the ‘quality’ of shelled or deveined shrimp is inferior, merely that you’re getting a ‘less flavorful’ shrimp…which is a quality in and of itself.
Inspect the Shell. While this might be hard to do through freezer bags, it’s worth mentioning that the shell of the shrimp holds important clues as to the quality of the shrimp itself. Black spots or patches of deep brown indicate that the shrimp are decaying. NOTE: Some species of shrimp, such as Black Tiger shrimp, or Gulf Pink shrimp, naturally have streaks of black or dark green on their shells.
Smell. Shrimp should smell of saltwater or ‘brine.’ Any other smell is a sure sign that the shrimp have begun to turn.
Texture. Once fully thawed, shrimp should be firm to the touch. If they are soft, rubbery, or mushy, do not eat them.