Stir-Fried Sesame Shrimp and Spinach

By Martha Rose Shulman

Stir-Fried Sesame Shrimp and Spinach
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
About 15 minutes
Rating
5(2,231)
Comments
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The classic Chinese way to clean shrimp and ensure a succulent flavor and crisp texture, says Grace Young, author of “Stir-Frying to the Sky’s Edge,” is to use a combination of salt and water, either dousing the shrimp in two rinses of heavily salted water or rubbing the shrimp with salt, then rinsing with water. If you don’t eat salt, then just rinse the shrimp with plain water. I recommend bunch spinach for this; you don’t have to stem it, just cut away the base of the leaves and rinse well.

Featured in: The Taste of Spring, by the Bunch or Bag: Indian Tofu With Spinach

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Ingredients

Yield:3 to 4 servings
  • 1pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • Salt to taste
  • ⅛teaspoon sugar
  • 2tablespoons canola oil or light sesame oil
  • 1tablespoon minced ginger
  • 1tablespoon minced garlic
  • ¼ to ½teaspoon crumbled dried red chili
  • 2tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 1generous bunch spinach (about 1 pound), stems trimmed at the end, rinsed in 2 changes water
  • 2teaspoons dark sesame oil
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

235 calories; 13 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 27 grams protein; 568 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place the shrimp in a large colander and rinse with water. Sprinkle generously with salt and toss together for about a minute. Rinse with water and repeat. After rinsing one more time, drain on paper towels. Pat dry with more paper towels.

  2. Step 2

    Combine ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt (to taste) and the sugar in a small bowl and place close to your wok.

  3. Step 3

    Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two when added to the pan. Swirl in 1 tablespoon of the oil by adding it to the sides of the pan and swirling the pan, then add the garlic, ginger and chili flakes and stir-fry for no more than 10 seconds. Push to the sides of the pan and add the shrimp in one layer. Let cook undisturbed for 1 minute, then add the remaining oil and stir-fry for 1 minute.

  4. Step 4

    Add the sesame seeds and spinach and stir-fry for 1 minute, until it has begun to wilt but the wilting is still uneven. Add the salt and sugar, sprinkling it evenly over the spinach, and continue to stir-fry until the spinach has wilted but is still bright and the shrimp are cooked through and bright pink, about 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat, drizzle on the sesame oil, toss together and serve, with rice, noodles or other grains.

Tip
  • Advance preparation: You can prepare the shrimp through Step 1 several hours ahead.

Ratings

5 out of 5
2,231 user ratings
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Comments

Amilia

I've made this recipe 3 times and it's fantastic - delicious and healthy and I feel great after eating it! I use the pre-packaged baby spinach and add extra garlic and ginger for more flavor. I serve it over rice with a bit of soy sauce and some chili oil. It is just as good the next day as leftovers. What I like best is that I've eaten an entire container of spinach when I'm done. What a great way to get your winter greens!

Linda

This recipe sounds intriguing. But I worry about how to source "shrimp". Most vendors In Canada and definitely the US import farmed shrimp from Thailand which is "farmed Shrimp", grown in the dirtiest foul water, and subject to vast amounts of chemicals, etc. Horrifying.

What are some healthy shrimp sources? Here in Vancouver, we have spotted shrimp which are seasonal delicacy. What sources can we trust to provide healthy wild shrimp?

Sandy Camargo

I didn't bother with the salt soak. I used baby spinach, which was fine. I did use roasted sesame seeds rather than the plain ones, which enhanced the flavor. Oh, I also made another change: I misread the recipe and added all the oil at the start. So, when I got to the end of Step 3, instead of adding more oil, I added a splash of the sesame oil, which I think I might do as a regular thing. I cooked some soba noodles and mixed them into the mixture once the spinach had wilted.

Sleepygirl3000

I’m a fan of MRS but this was bland, even after increasing ginger and garlic. Maybe it’s me, living in Seattle where the access to Asian food is robust. Just not enough depth. Still, super fast.

EGB

Made this with asparagus and ramps instead of spinach. Cooked the asparagus first and set aside, but if you have thin asparagus you may be able to add it when you add the ramps or just before. Doubled the salt & sugar mixture and no sesame seeds for this gal, but did use the toasted sesame oil ( 2 teaspoons) at the end. Yummy.

Liz Beech

Made this tonight and it was delicious. Didn’t have the ginger. Thought I’d bought it, but it must have fallen out of the trolley or been left behind. Oh well, garlic and chile. Frozen prawns ( oh dear, from Thailand) and they shrank when cooked. They were small and succulent. Bunch of English spinach. Microwave rice for two (jasmine). Yummy easy. Good.

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