Black Pepper Shrimp is one of my favorite dishes when friends and family come over. Everybody likes black pepper sauce, and it is really hard to come up with tasty shrimp dishes that everyone likes. This one is a winner-winner crustacean dinner.
Can't get enough of Black Pepper dishes? Try my Black Pepper Fish next!
๐ฆ About This Recipe
This black pepper shrimp is so tasty and takes only 30 minutes to make. It is one of my favorite meals, and my wife LOVES it when I make it. It is less heavy than regular black pepper beef, and I love the amount of veggies it has.
In my opinion, the key to this recipe (and all black pepper dishes) is to use freshly cracked black pepper. I always use a mortar and pestle for this, as I find the peppery flavor to be much more pronounced. You can also use a spice grinder but try to avoid pre-ground back pepper, which does not have much flavor.
๐ง Ingredients
- Shrimp: You can use any size of shrimp, but I like them on the larger side. I am using 21/30 size shrimp, which means there are 21 to 30 pieces of shrimp per pound.
- Black Pepper Sauce: It is a combination of chicken stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce, black pepper, cornstarch, and sugar. For the chicken stock, I mix chicken bouillon powder with warm water.
- Garlic: Garlic is an absolute must for this recipe, and I recommend you mince it finely for the best results. You can also add a bit of ginger for more pungency.
- Bell peppers: Your choice of bell peppers but I recommend getting two or more different colors to give the dish a better presentation.
- Onion
- Oil
- Optional: Some restaurants will add a few mild green/red chilis for some heat. It is not required but you can add it if you like.
๐ช Instructions
STEP 1: In a small bowl, combine chicken stock, oyster sauce, soy sauce, black pepper, sugar, and cornstarch.
STEP 2: Heat two tablespoons of oil in a wok over medium-high heat until it's lightly smoking. Fry the shrimp in two batches, cooking each batch for 30 seconds on each side.
The goal is to cook the shrimp about 90% through but not fully cooked. We will finish cooking them in the final step with the sauce. Transfer the shrimp to a plate, leaving the oil behind.
STEP 3: Add the remaining one tablespoon of oil, ginger, and garlic, and stir-fry for 10 seconds. Add onions and bell peppers, and stir-fry for another two minutes.
STEP 4: Give the black pepper sauce a stir, and then add it to the wok. Continue to stir fry until the sauce starts bubbling. Return the shrimp to the wok and mix everything for 1 minute. Serve immediately with white rice!
In Chinese restaurants, black pepper dishes are traditionally served on a hot cast-iron plate. That is why you see them sizzling when they come out of the kitchen. If you are looking to impress your guests, you can try serving it like this. Make sure to place a piece of tin foil on the cast iron so it can be cleaned up easier.
๐ Recipe
Chinese Black Pepper Shrimp
Ingredients
Black Pepper Sauce
- ยผ cup chicken stock (or water)
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ยผ teaspoon sugar
- ยฝ teaspoon cornstarch
Stir-Fry
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil (divided)
- 1 pound shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 1 teaspoon ginger (minced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- ยฝ medium onion (sliced)
- 1 medium bell pepper (chopped into 1 ยฝ inch chunks, use multiple colors if you can)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine all the black pepper sauce ingredients and set aside.
- Heat two tablespoons of oil in a wok over medium-high heat until it's lightly smoking. Fry the shrimp in two batches, cooking each batch for 30 seconds on each side. The goal is to cook the shrimp about 90% through but not fully cooked. We will finish cooking them in the final step with the sauce. Transfer the shrimp to a plate, leaving the oil behind.
- Add the remaining one tablespoon of oil, ginger, and garlic, and stir-fry for 10 seconds. Add onions and bell peppers, and stir-fry for another two minutes.
- Give the black pepper sauce a stir, and then add it to the wok. Continue to stir fry until the sauce starts bubbling. Return the shrimp to the wok and mix everything for 1 minute. Serve immediately with white rice!
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