Kung Pao Shrimp - PF Chang's Copycat

Kung Pao Shrimp - PF Chang's Copycat Recipe

With the economy being in a downward spiral many families can’t afford to go to restaurants as often as they might like.  Between my fear of gluten contamination and my extremely tight budget, sometimes the closest I get to a restaurant is browsing menus online for ideas.  And during one of these browsing sessions this copycat version of PF Chang’s Kung Pao shrimp was born.  Granted this is a very loose translation of their dish since I did add a few veggies that were not in the original version.  Hey a girl needs to get her veggies any way she can.  That’s the beauty of making restaurant food at home it can be customized in any way that you see fit to make it more appealing to your own personal tastes.

Ingredients list

• 9 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 tbsp of an Asian chili sauce (Sriracha or Sambal)
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 long hot pepper chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 green onions, cut in small pieces
• 3 dried chilies
• 1 tbsp vegetable or peanut oil
• 1 cup gluten free chicken stock
• 1 tbsp gluten free soy sauce
•  a cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water)
• 1 tbsp peanuts

Video Tutorial: 

Instructions

1.       Mix the shrimp together with the sriracha sauce and set aside.

2.       Mix the chicken stock and soy sauce together and set aside.

3.       In a large nonstick skillet over a medium high heat, add the shrimp and half the oil and sauté for 2-3 minutes on the first side and 1-2 minutes on the second side then remove the shrimp from the pan and set them aside.

4.       Add all of the veggies to the pan with the rest of the oil and dried chilies.  Sauté over a high heat for about 3 minutes stirring frequently.

5.       Add the chicken stock, soy sauce and cornstarch slurry to the pan and allow it to simmer for a minute or so then add the shrimp back to the pan and simmer for another minute.

6.       Stir in the peanuts then serve.  Garnish with additional scallions if desired.

  

Notes:  For a milder dish follow one or all of the following suggestions: Don’t marinate the shrimp in the Asian hot sauce.  Switch the long hot pepper with red bell pepper.  Omit the dried red chilies.