Bright and slightly spicy Sichuan shrimp , hot jasmine rice and broccolini grilled and then quickly braised – this is a complete bowl that can be prepared in about thirty minutes but has enough character to really stand out from the classic weeknight dinner.

Braised Sichuan Shrimp and Broccolini: Why This Bowl Works So Well

This Sichuan shrimp recipe is exactly the type of dish I like to prepare during the week: the list of ingredients seems quite complete, but a large part is simply used to make a sauce that is mixed in a bowl before cooking.

Jasmine rice is a deliberately sober base. I don’t season it after cooking, because Sichuan shrimp already provides salt, acidity, chili and a lot of umami. The rice almost serves as a sponge for the sauce and balances its intensity.

The shrimp are simply seared very quickly before being glazed with the sauce. This is important: they should not simmer for several minutes or they will become firm and rubbery. Cooking briskly followed by a few seconds in the sauce is enough to obtain sautéed shrimp that are still tender.

Broccolini, sometimes marketed under the name Bimi, brings a more vegetal contrast. I prefer to sear them first, to create a few grilled areas, then add a little water and cover the pan. This cooking between pan-fried broccolini and braised broccolini keeps a nice green color and a still slightly crunchy stem.

Finally, there is the sauce. It is what makes this bowl of rice with shrimp so interesting: fermented, salty, spicy, slightly sweet and tangy, with the very recognizable scent of Sichuan pepper.

At a glance

The Sichuan shrimp are quickly seared and then coated in a sauce of Sichuan pepper, black vinegar, soy sauce, doenjang and gochujang. They are served with jasmine rice and broccolini seared and then braised. The recipe requires about 15 minutes of preparation and 20 minutes of cooking.

Sichuan cuisine: spicy cuisine, but not only

When we talk about Szechuan cuisine, we almost immediately think of chili pepper. However, reducing this regional Chinese cuisine to something very spicy would be missing out on what makes it so rich.

Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan and one of the main historical centres of this cuisine, joined the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in 2010 as a City of Gastronomy.

Sichuan cuisine plays a lot on combinations: salty, sour, sweet, fermented, spicy, fragrant or numbing can be found in the same dish without necessarily giving a feeling of permanent fire.

This diversity can be found in dishes that have become emblematic such as mapo tofu, gong bao ji ding – better known here as Kung Pao chicken –, dandan noodles, yuxiang eggplant or twice-cooked pork.

Another emblematic ingredient is doubanjiang, a fermented paste made from beans and chili peppers. Pixian’s version is particularly famous and the condiment is regularly described as “the soul of Sichuan cuisine”.

My Sichuan shrimp don’t try to replicate a specific traditional recipe, though. Rather, it’s about using some markers from this kitchen to build an easy-to-make bowl of Asian rice with the condiments available in my cupboards.

Sichuan pepper and black vinegar: the two ingredients that change the sauce

Sichuan pepper is essential here because it doesn’t produce the same sensation as chili pepper.

The chili pepper mainly provides heat. Sichuan pepper creates that slightly sparkling, vibrant and almost numbing sensation typical of the Má register. Combined with the spiciness there, we get the famous Mál profile of many Szechuan preparations.

This sensation is not only a culinary impression. Sichuan pepper contains hydroxy-α-sanshool, a molecule studied for its particular action on sensory neurons and responsible for a large part of this tingling and numbness sensation.

To get more flavor, I roast the beans for about thirty seconds dry before crushing them. However, avoid burning them: they will quickly become bitter.

The second important element of these Sichuan shrimps is the Chinese black vinegar Chinkiang. Its acidity is darker and rounder than a classic white vinegar and works particularly well with soy sauce, ginger and stir-fried preparations.

Strictly speaking, it is not a product from Sichuan: its interest here is mainly gustatori. It provides the necessary acidic touch to prevent the sauce from becoming too heavy or too sweet.

Why replace doubanjiang with doenjang and gochujang?

Normally, to push this bowl further towards Szechuan cuisine, doubanjiang would be the obvious choice.

But a weekday recipe must also be able to adapt to what you already have. So I’m using a mixture of doenjang and gochujang here.

Doenjang brings salty, fermented depth. Gochujang adds chili, a slight sweetness, and a texture that helps the sauce coat the shrimp. These are two Korean, not Chinese, condiments: doenjang is a fermented soybean paste while gochujang is a spicy fermented paste.

This replacement does not magically transform doenjang and gochujang into doubanjiang. The result is a Szechuan-inspired gochujang and doenjang recipe, designed to find a close balance: fermentation + chili + salt + acidity + Sichuan pepper.

And in an easy Asian recipe for everyday use, this mix works particularly well.

Ingredients of Sichuan shrimp with rice and broccolini

For 2 to 3 people, you need about 500 g of whole shrimp. Once the heads and shells are removed, this usually gives around 220 to 250 g of flesh depending on the size.

I always keep the heads and shells: placed in a bag in the freezer, they can be used later to prepare a stock or a shellfish broth.

To accompany Sichuan shrimp, count 160 g of raw jasmine rice and about 250 to 300 g of broccolini.

The Sichuan-inspired Chinese chili sauce then relies on doenjang, gochujang, soy sauce, Chinkiang vinegar, honey, garlic, ginger, Sichuan pepper, and a little chili oil.

Half a teaspoon of cornstarch is enough. Its role is not to make a thick gel-like sauce, but simply to create that shiny glaze that sticks perfectly to shrimp.

How to make this Sichuan shrimp recipe

The main tip is to prepare absolutely all the ingredients before you start searing the shrimp.

A wok recipe or pan-frying like this is extremely quick: once the shrimp are in the pan, it’s not really time to start grating the ginger.

So prepare the sauce, slice the spring onions and cook the rice first.

For broccolini, use a large enough pan. Cooking in a single layer promotes coloring. Sear them for two to three minutes, add three tablespoons of water and cover immediately. A few minutes later, they should be tender enough to be pleasant to eat, while keeping crunchy.

Sichuan shrimp requires even less time. Really dry them before dropping them in the hot pan. The humidity would cause the temperature to drop and they would start to release water instead of searing.

A minute or so on each side is more than enough before adding the sauce.

As soon as the sauce thickens and becomes shiny, mix for thirty seconds to a minute and then remove the pan from the heat. If it reduces too quickly, a tablespoon of water will immediately restore a coating texture.

How do you adjust the chilli level?

Start with 1/2 teaspoon of chili oil and 1/2 teaspoon of Sichuan pepper.

Gochujang already provides chili pepper and not all chili oils have the same intensity. It is much easier to add a few drops of oil when serving than to save a sauce that has become much too strong.

For more málà, add freshly crushed Sichuan pepper at the end instead: Sichuan shrimp gain flavor without necessarily turning the dish into a chili bomb.

Nutritional values of Sichuan shrimp

For 1 serving on a 3-serving basis, without sesame seeds or chili oil supplements, this recipe provides approximately:

• 396 kcal
• 26 g protein
• 56 g carbohydrates
• 8 g fat
• 4 g of fibre

If the dish is shared between only two people, count on about 594 kcal, 39 g of protein, 84 g of carbohydrates and 12 g of fat per serving.

These data are indicative: the actual quantity of meat obtained after peeling the shrimp, the brand of the doenjang or gochujang and especially the quantity of oil used can significantly modify the values.

Sichuan shrimp: the weeknight dinner that doesn’t feel like a default dinner

What I love about these Sichuan shrimp is that they meet the exact equation of a good weeknight recipe : a few simple preparations, quick cooking, and enough contrasts to keep the plate interesting until the last bite.

We find the warm and comforting rice, the green and lightly grilled broccolinis, the tender texture of shrimp and especially this sauce where fermentation, acidity, sugar, chili and the almost lemony sensation of Sichuan pepper intersect.

It’s not a reproduction of a great regional classic, but a recipe designed from its codes. And finally, for a quick everyday dinner , it’s exactly what I was looking for: a simple bowl, but far from bland.

Print Recipe

Sichuan shrimp, jasmine rice and braised broccolini

Shrimp sautéed and glazed in a spicy, fermented and slightly tangy sauce with Sichuan pepper, black vinegar, doenjang and gochujang, served with jasmine rice and braised broccolini.

Prep time15 minutes mins

Cooking time20 minutes mins

Total time35 minutes mins

Type of dish: Main dish

Cuisine: Chinese, Sichuan inspiration

For: 3 personnes

Author: dumplingsandmore

Ingredients

For the bowl

• 500 g whole shrimp with head and shell or about 220 to 250 g of peeled shrimp
• 160 g raw jasmine rice
• 250 to 300 g broccolini
• 2 spring onions
• 1 2 tbsp neutral oil
• Sesame seeds optional

For the spicy sauce

• 2 c. Teaspoons Doenjang
• 1 c. Teaspoons gochujang
• 1 c. tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 c. tablespoon Chinese black vinegar Chinkiang
• 1 to 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 finely chopped garlic clove
• 2 cm grated fresh ginger
• ½ 1 teaspoon Sichuan pepper
• ½ 1 teaspoon chili oil
• ½ c. teaspoon cornstarch
• 3 c. tablespoon water

Preparation

Peeling the shrimp

• Remove the heads and shells from the shrimp. Lightly cut their backs and remove the casing.
• Dry them thoroughly with paper towels.
• With 500 g of whole shrimp, you should get about 230 g of meat, with a variation depending on the size of the heads and the thickness of the shells.
• If necessary, store the heads and shells in the freezer to prepare a shellfish broth.

Make the Sichuan sauce

• Roast the Sichuan pepper for about 30 seconds in a small, dry pan, just enough to develop its fragrance. Coarsely crush it with a mortar.
• In a bowl, combine the doenjang, gochujang, soy sauce, Chinkiang vinegar, honey, garlic, ginger, Sichuan pepper, chili oil, starch, and water.
• The sauce should be quite runny at this point: it will thicken quickly in the pan.
• Start with 1 teaspoon of honey and 1/2 teaspoon of chili oil and adjust to taste.

Cook the rice

• Rinse the jasmine rice several times in cold water.
• Cook it according to the instructions on the package or in the rice cooker, then let it rest for a few minutes covered.
• Don’t season it: the sauce of the Sichuan shrimp will provide enough salt and character.

Sear and braise the broccolini

• Cut off the dry base of the broccolini. If some of the stems are thick, split them in half lengthwise.
• Heat 1 tsp to 1/2 tbsp oil in a large skillet.
• Arrange the broccolini in a single layer and let it sear over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes without moving it too much.
• Flip them over when they start to take nice toasty marks.
• Add 3 tablespoons of water, cover immediately and braise for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove the lid and continue cooking for about 1 minute, until the water has evaporated. Set aside.

Sear the shrimp

• In the same pan, add a small drizzle of oil if necessary and increase the heat slightly.
• Place the dry shrimp in a single layer.
• Sear them for about 45 seconds to 1 minute on each side.
• They should only start to turn pink and opaque: don’t cook them completely at this point.

Glaze the Sichuan shrimp

• Turn the heat down to medium.
• Mix the sauce one last time and pour it into the pan.
• Stir immediately to coat all the shrimp.
• Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute maximum, until the sauce becomes shiny and slightly syrupy.
• If it thickens too quickly, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water.
• Remove from the heat as soon as the shrimp are cooked.

To serve

• Divide the hot jasmine rice among the bowls.
• Add the braised broccolini on one side and then the Sichuan shrimp with all their sauce.
• Finish with the finely chopped spring onions, a few sesame seeds and, optionally, a few more drops of chilli oil and a very small pinch of freshly crushed Sichuan pepper.

Notes

For a more authentic Szechuan version, replace the doenjang and gochujang with 2 to 3 teaspoons of doubanjiang and then adjust the soy sauce and honey.

Do not cook the shrimp in the sauce for too long: the glaze thickens very quickly thanks to the starch.

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FAQ: 5 frequently asked questions about Sichuan shrimp

Is Sichuan shrimp very spicy?

Not necessarily. In this recipe, the chilli level is mainly settled with the gochujang and chilli oil. Sichuan pepper mainly provides a fragrant, sparkling and slightly numbing sensation. Start with the minimum quantities and adjust at the end.

Can you substitute Chinkiang vinegar?

Yes. A brown rice vinegar is a good emergency solution. A mixture of rice vinegar and a very small amount of balsamic vinegar can also replicate some of the desired roundness, although the flavor will be different from real Chinese black vinegar.

Can you use doubanjiang instead of doenjang and gochujang?

Yes, and the profile will be even more directly Sichuanese. Replace the doenjang-gochujang mixture with about 2-3 teaspoons of doubanjiang, then adjust the honey and soy sauce because doubanjiang is already very salty.

What vegetables to serve with Sichuan shrimp?

Broccolini works particularly well, but classic broccoli, pak choy, green beans, snow peas or Chinese cabbage can also accompany Sichuan shrimp. Ideally, you should choose a vegetable that retains some texture after cooking.

Can you make this shrimp rice bowl ahead of time?

Rice and broccolini can be prepared in advance and then reheated. To preserve tender shrimp, however, it is best to cook Sichuan shrimp and glaze them in the sauce just before serving.