This vibrant Hunan seafood dish pairs shrimp with Duo Jiao—a pickled relish made from crisp green chilies, garlic, and ginger. Flash-fried over high heat, the chilies create an aromatic, savory-sour glaze that clings to the shrimp without the need for heavy cornstarch sauces.
What is Duo Jiao (剁椒)?
Duo Jiao, literally “chopped chilies,” is a traditional Hunanese condiment made from fresh chilies with garlic, ginger and salt. Traditional versions are salt-cured and allowed to ferment naturally, developing a wonderfully bright, savory and slightly sour flavor. Some preparations also include a splash of high-proof liquor.
For the Duo Jiao I used in the photographs, I followed the traditional fermentation method. But you don’t have to wait several days to make this dish. The recipe below uses a small amount of vinegar to create a quick-pickled version that captures much of the same bright, salty and tangy character and is ready to use in about 30–45 minutes.
Recipe Note:
The Duo Jiao for the dish pictured here, had fermented for about 2½ days and already had a noticeable tang, although I think a longer fermentation would have developed an even deeper flavor.
Looking for some other Chinese dishes to try?
Hunan Pork Belly with Seared Peppers – Xiao Chao Rou
Twice-Cooked Pork: From Joyce Chen’s 1961 Kitchen to Today’s Sichuan Pantry
Kung Pao Chicken- Authentic Sichuan Recipe
Sichuan Chicken: Velveting-The Chinese Trick to Perfectly Tender Chicken
Spicy Sichuan Fish – Lucky Dragon’s Speciality
Kung Pao Shrimp- Sichuan Classic
MaPo Tofu: Stir-Fry Tofu with Szechuan Flavors
Chinese Shrimp Scallion Oil Noodles
Authentic Sichuan Tofu Recipe for Home Cooks
Sichuan Yu Xiang Eggplant Recipe (Fish-Fragrant Eggplant)
And of course, My Favorite Recipes
Ingredients:
Shrimp Marinade:
1 lb (450g) large Shrimp (16/20 or 21/25 count), peeled and deveined (tails left on for presentation)
1 Tbsp Shaoxing Wine
1/4 tsp Salt
1 tsp Cornstarch
1 tsp Vegetable Oil
Fresh Green “Duo Jiao” Base:
4 to 5 fresh Korean Green Peppers (Put-gochu), finely diced (about 1/2 cup)
4 cloves Garlic, finely minced
1-inch piece fresh Ginger Root, finely minced
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Rice Vinegar
Stir-Fry & Seasonings:
2 Scallions, cut into 1 inch lengths (greens and whites separated)
1 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce
1/2 tsp Sugar
2 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
4-5 Red Prik Noi chilies, kept whole.
1/2 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
Preparation:
In a small bowl, combine the finely diced Korean green peppers, minced garlic, minced ginger, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp rice vinegar. Toss well and let it sit for 30-45 minutes at room temperature. The salt will draw out the aromatic green pepper juices while the vinegar gives it an authentic fermented tang.
Pat the shrimp completely dry with paper towels. Toss the shrimp in a medium bowl with the Shaoxing wine, salt, cornstarch, and 1 tsp of oil. Set aside while the wok heats.
Set a wok over high heat until lightly smoking. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl it around. Add the marinated shrimp in a single layer. I find tongs are very handy for this.
Sear undisturbed for 45 to 60 seconds until pink on the bottom, then flip and cook for another 30 seconds (they should be roughly 80% cooked). Transfer the shrimp immediately to a plate to prevent overcooking.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the hot wok. Add the scallion whites and the entire bowl of green chili-garlic relish(including its extracted juices).
Stir-fry vigorously over medium-high heat for 45 to 60 seconds until the garlic is fragrant and the green chilies are lightly softened.
Return the seared shrimp and any resting juices back to the wok. Add the scallion greens, light soy sauce, and sugar.
Turn the heat to high and toss rapidly for 1 minute until the shrimp are fully cooked through, glossy, and coated in the spicy green relish.
Remove from heat, drizzle with toasted sesame oil and transfer immediately to a serving platter.
Hunan Stir-Fried Shrimp with Chopped Green Chilies (青剁椒虾)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a small bowl, combine the finely diced Korean green peppers, minced garlic, minced ginger, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp rice vinegar. Toss well and let it sit for 30-45 minutes at room temperature. The salt will draw out the aromatic green pepper juices while the vinegar gives it an authentic fermented tang.
- Pat the shrimp completely dry with paper towels. Toss the shrimp in a medium bowl with the Shaoxing wine, salt, cornstarch, and 1 tsp of oil. Set aside while the wok heats.
- Set a wok over high heat until lightly smoking. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl it around. Add the marinated shrimp in a single layer. I find tongs are very handy for this.
- Sear undisturbed for 45 to 60 seconds until pink on the bottom, then flip and cook for another 30 seconds (they should be roughly 80% cooked). Transfer the shrimp immediately to a plate to prevent overcooking.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the hot wok. Add the scallion whites and the entire bowl of green chili-garlic relish(including its extracted juices).
- Stir-fry vigorously over medium-high heat for 45 to 60 seconds until the garlic is fragrant and the green chilies are lightly softened.Return the seared shrimp and any resting juices back to the wok. Add the scallion greens, light soy sauce, and sugar.
- Turn the heat to high and toss rapidly for 1 minute until the shrimp are fully cooked through, glossy, and coated in the spicy green relish.
- Remove from heat, drizzle with toasted sesame oil and transfer immediately to a serving platter.