Me and Ketchup Shrimp go a long way back. Pronounced “cure jup ha” in Cantonese dialect, it was a family dish that my mom used to make for special dinners and holidays. If you haven’t figured it out already, “cure jup” is simply a phonetic duplication of “ketchup” in the Cantonese dialect.
Large fresh shrimp were always a treat because they were (and still are) quite expensive, and we lived modestly back then, so I always looked forward to eating it. Plus, it’s not surprising that any kid would love something cooked with a decent glug of ketchup in it.
My Mom’s Go-to for Entertaining
My mom also used to make this ketchup shrimp dish when she would host a group of friends for a girls’ night of mahjong. I remembered she prided herself on her cooking and loved to serve exceptional meals to her friends on mahjong party nights.
Of course, she was always humble, but friends let her know how good her food was and showered all kinds of praise on her delicious cooking––for good reason! I’m sure they were like me and looked forward to a nice dinner almost as much as the mahjong. I say almost because you don’t get between a Chinese Cantonese woman and her seat at the mahjong table!
As kids, my sisters and I would sometimes tag along on visits to other friends’ homes to have dinner, and I have to say my mom’s cooking was usually the best with very few exceptions.
This succulent shrimp cooked in ginger, garlic, and scallions and coated with a tangy and savory sauce of stir-fried ketchup and soy sauce was proof of that. It was something that I only had at home, and it was darn good! Give this simple and homey family recipe a try, and I’m sure you’ll agree!
Why It’s Best to Buy Frozen Shrimp
Before we get to the recipe, one quick point worth noting is that I think frozen shrimp are always the best unless you can get actual fresh caught shrimp that has not yet been frozen.
For those of you who may not know, shrimp are often processed shortly after being caught and frozen right away. So buying fresh frozen shrimp and thawing them once is best. Buying the thawed shrimp sitting on ice at the market is hit or miss, because they may have been sitting on ice all day or for multiple days.
Worse yet, they might have been thawed and refrozen multiple times, which you don’t want. Trust me on that!
Here’s a snapshot of what you’ll need to make the dish:
Let’s talk about how to cook it!
Ketchup Shrimp Recipe Instructions
Start by rinsing your shrimp under running water, and thaw if frozen. Pat dry with a paper towel. If desired, you can peel the shells off for easy eating, but do leave the tails on, as they add extra flavor when seared in the wok. (Note: We cooked and photographed this ketchup shrimp with the shells on like my mom used to do, but I have to admit, this dish may be better if the shrimp are peeled with only the tails left on.)
Heat 1 tablespoon of canola or vegetable oil in your wok until it just starts to smoke. Fry the shrimp on both sides for 20 seconds on each side (15 seconds if you peeled the shells off), and set aside. The shrimp should be 80% cooked.
Turn the heat down to low, and add another tablespoon of oil to your wok. Add 7 slices of ginger cut into 1/8 inch slices, and let it infuse the oil for 15 seconds.
Add sliced garlic and the white parts of the scallions. Turn the heat up to medium high and stir-fry everything for 10 seconds.
Add ¼ cup ketchup and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce if using. Thanks to reader’s comments jarring my memory, I added the Worcestershire sauce because I now remember my mom also used to add it sometimes!
Stir into the oil and fry for 15 seconds.
Next, stir in the shrimp and any juices on the plate, and add ⅛ teaspoon white pepper, ½ teaspoon sugar, and 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine.
Stir for 10 seconds, and add 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Continue to stir-fry until the sauce begins the reduce and coats the shrimp.
Finally, add the rest of the scallions (the green parts).
Stir for another 10 seconds and transfer to a dish. Serve this ketchup shrimp dish with white rice and a side of veggies. This ketchup shrimp is good hot out of the wok or at room temperature so keep this in mind if you are making multiple dishes in your wok for the table.
Ketchup Shrimp Stir-Fry: Bill's Mom’s Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 ounces large, shell-on headless shrimp (340g, 15 to 20 size)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil (divided)
- 7 slices fresh ginger (cut ⅛-inch thick)
- 1 clove garlic (sliced)
- 2 scallions (cut at an angle into 2-inch pieces, with the white and green parts separated)
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
Instructions
- Rinse your shrimp under running water, and thaw if frozen. Pat dry with a paper towel. If desired, you can peel the shells off for easy eating, but do leave the tails on, as they add extra flavor when seared in the wok. (Note: We cooked and photographed this ketchup shrimp with the shells on like my mom used to do, but I have to admit, this dish may be better if the shrimp are peeled with only the tails left on.)
- Heat 1 tablespoon of canola or vegetable oil in your wok until it just starts to smoke. Fry the shrimp on both sides for 20 seconds on each side (15 seconds if you peeled the shells off), and set aside. The shrimp should be 80% cooked.
- Turn the heat down to low, and add another tablespoon of oil to your wok. Add the 7 slices of ginger, and let it infuse the oil for 15 seconds. Add sliced garlic and the white parts of the scallions. Turn the heat up to medium high and stir-fry everything for 10 seconds.
- Add ¼ cup ketchup and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce if using. Stir into the oil and fry for 15 seconds. Next, stir in the shrimp and any juices on the plate, and add ⅛ teaspoon white pepper, ½ teaspoon sugar, and 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine.
- Stir for 10 seconds, and add 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Continue to stir-fry until the sauce begins the reduce and coats the shrimp. Finally, add the rest of the scallions (the green parts).
- Stir for another 10 seconds and transfer to a dish. Serve this ketchup shrimp dish with white rice and a side of veggies. This ketchup shrimp is good hot out of the wok or at room temperature so keep this in mind if you are making multiple dishes in your wok for the table.
nutrition facts
I just want to say … thank you!! Your blog and recipes brings back many childhood memories. I am looking forward to making this.
Hi Anna, hope you try it, because those food memories will really become more vivid!
Factoid: “cure jup” isn’t actually the Cantonese pronunciation of “ketchup”. There are multiple competing theories as to where “ketchup” comes from, but what is clear is that “cure jup”, or “ke2 zap1” in Jyutping, 茄汁, is native to Cantonese. In fact, one theory is that “ketchup” is the English pronunciation of “cure jup”!
To be precise, 茄汁, which is short for 番茄汁, means “tomato” (番茄) “juice/liquid” (汁).
Another way of describing the pronunciation in Cantonese is “k’yeah ts’ap”, which sounds an awful lot like “ketchup”.
Very interesting information. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for the amazing recipes!
This one in particular reminds me of a dish my grandmother used to make, one of my favorites :)
What is good Substitute for Shaoxing Wine? I really don’t want to buy anymore new ingredients, I have rice wine vinegar, hoison, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil.. also Sherry cooking wine, will any of these work? I have more items too feel free to suggest any you know :)
Hi Disa, sherry cooking wine could be substituted, though Shaoxing wine is definitely one of the essentials, so it wouldn’t be a bad thing to get a bottle! We use it in the vast majority of our stir-fry recipes, dumpling fillings, wonton fillings, etc.
I’m sure you’re thinking “Oh gawd, she’s commenting on this AGAIN.” Apologies, but this is so much one of my faves and I make it so often I just can’t help myself. I’m not one to mess with Mom recipes, but I do like things a bit spicy. I added a couple of whole dried red peppers with the ginger and removed them at the end of cooking. It added just the right amount of spice for me.
No worries, okiegirl, so glad you enjoy it ;-)
Made this last night! Best dish ever, especially summer!
Nice to see you cooking and commenting :-)
This is sooo damn good. Everybody I’ve shared it with wants more, more, more. Needless to say, it’s in my regular rotation, but I’m surprised every time I make it to remember how very good it is. Thank you!
Hi okiegirl, I remember that most of my mom’s cooking was delicious, which is why I paid attention :) So happy to hear you and others enjoy it!
Have I told you that last November this recipe earned me the title of “Best Thanksgiving Cook EVER” from my 11 y/o great nephew? He liked it so much he reheated some leftovers for breakfast. Heh.
My mom, too, was a great cook but she had no written recipes. She taught different ones of us (me and my siblings) different recipes. After her death we spent considerable time reducing our favorites to writing. The memories those recipes bring back are priceless. I think it’s one of the reasons I love TWOL so much.
Hi okiegirl, we are definitely all about family, food memories and preserving those valuable recipes from our elders. Thanks so much for sharing your comments and thoughts!
I made this for the first time tonight and it was quick, easy and tasted delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Jenn, you’re welcome!
Is there a substitute for the Shaoxing/rice wines? I can’t use any alcohol in my food so I’m wondering what a good substitute might be.
Thanks.
Hi Maria, if you can’t have alcohol, you can eliminate it from the dish
Thank you for posting this recipe. My mom used to make this dish on special occasion, too. She died 20 years ago and the recipe died with her. Now, with this recipe my family can enjoy what I’ve enjoyed eating growing up!
Hi pearl, hope you enjoy it and the loving memories it will bring back of your mom :)
What a terrific recipe! Like everything on this website no unnecessary steps or ingredients, clear instructions and a great result! Thank you.
Thanks Jack. Sounds like you enjoyed it :)