Bunny's Cookbook

Shrimp Lo Mein with XO Sauce

ingredients:

Sauce:

•    ⁠⅓ cup light soy sauce
•    ⁠½ cup water
•    ⁠2 teaspoons XO sauce
•    ⁠2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
•    ⁠1 teaspoon sesame oil
•    ⁠½ teaspoon cornstarch
•    ⁠1 teaspoon oyster sauce
•    ⁠1 teaspoon hoisin sauce

Lo mein:

•    ⁠1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
•    ⁠½ teaspoon cornstarch
•    ⁠16 ounces frozen or dry lo mein noodles
•    ⁠Neutral oil, for frying
•    ⁠1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into thin wedges
•    ⁠2 bell peppers, trimmed, seeded, and sliced into thin strips
•    ⁠8 ounces green beans, roughly chopped
•    ⁠2 ribs celery, trimmed and thinly sliced on a bias
•    ⁠5 scallions, minced; white and green parts kept separate
•    ⁠Sesame seeds, optional, for serving
•    ⁠Salt, to taste

instructions:

Prepare the sauce:

1.    ⁠Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine until smooth. Set aside.

Prepare the shrimp:

1.    ⁠Place the shrimp in a bowl and toss to coat with ½ teaspoon cornstarch. Pour 2 tablespoons of the sauce over the shrimp and toss to combine. Transfer to the refrigerator until needed.

Cook the noodles:

1.    ⁠Cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain, rinse, and set aside.

Fry the vegetables:

1.    ⁠Heat 2 tablespoons neutral oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Once very hot and shimmering, add the vegetables and the white parts of the scallion, cooking in batches if needed. Cook until beginning to char and soften for 3–5 minutes total. Season very lightly with salt. Transfer back to the bowl.

Cook the shrimp:

1.    ⁠Keep the heat on the wok on high and add the shrimp. Cook without moving for 1–2 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 1–2 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of vegetables. The shrimp do NOT need to be cooked through.

Finish the lo mein:

1.    ⁠Pour the remaining sauce into the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 3–5 minutes, stirring regularly, until thickened. Continue whisking until any small lumps of cornstarch are completely worked out, and the sauce is smooth and glossy. Taste and season.

2.    ⁠Add the lo mein noodles to the sauce and toss to combine. Add the cooked vegetables and shrimp and cook, stirring to incorporate, until the shrimp are pink and opaque and the noodles are well-sauced. Turn off the heat.

To serve:

1.    ⁠Transfer the shrimp lo mein to a large serving platter and garnish with minced scallion greens. Serve with a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top. Enjoy!