Kung Pao Shrimp

Step 1

Whisk together 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon honey, and 0.5 teaspoon red pepper flakes in a small bowl until the honey dissolves completely, about 30 seconds of stirring.

Step 2

Stir the minced garlic (3 cloves) into the sauce and set the bowl to the side of your workspace.

Step 3

Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels, pressing gently so each one is no longer wet — this helps them brown better.

Step 4

Hold the red bell pepper stem-end up, then slice straight down from the top to the bottom on all four sides to remove the flat sections, discarding the core; slice each flat section lengthwise into thin strips about 1/4-inch wide.

Step 5

Slice the scallions diagonally into 1-inch lengths, keeping the white and green parts separate in two small piles.

Step 6

Pour 2 tablespoons vegetable oil into a 12-inch skillet, set over medium-high heat, and wait until the oil shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.

Step 7

Add all the shrimp to the hot oil in a single layer and resist moving them for 2 minutes until the underside turns pink and brown spots appear.

Step 8

Use tongs to flip each shrimp over, then cook for another minute until the other side is also pink and firm.

Step 9

Push all the shrimp to one side of the skillet, then add the bell pepper slices to the empty side; cook them without stirring for 1 minute until they just begin to soften.

Step 10

Stir the shrimp and peppers together gently with a wooden spoon for 30 seconds to combine them evenly.

Step 11

Pour the sauce from the small bowl into the center of the skillet, then use the wooden spoon to stir constantly for 1 minute until the sauce coats everything and smells fragrant.

Step 12

Add 0.5 cup peanuts and the white parts of the scallions (white section only) to the skillet; stir for 20 seconds until everything is evenly mixed.

Step 13

Drizzle 1 teaspoon sesame oil over the entire contents of the skillet.

Step 14

Sprinkle the green scallion pieces on top in a small pile.

Step 15

Divide the shrimp, sauce, and peanuts evenly between two bowls or plates and serve immediately.