Kombucha – the Secret of These Sweet and Sour Shrimp
Shrimp is a food that doesn’t have to fuss a lot, but sometimes it’s fun to spice it up, especially if the sauce is sticky, sweet and sour. Surprisingly, kombucha works very well here both as a marinade and as a base for your sauce.
After all, butch is essentially a less aggressive carbonated beverage for wealthy hippies, and carbonated beverage is a great marinade . But it’s the soft vibes of kombucha – the sugar flavor, plant-based aromas, and mild acidity – that make it a good partner for shrimp, which can become soft when over-marinated.
All you need is some soy sauce and maybe some garlic if you like, followed by some honey and cornstarch to sweeten and thicken at the end. The resulting sauce has a mall food court vibe , which is a huge compliment from me because I love food at the mall food court. To prepare one serving (which can be increased as needed) you will need:
- 1/2 pound shrimp, preferably shell-on, but cooked
- 3/4 cup kombucha (anything with ginger is a boss move, but I found an apple / basil that was divine)
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced and minced
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2-3 tablespoons of honey
- 3 tablespoons of water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Sesame seeds (optional)
Combine the kombucha, soy sauce, and garlic in a bowl and whisk. Add the shrimp to a shallow container or quart-sized freezer bag and pour the marinade over the shrimp. Close the bag or cover the container and refrigerate the shrimp for half an hour.
After 30 minutes, remove the shrimp from the marinade, place on paper towels to dry, and pour the marinade into a small saucepan. Bring the marinade to a boil . Until then, turn on the frypot and toss the baking sheet into the oven to get nice and hot, leaving it there for at least five minutes. Stir the shrimp in a drizzle of olive oil, lightly coat them, then lay them in a single layer and cook for 3-4 minutes, until they are just firm and pink. Delete immediately.
When the marinade boils, let it simmer for a couple of minutes, then reduce the heat and add two tablespoons of honey. Give it a little taste (let it cool slightly in a spoon first) and add more honey if needed. (This will vary depending on the salinity of your soy sauce and how much you reduce it.) Combine the water and cornstarch to make a gruel, then gradually add the gruel, a tablespoon at a time, until you have a thick, glossy sauce. … Serve to the side for dipping, or peel the shrimp and top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.