Shrimp Chow Fun

Why this dinner works

Most weeknight one-pot dinners ask you to choose between two evils: a five-ingredient bowl that tastes like the inside of a saucepan, or a recipe so layered it eats your entire evening. Shrimp Chow Fun sits comfortably in the middle. It draws on Chinese traditions where building flavor in stages — aromatics, then spice, then the slow swell of liquid into starch — is just how dinner gets made on a regular Tuesday.

The whole thing comes together in about 82 minutes in a single skillet, which means dinner from idea to table is shorter than most podcast episodes. We've leaned on the everyday 17 ingredients listed below, but in the notes after the recipe you'll find the small swaps and shortcuts that make this dish forgiving when your fridge is half-empty.

Method

1. Step 1. - SOAK THE RICE NOODLES
2. Step 2. Soak the rice noodles overnight untill they are soft
3. Step 3. - BOIL THE RICE NOODLES
4. Step 4. Boil the noodles for 10-15 minutes and then rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process of the noodles.
5. Step 5. -MARINATING THE SHRIMP
6. Step 6. In a bowl add the shrimp, egg, 1 pinch of white pepper, 1 Teaspoon of sesame seed oil, 1 Tablespoon corn starch and 1 tablespoon of oil
7. Step 7. Mix together well
8. Step 8. - STIR FRY
9. Step 9. In a wok add 2 Tablespoons of oil, shrimp and stir fry them until it is golden brown
10. Step 10. Set the shrimp aside
11. Step 11. Add 1 Tablespoon of oil to the work and then add minced garlic, ginger and all of the vegetables.
12. Step 12. Add the noodles to the wok
13. Step 13. Next add sherry cooking wine, oyster sauce, sugar, vinegar, sesame seed oil, 1 pinch white pepper, and soy sauce
14. Step 14. Add back in the shrimp
15. Step 15. To thicken the sauce, whisk together 1 Tablespoon of corn starch and 2 Tablespoon of water in a bowl and slowly add to your stir-fry until it's the right thickness.

Cook's notes

One pan, fewer dishes. Use the widest, heaviest skillet you own with a tight-fitting lid. The wider base means faster browning at the start; the lid traps the gentle steam that finishes the dish without scorching the bottom.

Salt as you go. Season the aromatics, season the protein, season the liquid before it reduces. By the time you taste at the end, the only adjustment is usually acid — a squeeze of lemon, a splash of vinegar, a final crack of pepper.

Make it ahead. Like most one-pot dinners with chinese roots, the leftovers are arguably better the next day. Cool quickly, refrigerate within two hours, and reheat gently with a splash of water or stock to loosen things back up.

Pairings & serving

This one feels best in a 6-bowl spread with a sharp green salad and something cold to drink. If you want to stretch it for unexpected company, double the liquid and a single starchy ingredient — rice, pasta, potatoes, depending on the recipe — and the whole pan grows without much extra work.

Watch it cooked

If you're a visual learner, there's a free walkthrough of this dish on YouTube.

Original recipe inspiration: source.