5 ways to make savory braised shrimp that keep you coming back for more

Braised shrimp is a simple yet always beloved dish in Vietnamese family meals. With a harmonious balance of salty and sweet flavors, eye-catching colors, and an enticing aroma, braised shrimp is not only easy to prepare but also incredibly appetizing. If you are looking for ways to make delicious and diverse braised shrimp dishes, do not miss the detailed recipes below. Follow this article from Ola Squid to learn more!

1. How to make salty and sweet braised shrimp

Salty and sweet braised shrimp is a “national” dish in Vietnamese meals, winning over diners with its combination of rich savory flavors and a touch of subtle sweetness.

Ingredients needed to prepare this dish are as follows:

• 400g fresh shrimp
• 2 shallots, 1 green chili
• 2 stalks of green onions
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• Spices: sugar, ground pepper, MSG

Instructions on how to make salty and sweet braised shrimp:

• Step 1: Once purchased, you need to wash the shrimp, rub with salt to remove odors, then rinse multiple times with water. After that, remove the antennae, tails, devein the back, and clear the waste at the head, then drain. Slice the shallots, chop the green onions, and slice the chili.
• Step 2: Next, place the shrimp in a bowl and marinate with fish sauce, sugar, MSG, and chili for about 10-15 minutes to absorb the flavors.
• Step 3: Place a pot on the stove, add oil to heat, and add a little sugar to create a beautiful caramel color. When the sugar changes color, add shallots to sauté until fragrant, then add the marinated shrimp and stir well.
• Step 4: After that, braise over medium heat until the shrimp firms up, turns an attractive orange color, and the sauce slightly thickens. Finally, adjust the seasoning to taste, sprinkle with pepper and green onions, then turn off the heat. Salty and sweet braised shrimp has eye-catching colors and a rich, harmonious balance of saltiness and sweetness.

See more: How to make tamarind glazed shrimp that is rich, authentic, and addictive

2. Guide to cooking salty garlic braised shrimp

The garlic braised shrimp dish stands out with its incredible aroma and rich, savory flavor that is very satisfying with rice.

Below are the ingredients needed to prepare the salty garlic braised shrimp dish:

• 500g fresh shrimp
• 5-7 garlic cloves, 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 2-3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil, 1-1.5 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• Green onions (white parts)

How to make the salty garlic braised shrimp dish is as follows:

• Step 1: First, you need to clean the shrimp, remove the heads, and devein the backs, then leave to drain. Marinate the shrimp with a little salt and pepper for about 10-15 minutes to enhance the flavor.
• Step 2: After that, place a pan on the stove, add oil to heat, and sauté the minced garlic until golden and aromatic. Remove a portion of the fried garlic to save for later, and keep the rest in the pan.
• Step 3: Next, add the shrimp to the pan, stir quickly over high heat until the shrimp firms up and turns a beautiful red color. Then lower the heat, add fish sauce and sugar, and stir well so the seasonings blend together.
• Step 4: Continue to braise over low heat until the sauce thickens, coats the shrimp evenly, and turns an attractive caramel color. Adjust the seasoning to your taste then turn off the heat. Salty garlic braised shrimp has the characteristic aroma of fried garlic, a harmonious balance of salt and sugar, and the shrimp meat is firm and flavorful. When you sprinkle the fried garlic and green onions on top, the dish becomes even more enticing and eye-catching.

3. How to prepare the salty braised shrimp dish

This is a simple version that is incredibly satisfying with rice thanks to its distinct rich flavor. To cook this salty braised shrimp dish, you need to prepare the following ingredients:

• 300g shrimp
• 2 chili peppers, 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 4 shallots, 4 garlic cloves
• 1/2 tablespoon chili sauce, 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1/2 teaspoon MSG
• 1.5 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 tablespoon chili sauce

Detailed preparation for the salty braised shrimp dish:

• Step 1: Once purchased, soak the shrimp in diluted saltwater, peel the shells, remove heads, and devein the back, then drain. Mince the shallots and garlic. Divide the chili into two parts: one minced and one sliced.
• Step 2: Next, marinate the shrimp with sugar, MSG, a little fish sauce, garlic, shallots, and minced chili for about 15 minutes to absorb the flavors.
• Step 3: Prepare the sauce by mixing fish sauce, sugar, oyster sauce, and chili sauce, stirring until well combined.
• Step 4: After that, place a pan on the stove, add cooking oil and a little sugar, and heat gently until it turns a nice brown color. Add the shrimp and stir until firm, then pour in the sauce mixture.
• Step 5: Finally, braise over low heat, stirring gently so the shrimp absorbs the flavor and the sauce gradually thickens. When the dish is nearly finished, add the chili slices, stir, and turn off the heat. The shrimp meat is firm, evenly seasoned, and very delicious when eaten with hot rice.

4. How to make shrimp braised with pork

The combination of shrimp and pork belly brings a fatty, rich, and very appealing dish. The ingredients you need to prepare for making shrimp braised with pork include:

• 400g shrimp
• 400g pork belly
• 1 chili, 2 stalks green onion
• 2 shallots, 4 garlic cloves
• 2 teaspoons seasoning powder, 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1.5 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil, 1/3 tablespoon MSG
• 1 tablespoon annatto oil

How to make delicious shrimp braised with pork:

• Step 1: After buying the shrimp, remove the heads and legs, wash, and leave to drain. Wash the pork belly, blanch briefly in boiling water to remove odors, and cut into bite-sized pieces. Mince the shallots and garlic, and slice the chili.
• Step 2: After that, marinate the pork with seasonings including fish sauce, sugar, salt, and seasoning powder for about 30 minutes to absorb. The shrimp only needs to be marinated lightly with seasoning powder for the same amount of time.
• Step 3: Take a pan, place it on the stove, add oil and sugar, and heat gently to create a caramel color. When the sugar turns a nice color, add the shallots and garlic to sauté until fragrant, then add the pork belly and stir until firm. Add a little water, cover, and braise over low heat for about 10 minutes to soften the meat.
• Step 4: Next, add the shrimp and stir together, braise for a few more minutes until the shrimp is cooked and the sauce thickens. Finally, add the annatto oil to give the dish a nice color, adjust the seasoning to your liking, then turn off the heat. The final product is extremely attractive with a glistening sauce and a rich flavor blending sweet shrimp and tender, fatty pork belly.

5. Guide to making salty stewed shrimp

Salty stewed shrimp has a rich flavor, suitable for main meals. To cook this dish authentically, you need the following ingredients:

• 200g shrimp
• 1 garlic clove, 3 stalks green onion
• 1.5 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1/2 tablespoon chili sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoning powder, 1 teaspoon MSG

Simple steps to make salty stewed shrimp:

• Step 1: First, you need to peel the shrimp, devein the backs, wash, and leave to drain. Marinate the shrimp with fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, seasoning powder, MSG, and pepper for about 10-15 minutes to absorb the seasoning.
• Step 2: After that, place a pan on the stove, add cooking oil to heat, then sauté the garlic until fragrant. Add the marinated shrimp and stir quickly until the shrimp firms up.
• Step 3: Next, add a little water and chili sauce, lower the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens and coats the shrimp evenly. When nearly finished, add the chopped green onions, sprinkle with pepper, then turn off the heat. Salty stewed shrimp has a rich flavor combined with a light spiciness from the pepper, very delicious when eaten with hot rice.

>>> Complete collection of delicious shrimp dishes you can refer to:

• How to make tamarind glazed shrimp that is rich, authentic, and addictive
• 3 delicious and simple ways to make garlic butter shrimp at home
• 5 ways to make authentic, easy-to-do salt-roasted shrimp
• What to cook with shrimp? Suggestions for delicious and easy-to-make shrimp dishes

6. Secrets for buying fresh and delicious shrimp

To ensure your braised shrimp is fragrant, delicious, and authentic, choosing fresh shrimp is the most important factor. Here are some tips to remember when buying shrimp:

• Choose live shrimp: Fresh shrimp are usually still swimming actively or jumping, and when held, they feel firm with good elasticity and have a natural sweetness.
• Observe the color: Good shrimp have transparent shells, uniform color, and are not cloudy or abnormally white.
• Check the head and legs: Fresh shrimp have heads and legs tightly attached to the body, with flexible joints that are not loose.
• Look at the body: The body of the shrimp should be slightly naturally curved, and firm meat indicates freshness. However, you should avoid those that are abnormally curled or have splayed tails as they may not be fresh.
• Smell: Fresh shrimp have a mild, characteristic sea scent and do not have any foul or pungent, unpleasant odors.
• Avoid low-quality shrimp: Avoid choosing shrimp that are slimy, have dull shells, heads separated from the body, or show signs of chemical treatment.
• Prioritize medium size: Medium-sized shrimp will be firmer and sweeter when braised compared to shrimp that are too large or no longer fresh.

7. Nutritional value of shrimp

Shrimp is not only a familiar ingredient in cuisine but also an abundant source of nutrition, very good for health.

• Rich in protein, low in calories: About 100g of shrimp provides an abundant amount of protein (about 18g) but is very low in fat and calories, suitable for a healthy diet.
• Provides many vitamins and minerals: Shrimp contains essential nutrients such as vitamin B12, calcium, iron, potassium, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, iodine, etc., helping the body maintain stable operations.
• Antioxidant, slows aging: Shrimp contains the powerful antioxidant astaxanthin, which helps protect cells, reduce the harmful effects of free radicals, and supports slowing down the aging process.
• Good for cardiovascular health and brain: The omega-3 content in shrimp shells supports enhanced cardiovascular health, improves brain function, and is especially beneficial for the development of young children.
• Supports weight control: Thanks to being low in carbs and energy but rich in nutrition, shrimp is an ideal choice for those looking to lose weight.
• Enhances overall health: Micronutrients like selenium help reduce inflammation and protect the heart. Iodine supports the thyroid, and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids contribute to improving overall health.

Hopefully, with these detailed shares on how to make delicious braised shrimp, you have gathered many attractive suggestions to diversify your family meals. If you want to explore more new recipes, useful kitchen tips, and delicious daily dishes, do not forget to visit the Culinary Corner category on the Ola Squid Blog right away. Furthermore, if you are looking for high-quality dried seafood to complement your meals, check out our products at Ola Squid Shop.