Why This Recipe Works

We started our shrimp stir-fries by tossing the shrimp with a little salt and sugar and letting them sit for 30 minutes. This not only seasoned the shrimp but also helped them retain moisture during cooking. When the shrimp were almost ready, we quickly cooked the vegetable component and set it aside. Then, rather than stir-fry the shrimp in a hot skillet as most recipes call for, we added the sauce to the pan and poached the shrimp gently in the liquid, covered, to ensure that they stayed moist. We built our sauces on a flavorful base of soy sauce, sherry, and sherry vinegar. A little cornstarch ensured that the sauce thickened to just the right shrimp- and vegetable-coating consistency.

Before You Begin

If your shrimp are treated with salt, skip step 1 (see “Shopping for Shrimp: Buyer Beware”).

Instructions

Combine shrimp, 1 teaspoon sugar, and salt in medium bowl. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Microwave cumin seeds and peppercorns in small bowl until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool slightly, then grind coarse in mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Whisk 1/3 cup sherry, soy sauce, vinegar, and remaining 1 teaspoon sugar together in bowl. Whisk cornstarch and remaining 2 tablespoons sherry together in second bowl.

Heat oil, garlic, pepper flakes, and cumin mixture in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until garlic is just beginning to brown, 1 minute. Add onion, cover, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add bell peppers, cover, and cook until crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer vegetable mixture to bowl.

Add sherry–soy sauce mixture and shrimp to skillet and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes.

Whisk sherry-cornstarch mixture to recombine and add to skillet; increase heat to high and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Return vegetable mixture to skillet, add half of cilantro, and toss to combine. Transfer to serving dish, top with remaining cilantro, and serve.