Pro Tips
**Chef's Tips & Troubleshooting:**
- Cook shrimp and squid quickly over high heat — they turn rubbery in under 3 minutes.
- Do not overcook shrimp — they are done as soon as they turn pink and curl into a C-shape.
- Rinse shellfish thoroughly under cold water to remove sand and grit before cooking.
- For seafood soups, add the seafood last and simmer just until cooked to preserve tenderness.
Cooking Tips
Seafood cooks quickly — remove it from heat the moment it turns opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Overcooking makes it tough and rubbery. Pat shellfish dry before adding to the pan so they sear rather than steam. A hot, quick cook preserves their natural sweetness. Have all your ingredients prepped and measured before you start cooking — quick dishes leave no time for chopping mid-recipe.
Ingredient Substitutions
Short on time? A pressure cooker (Instant Pot) can reduce cooking time by roughly half for most braised and stewed Filipino dishes. Reduce liquid slightly since less evaporates.
Storage & Reheating
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. The flavors often deepen overnight, making leftovers even more delicious. Seafood dishes are best consumed within 1–2 days. Reheat gently — microwave on low power or warm in a covered skillet over low heat to avoid overcooking. Do not refreeze thawed seafood dishes. Once reheated, consume immediately and do not re-refrigerate. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened during storage. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
Easy Kung Pao Shrimp
Easy Kung Pao Shrimp — fresh seafood prepared Filipino-style with garlic, vinegar, and calamansi. Briny, savory, and deeply flavorful.
Instructions
- Heat a pan or wok then pour the cooking oil.
- Once the cooking oil gets hot, quickly saute the ginger and garlic. Do this fast to prevent the spices from getting burnt.
- Put-in the dried chili and peanuts. Stir fry for 1 minute.
- Fold in the onion and zucchini. Cook for 1 minute.
- Put-in the bell peppers. Stir-fry for 2 minutes.
- Add the shrimp. Continue to stir-fry for 2 to 5 minutes. do not overcook the shrimp
- Pour-in the kung pao sauce. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
- Fold in the scallions. Sprinkle salt and pepper, if needed. Try to taste your dish at this point to see if you will need to add salt and pepper.
- Whisk and transfer to a serving plate.
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Pro Tips & Troubleshooting
- Cook shrimp and squid quickly over high heat — they turn rubbery in under 3 minutes.
- Do not overcook shrimp — they are done as soon as they turn pink and curl into a C-shape.
- Rinse shellfish thoroughly under cold water to remove sand and grit before cooking.
- For seafood soups, add the seafood last and simmer just until cooked to preserve tenderness.
Cooking Tips
Pat shellfish dry before adding to the pan so they sear rather than steam. A hot, quick cook preserves their natural sweetness.
Have all your ingredients prepped and measured before you start cooking — quick dishes leave no time for chopping mid-recipe.
Substitutions
Storage & Reheating
Seafood dishes are best consumed within 1–2 days. Reheat gently — microwave on low power or warm in a covered skillet over low heat to avoid overcooking.
Do not refreeze thawed seafood dishes. Once reheated, consume immediately and do not re-refrigerate.
Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water or broth if the sauce has thickened during storage. Microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each.
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