Description
Salt and pepper crispy shrimp delivers bold seasoning and crunchy texture with minimal ingredients. This simple seafood dish feels light, flavorful, and satisfying.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 18 large Shrimp
- 1 cup Cornstarch
- 1 Egg
Marinade and Seasoning:
- 1 tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Chinese Cooking Wine
- 1 tablespoon Sichuan Peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon Black Peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon Sea Salt
Aromatics and Garnish:
- 1 long fresh Thai Red Chilli
- 2 long dried Red Chilies
- 2 Green Onions
- 1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
- Oil for frying
- Coriander
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Whisk together 1 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine, and 1 whisked egg in a medium bowl. Add 18-20 large shrimp and gently coat them in the marinade. Allow the shrimp to absorb flavors for exactly 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Combine 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns, 1 tbsp black peppercorns, and 1 tbsp sea salt in a spice grinder. Pulse until you create a fine, uniform seasoning blend.
- Pour 1 cup cornstarch onto a flat plate. Remove each shrimp from marinade and thoroughly coat it, ensuring complete coverage with a light, even layer of cornstarch.
- Pour vegetable oil into a deep skillet, filling it 2 inches deep. Heat oil to 375°F. Carefully slide coated shrimp into hot oil, working in small batches to maintain temperature.
- Fry shrimp for 2-3 minutes, turning once, until they transform into a crispy golden brown with curled edges. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- Sprinkle freshly ground salt and pepper mix generously over hot shrimp. Top with 2 sliced green onions, 1 finely chopped Thai red chili, and roughly chopped dried red chilies.
- Transfer crispy shrimp to a serving platter. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and accompany with lime wedges for squeezing.
Notes
- Marinate shrimp at room temperature to ensure even seasoning and prevent cold spots during cooking.
- Use fresh, high-quality shrimp for the best crispy texture and clean ocean flavor.
- Pat the shrimp completely dry before coating with cornstarch to achieve maximum crispiness.
- For a gluten-free version, replace cornstarch with rice flour or arrowroot powder for an equally crunchy coating.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Shrimp
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 to 6
- Calories: 215 kcal
- Sugar: 0.5 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 195 mg