This is the classic Cantonese shrimp dish with the heads and peels left on. The shrimp are usually eaten whole, but I know this is scary for some. The recipe is traditional, but you can peel and clean the shrimp if you prefer. I think that when fried, the skins and heads taste like tempura and hold the seasonings perfectly. You can choose your own adventure here, but I do hope you try this dish as it was meant to be eaten.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 25 min |
| Active: | 20 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons (10 grams) kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon (30 grams) chicken bouillon powder
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon (5 grams) white pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds (600 grams) large shrimp, unpeeled
- 2 quarts (1.8 liters) vegetable oil for deep frying, plus 2 tablespoons for stir-frying
- 1 cup (240 grams) cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon (10 grams) ginger, minced
- 1 red jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced with seeds
- 2 tablespoons (60 grams) scallions, finely chopped
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the salt, bouillon powder, sugar and white pepper and reserve.
- Rinse the shrimp under cold water, then drain them quickly in a colander. Leave them moist to absorb the cornstarch to make a crust.
- Heat the oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven or pot until the oil reaches about 375 degrees F. Add the cornstarch to a large bowl, dredge the shrimp in cornstarch and then shake off the excess. Deep fry the shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes in three small batches. Drain on a sheet pan as you are heating your skillet or wok.
- While the shrimp are cooking, heat a large skillet or wok to high and spoon in 2 tablespoons (30 grams) of oil. When the first wisp of white smoke appears, stir in the garlic, ginger and jalapeno and cook for about 30 seconds until light brown.
- Toss in the fried shrimp, reserved sugar-and-salt mixture and scallions. Continually toss the shrimp to coat well, 1 to 2 minutes. Once the shrimp are heated through, plate the shrimp and top with crispy bits from the pan.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 775 |
| Total Fat | 42 g |
| Saturated Fat | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 63 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
| Protein | 36 g |
| Cholesterol | 275 mg |
| Sodium | 2012 mg |
Reviews
I can’t wait to try this! I love salt & pepper shrimp. Thanks Jet!
Again this is the 3rd show today that I’ve tried to save the recipe to my board and I get an error message saying that the server is not working and, there’s no information on how to cook the recipe. This has happened to me at least 5 times today and it happened last week too.