Chinese Salt and Pepper Shrimp

This recipe for salt and pepper shrimp is so tasty. The shrimp are lightly coated with starch and perfectly seasoned with a garlic salt and pepper mixture. They are super crunchy and flavorful. Just get ready to get your hands dirty and make sure that you have enough napkins nearby! 

Salt and pepper shrimp is one of the most popular seafood items you can find in Chinese or Vietnamese restaurants. In this post, I will show you how to make salt and pepper shrimp at home in some simple steps. 

This recipe was inspired by this Chinese salt and pepper chicken wings and pairs well with this white rice.

Jump to:

• Why This Salt and Pepper Shrimp Recipe Works
• Ingredients 
• How to Make Salt and Pepper Shrimp
• Tips and Variations
• FAQs 
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

Why This Salt and Pepper Shrimp Recipe Works

• Easy. You don't need any special cooking skills to make the tastiest salt and pepper shrimp. 
• Quick. Shrimp cooks quickly and requires minimal preparation. 
• Restaurant-quality. It tastes as good or even better than what you'd get at the restaurant.
• Cost-efficient. Shrimp isn't as expensive as other seafood. This homemade salt and pepper shrimp is cheaper than what you'll pay for it when eating out. 
• Adjustable and customizable. There were times when salt and pepper shrimp served at a restaurant is overloaded with salt or had overwhelming amounts of pepper. This recipe will fix that. You can always start with a small amount of salt and black pepper, and add more later as needed. 

Ingredients 

• Shrimp. You'll be using large shrimp with the head, tail, and shell on. The head and shells are the most flavorful parts of shrimp, so don't throw them away. Deep frying the shrimp with shells on will prevent them from overcooking too quickly, keeping the flesh moist, juicy, and tender.  If you're using frozen shrimp, make sure to thaw them first before cooking. 

• Garlic salt. For this recipe, I used store-bought garlic salt powder to add more depth of flavor, without making the shrimp super salty. Garlic salt is usually made with a mixture of one part ground garlic and three parts sea salt. 

• Salt. I find that sea salt works well with this recipe because it dissolves much quicker than kosher salt when used as a finishing salt. 

• Starch. You can use potato starch or cornstarch. Both starches can give shrimp a golden and crispy outer layer during the frying process.

• Black pepper. This is one of the most important parts of seasoning. You can always use pre-ground black pepper which works fine. You can also grind the whole black peppercorn on your own prior to cooking to enhance the flavor. 

• Green chili pepper. Use any green chili pepper such as Jalapeno or Serrano to add color and a small amount of heat to the dish. Please keep in mind that this salt and pepper shrimp isn't considered a spicy food. Of course, it can get a bit spicy if you eat some of the chilies along with the shrimp. 

• Fresh garlic. Part of the stir-frying process that gives a garlicky and umami flavor to the shrimp. 

• Scallions. It's another component for stir-frying to add more oniony flavor to the shrimp. Use the white part of the scallion for stir-fry and the green part for sprinkling.

Now let's talk about the preparation and cooking process. 

How to Make Salt and Pepper Shrimp

1. Prepare the Shrimp and Other Ingredients

• Rinse the shrimp in cold water. Drain and pat them dry really well with paper towels. 
• In a bowl or zip lock, add cornstarch or potato starch. 
• In a small bowl, combine garlic salt, salt, and black pepper. 
• Chop the jalapeno and scallions into thin slices and roughly mince the garlic. Make sure that you separate the white from the green parts of the scallions. 

2. Deep Fry the Shrimp 

• Dredge the shrimp in cornstarch or potato starch. 
• In a large wok, preheat the oil over medium-high heat to 375°F. 
• Work in batches, cook the shrimp for about 90 seconds or until crispy and golden brown. 
• Transfer the deep-fried shrimp to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate then cook the next batch, until all remaining shrimp are cooked. 

3. Cook the Aromatic Vegetables 

• In a large skillet, heat two tablespoons of oil. Cook the jalapeno for 45 seconds. Add the white part of the scallions and stir for 30-45 seconds. Add minced garlic and cook just until fragrant. Do not overcook the garlic or it will give a burnt taste. 

• Carefully add the deep-fried shrimp back into a skillet. Stir in the salt and pepper seasoning. Toss for about 10 seconds or until well coated.

Tips and Variations

• If you're using frozen shrimp, make sure to thaw them in cold water for 10-15 minutes first before cooking. 
• If you don't want to use any chili pepper you can skip it altogether, or replace it with green bell pepper. 
• If you have Chinese five-spice powder or Sichuan peppercorn, feel free to use them too.
• Don't overcrowd the pan when deep-frying. Depending on the size of your pan, you may need to cook in 2 batches or more. 
• You can drain the fried shrimp on a wire rack instead of paper towels to keep them crispy. I personally like to use a paper towel to absorb some excess oil and make them healthier. 
• Go easy on the salt and black pepper. You can always add more at the end of the cooking and before serving. 
• When you add cold food to hot oil, the oil temperature drops immediately. For that reason, you need to adjust the heat as needed to maintain the correct temperature. 

FAQs 

Check Out More Seafood Recipes

• Old Bay Shrimp Pasta
• Salmon Cakes
• Fried Catfish
• Crawfish Etouffee
• Shrimp Po'Boy
• Pan-Seared Branzino
• Pan-Fried Trout
• Pan-Seared Tilapia
• Chilli Mussels

I hope you'll enjoy this recipe and share it with friends! If you try it and don’t mind, please leave me a comment and/or give this recipe a rating. Be sure to subscribe to receive weekly recipes and follow me on Pinterest.

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