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!
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp, (shell, head, and tail-on)
- 3 tablespoons corn starch or potato starch
- 6 garlic cloves, (roughly chopped)
- 3 stalks of scallions, (sliced) white part for stir fry and green part for garnish
- 1-2 green chili peppers , (jalapeno or serrano)
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil, (and more for deep frying) see notes
Salt and Pepper Mix (Combine All in a Bowl)
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, (or more according to your liking)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Rinse the shrimp in cold water. Drain and pat them dry really well with paper towels.
- Dredge the shrimp in starch. Shake off excess starch.
- In a pot, preheat 2-3 inches of oil over medium-high heat to 375°F.
- Work in batches, cook the shrimp, stirring often, for 90 seconds or until crispy and golden brown. Transfer the shrimp to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate then cook the next batch.
- In a skillet, heat two tablespoons of oil. Cook the jalapeno for 45 seconds. Add the white part of the scallion and stir for 30-45 seconds. Add minced garlic and cook just until fragrant about 15 seconds.
- Add the deep-fried shrimp back into a skillet. Stir in the garlic salt, salt, and pepper. Toss for 10 seconds or until well coated.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Remove from the heat and serve with the green part of the scallion.
Notes
Stir-frying sears food quickly, make sure your prep is ready in advance and in the right order.
Salt and pepper. Go easy on the salt and black pepper. You can always add more at the end of the cooking and before serving.
Shrimp. If you're using frozen shrimp, make sure to thaw them in cold water for 10-15 minutes first before cooking.
Neutral oil. You can use canola oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, or vegetable oil.
Garlic. Roughly chop the garlic and do not overcook it or it will give a burnt taste.
Cooking Temperature. 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.
How to check the oil temperature. Ideally, you need a deep-frying temperature to properly measure the heat. If you don't have it, you can stick the end of a chopstick into the oil. If you see many bubbles around the wood and they start to float up, your oil is ready for deep-frying.
Once you put the shrimp in, you should hear bubbles and crackling noises. If not, remove the shrimp from the pan immediately and wait until the oil is hot enough to start cooking.
Drain. 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.
Storing. Put the deep-fried shrimp in an airtight container. Properly stored, it will last 3-4 days in the fridge or up to 6 months in the freezer.
Reheating. Place the leftover deep-fried shrimp on a sheet pan with a wire rack. Reheat in the oven for 10 minutes or longer at 350°F.
Nutrition
Calories: 120kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 7gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 758mgPotassium: 115mgFiber: 1gSugar: 0.3gVitamin A: 93IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 0.4mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!