Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 4 tablespoons corn starch
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon whole mixed peppercorns
- 2 large garlic cloves
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger
- 4 Thai red chili peppers, seeded
- vegetable oil, for frying
- 2 scallions, sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt, or to taste
- Fresh cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl, marinate the shrimp in the fish sauce, and set aside.
- In another large bowl, mix together the corn starch and flour, and set aside.
- Using a mortar and pestle, grind the peppercorns coarsely, ensuring they retain some texture. Set aside.
- Coarsely chop the garlic, ginger, and Thai red chili peppers. Set aside.
- Drain the shrimp from the fish sauce and dredge them thoroughly with the corn starch and flour mixture. Ensure each piece of shrimp is evenly coated, and set aside in a bowl.
- Heat a layer of oil in a frying pan (about 1/4 cup), making sure it reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Fry the shrimp for approximately 2-3 minutes, or until they turn golden brown. Remember to flip them halfway through the frying process. (Fry the shrimp in smaller batches to ensure they cook evenly and become crispy.) Once all the shrimp are fried, remove them from the oil.
- Discard the excess oil from the pan. Add about 1 tablespoon of fresh vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chopped garlic and ginger. Sauté them until they begin to brown, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the chopped red chili peppers to the pan and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Add the sliced scallions to the pan and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
- Gently combine the fried shrimp with the sautéed vegetables in the pan, stirring until everything is well incorporated. Remove the pan from the heat.
- To finish, sprinkle the dish with the coarsely ground peppercorns, and Kosher salt to taste. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve while hot.
Notes
- Peppercorns. For a more authentic salt and pepper shrimp dish, only use ground szechuan peppercorns. Or, in a pinch, you can always use black peppercorns.
- Chili peppers. If you can't find Thai red chili peppers, feel free to use your favorite hot peppers, like jalapeño or serrano. Don't like hot peppers? You can use shishito peppers (which are not hot), or even colorful bell peppers.
- Fry in batches. Try not to overcrowd or overlap the shrimp in the pan. Fry the shrimp in batches. When they turn opaque and pink, with a slight golden color, they should be ready.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Category: Appetizer or Dinner
- Method: Stove top
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 284
- Sugar: 2.7 g
- Sodium: 573.2 mg
- Fat: 14.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 15.7 g
- Protein: 24.6 g
- Cholesterol: 182.5 mg
