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Shrimp: Crispy Salt and Pepper Shrimp

Source of Recipe

From "One-Hour Comfort" by America's Test Kitchen


Recipe Introduction

"A killer savory-spicy-sweet flavor profile will entice you to eat one plump fried shrimp after another. In this Chinese dish, shell-on shrimp are seasoned and flash fried until the meat is cooked perfectly and the shells turn invitingly, deliciously crisp. Many recipes call for rubbing the raw shell-on shrimp with salt and letting them sit so the seasoning can penetrate; here you add a little Shaoxing wine to speed up the salt's effectiveness, since the liquid helps the salt get under the shells to make direct contact with the meat. Be sure to pat the shrimp dry before coating them with cornstarch and spices—the cornstarch pulls moisture from the shells, contributing to their deliciously crispy texture. Aromatic Sichuan peppercorns give the dish a subtle mouth-tingling spiciness, and rings of fried chiles add more direct heat. To finish, toss the shrimp with more salt and a flavorful oil infused with garlic and ginger. Use a Dutch oven that holds 6 quarts or more."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 ½ pounds shell-on medium-large shrimp (31 to 40 per pound)
â—¦ 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
â—¦ 2 ½ teaspoons black peppercorns, coarsely ground
â—¦ 2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns, coarsely ground
â—¦ 2 teaspoons sugar
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
â—¦ 1 quart vegetable oil
â—¦ 5 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
â—¦ 2 jalapeño chiles, stemmed, seeded, and sliced into â…›-inch-thick rings
â—¦ 3 cloves garlic, minced
â—¦ 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
â—¦ 2 scallions, sliced thin on bias
â—¦ Shredded iceberg lettuce


Recipe

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 225 degrees. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet and line large plate with triple layer of paper towels. Toss shrimp with Shaoxing wine and 1 teaspoon salt in large bowl and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Combine black peppercorns, Sichuan peppercorns, sugar, and cayenne in small bowl.

Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat to 385 degrees.
Meanwhile, drain shrimp and pat dry with paper towels; wipe bowl dry with paper towels. Transfer shrimp to now-empty bowl, add 3 tablespoons cornstarch and 1 tablespoon pepper mixture, and toss until well coated.

Carefully add one-third of shrimp to hot oil and fry, stirring occasionally to keep shrimp from sticking together, until light brown, 2 to 3 minutes. (Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 375 and 385 degrees.) Using spider skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to prepared plate and let drain briefly. Transfer shrimp to prepared rack and keep warm in oven. Return oil to 385 degrees and repeat frying remaining shrimp in 2 more batches, re-tossing each batch thoroughly with coating mixture before frying. Line plate with clean paper towels as needed.

Return oil to 385 degrees. Toss jalapeño rings with remaining 2 tablespoons cornstarch in separate bowl. Shake off excess cornstarch, then carefully add jalapeño rings to oil and fry until crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer jalapeño rings to prepared plate. Reserve 2 tablespoons frying oil.

Heat reserved oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add garlic, ginger, and remaining peppercorn mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is fragrant and just beginning to brown, about 45 seconds. Add shrimp, scallions, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and toss to coat. Line serving platter with shredded lettuce. Arrange shrimp on platter and sprinkle with jalapeño rings.
Serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6