Salt and Pepper Shrimp (椒盐虾)

The thing I like about salt and pepper shrimp is that it looks and tastes fantastic yet it’s quite simple to make. In this post, I’ll explain in three sections to help you cook it to a restaurant standard:

• Make your own salt and pepper seasoning
• Two ways to fry the shrimp to perfection
• Add more flavour and colour to the dish

How to make the salt & pepper seasoning

Widely used in Chinese cuisine, salt and pepper seasoning (Jiao Yan/椒盐) has many different versions depending on the interpretation of restaurant chefs and home cooks. It’s either sprinkled over cooked dishes, or served separately for dipping. You can find it in Chinese shops as a ready-to-use seasoning, but I highly recommend you make it yourself for a fresher and better taste.

The simple version of salt and pepper seasoning can be Sichuan pepper with salt or black/white pepper with salt. Personally, I prefer a more complex, sophisticated version which consists of several spices. Here is my favourite formula:

• 1 teaspoon whole Sichuan pepper
• ½ star anise
• ½ teaspoon sesame seeds
• ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
• 4 teaspoon salt

Toast in a pan then grind

Before you put all these ingredients into a pan for toasting, check and remove any black seeds and stems from the Sichuan pepper. Also, separate the pods of the star anise and discard all the brown seeds hidden inside each pod.

When toasting, keep the heat low to slowly release the aroma of the spices. Once you see the salt turning a little yellow, turn off the heat and transfer everything into a mortar (or into a spice grinder). Leave it to cool for a while then grind with a pestle.

How to use it in other dishes

The quantity suggested produces much more salt and pepper seasoning than what you would need to cook today’s dish. Keep the leftover in an airtight jar and use it whenever you fancy adding aromatic salty flavour to your dishes.

It’s such a versatile thing to have! Sprinkle over a fried egg, add to a stir-fry, season Scallion Pancakes or Scallion Flower Rolls, use it as a dry rub for meat (Have you tried my Smoked Chicken which use it to marinate?). The ideas go on.

How to fry the shrimp to perfection

Once you have the salt and pepper seasoning ready, move on to the next step: prepare and fry the star ingredient, shrimp. Despite the name of this dish, please feel free to use prawns which are a different species scientifically, but interchangeable with shrimp when it comes to cooking (Read this article to find out the difference between shrimp or prawn if you’re interested).

Remember not to use peeled shrimp for this dish. The shell offers delicious crispy texture and is totally edible if fried properly. Regarding the heads of the shrimp, you can either leave them on (if you appreciate the complete look) or remove them. If you decide to take the second option, do not throw the heads away as they make a great stock (Fry them in a little oil. Add water to simmer for 20 minutes or so then drain).

Coat the shrimp with corn starch

There are two factors that contribute to the crispy texture of the shrimp which the dish is famous for. First and foremost, you’ll need to coat the shrimp with starch before frying. Corn starch, potato starch or tapioca starch all work for this purpose.

Rinse the shrimp under running water then pat dry with kitchen paper. You wouldn’t want them too wet. Otherwise, the starch added will turn into a slurry. Yet they need to be damp enough to keep the starch sticking to the shell. Be generous with the starch and try coating the shrimp as evenly as possible.

Fry the shrimp at high temperature

The second factor for producing crispy shrimp is to fry them in oil at high temperature and keep the process brief. I’d like to introduce two ways to achieve this.

Option 1: Deep Frying

This is how salt and pepper shrimp is made in Chinese restaurants and takeaways. Set a wok over high heat and pour in plenty of oil. Make sure you use oil that has a high smoking point and suitable for deep-frying, such as vegetable oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, rapeseed oil, etc.

When the temperature reaches 375°F/190°C, gently slide in the shrimp. You may use one shrimp to test the temperature. If lots of bubbles immediately appear the moment it goes in, the oil is hot enough.

If the shrimp stick together, use chopsticks to separate them. Take out when they turn pink and look crispy. Do not overcook to retain the tenderness of the flesh. The frying time required depends on the size of your shrimp. My shrimp are quite large, it took me about 90 seconds.

Option 2: Shallow Frying

If you’re not a fan of deep-frying and wish to be economical with oil, try shallow frying instead. Use a pan and pour in oil just enough to cover half of the shrimp when they’re laid flat.

Keep the heat on high. When the oil starts to smoke, place in the shrimp (Fry in two batches if necessary to avoid overlapping). Flip over to fry the other side when the first side turns pink and crispy.

The downside of shallow frying is that the oil splashes a lot. So I put a splatter screen over the pan. Alternatively, you can hold a lid over the pan (but do not cover completely) to block splashing.

Add more flavour & colour to the dish

Now we’re only one step away from serving. Carefully pour the oil out of the wok/pan leaving just a thin layer on the surface. Fry minced shallots, pepper, garlic and ginger for about 1 min over medium heat. Then add the shrimp and some salt and pepper seasoning. Toss well for an even coating (Unlike typical Chinese stir-fry dishes, you don’t need any sauce for this dish. It should look dry when serving). Garnish with finely chopped scallions before serving.

Salt and pepper shrimp taste best when hot. It loses its crispiness if left cold. So make sure you have plain rice ready to enjoy it immediately. Alternatively, you can serve this dish as finger food. Without doubt, these flavoursome, crispy shrimp disappear very quickly at parties!