Salt and Pepper Shrimp (椒盐虾)

Ingredients

• lb (450 g) shrimp, peeled & deveined
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper(*Footnote 1)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• clove sgarlic, minced
• red chile peppers, slice d (Optional)

Instructions

1. Dry the shrimp thoroughly with paper towels.
2. Mix the salt and cornstarch in a plate or tray. Add the shrimp. Mix everything together until all the shrimp are lightly coated in the cornstarch.
3. Make the pepper salt by mixing the salt and white pepper together in a small bowl.
4. Heat 1/4” (1/2 cm) of oil in a medium sized pan over medium high heat until the oil reaches 375 °F (190 °C). If you do not have a thermometer, drop a tiny pinch of cornstarch into the oil. You should see small bubbles rapidly forming around the cornstarch. ( Footnote 2)
5. Line a baking tray with a wire rack.
6. Add the shrimp one at a time into the pan in a single layer.
7. Use your fingers to grab the tail of the shrimp, shake off the extra cornstarch, and gently lay the shrimp into the oil.
8. You might need to cook the shrimp in batches.
9. Cook each side for about 2 minutes, until the surface turns pale golden and the shrimp are curled.
10. Once done, transfer the cooked shrimp onto the lined baking sheet to drain the extra oil.
11. Once all the shrimp are done cooking, pour the extra oil into a ceramic bowl and only leave about 2 teaspoons of oil in the pan.
12. Add the garlic and chile peppers into the pan. Stir a few times to release the fragrance.
13. Add the shrimp and sprinkle the salt and pepper mixture over them. Toss until the shrimp are evenly coated.
14. Transfer everything to a plate and serve hot as an appetizer or over steamed rice as a main dish.

Tips

you can drain the shrimp on paper towels as well, but I prefer to avoid this method because it might make the bottom of the shrimp soggy.