Salt and Pepper Shrimp

Ingredients

• 1 pound large shell-on shrimp, deveined, tails left on
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 cup vegetable oil, for frying
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 fresh red chilies, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 3 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces, white and green separated
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine

Method

1. 1

   Pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels, trimming the legs and antennae with scissors if desired.

2. 2

   In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with cornstarch, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon white pepper until evenly coated.

3. 3

   Heat the vegetable oil in a 9-inch skillet or wok over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F.

   5:00 · Heat oil
4. 4

   Fry the shrimp in two batches until crisp and golden, about 2 to 3 minutes per batch, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

   2:00 · Fry shrimp
5. 5

   Carefully drain all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the skillet, leaving the skillet over medium-high heat.

6. 6

   Add the garlic, ginger, chilies, and scallion whites, and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

   0:30 · Stir-fry aromatics
7. 7

   Return the fried shrimp to the skillet along with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, sugar, and Shaoxing wine.

8. 8

   Toss everything together over high heat until the shrimp are evenly coated and glossy, about 1 minute.

   1:00 · Toss shrimp
9. 9

   Stir in the scallion greens, then transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately.