Shrimp with salt and pepper
4 servings
40 minutes
Shrimp with salt and pepper is a dish that delights with its texture and rich flavor. It has roots in Pan-Asian cuisine, where fresh seafood is combined with vibrant spices and cooking techniques that ensure a crispy crust. First, the shrimp are coated in a fragrant mixture of flour, salt, and pepper, then dipped in airy tempura batter that makes them light and crispy. Quick frying in hot oil seals in their juices, creating an exquisite combination of tender meat and crunchy shell. The shrimp are served with a spicy chili sauce and fresh leeks, making them perfect as an appetizer or main dish. This recipe is a true celebration of flavors that brings joy in every bite.
1
To make a sauce to serve with shrimp, mix chili sauce with mayonnaise, then place it in the refrigerator covered.
- Chili sauce: 2 tablespoons
- Mayonnaise: 4 tablespoons
2
Clean the shrimp and cut them in half (lengthwise). Remove all the black veins and quickly rinse with cold water. It's good if the shrimp are moist — the flour will stick more easily.
- Shrimp: 16 pieces
3
Evenly spread the flour on a tray, add a little salt and a lot of pepper, and mix thoroughly. Add the shrimp, ensuring they are evenly coated with the flour, salt, and pepper mixture, then shake off the excess.
- Wheat flour: 140 g
- Sea salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
4
Make batter for tempura by mixing wheat flour, corn flour, and baking soda in a bowl. Add water, ice, egg white, and gently whisk. Add a little salt.
- Wheat flour: 140 g
- Cornmeal: 50 g
- Baking soda: 0.3 teaspoon
- Sparkling water: 150 ml
- Ice: 2 pieces
- Egg white: 1 piece
- Sea salt: to taste
5
Heat the oil in a wok or deep pot to 170 degrees. To check the oil temperature without a thermometer, dip a shrimp in the batter and then drop it into the hot oil — if the batter becomes crispy and golden in 2-3 minutes, the temperature is high enough.
- Sunflower oil: to taste
6
Drop about a third of the shrimp into the batter, gently mix, and remove. Then, using a slotted spoon, lower the shrimp into the oil one by one. Fry for 2-3 minutes (until the batter is crispy and light golden). If you drop all the shrimp at once, it will lower the oil temperature, and the shrimp are unlikely to be crispy. Once done, remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain while the other two batches of shrimp cook.
- Shrimp: 16 pieces
- Wheat flour: 140 g
- Cornmeal: 50 g
- Baking soda: 0.3 teaspoon
- Sparkling water: 150 ml
- Ice: 2 pieces
- Egg white: 1 piece
7
Serve sprinkled with sea salt, chopped chili pepper, and onion. Place a bowl of chili mayonnaise nearby.
- Sea salt: to taste
- Chili pepper: 1 piece
- Leek: 2 pieces
