Salt and Pepper Shrimp

Salt and pepper shrimp may be a dish within the same family as Salt and Pepper Pork Chops and Salt and Pepper Squid; they're all crowd pleasers. Crispy, salty, slightly spicy…what’s to not like? You’re undoubtedly getting to get a bunch of oooh’s and ahhh’s at the table once salt and pepper shrimp is being served.

Before we have a tendency to begin, i need to clarify one thing regarding the “pepper” in “Salt and Pepper Shrimp.” after I seek for “salt and pepper (椒盐)” on Chinese preparation sites, the pepper component used most in China appears to be Szechwan province peppercorns, except for recipes like Salt and Pepper Pork Chops that you simply order from a Yue building, the pepper used is typically white pepper. I’ve come back to the conclusion that something works: white pepper, black pepper, Szechwan province peppercorns, or a mix. no matter strikes your fancy, or no matter you happen to possess in your spice cupboard.

The salt and pepper mixture is cooked to allow it additional flavor and fragrance, and it’s terribly straightforward to form. You'll even prepare it in bulk, transfer to jars, and provides them out as gifts like individuals do with jams and pickles.

The magnitude relation is typically 2:1 pepper to salt. I powerfully counsel you utilize ocean salt for this recipe; it's higher flavor.

INGREDIENTS :

For the salt and pepper mixture :

2 parts whole peppercorns
1 part sea salt

For the rest of the dish :

1 pound large shrimp (450g; shells on and deveined, with or without heads)
3 tablespoons potato starch or cornstarch
1/3 cup oil (for shallow frying)
6 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
1 long hot green or red pepper (thinly sliced)
1 scallion (chopped)
salt and pepper mixture (to taste)

INSTRUCTIONS :

To make the salt and pepper mixture :

In a small pot over medium low heat, dry roast the whole peppercorns of your choice for 15 minutes, until very fragrant. Take care not to burn them, adjusting the heat as needed. Cool completely and use a spice grinder or mortar and pestle to grind the peppercorns down to a powder.
In the same pot over medium heat, dry roast the salt until it turns slightly yellow in color. Let it cool and combine it with the ground pepper. You now have your own authentic salt and pepper powder, which you can use in whatever “salt and pepper” dish you like. The rest of the recipe is really easy.

To prepare the dish :

Rinse the shrimp and pat them thoroughly dry with a paper towel. Dredge them in potato starch or cornstarch––whatever you’re using.
Heat the oil in a small cast iron skillet to 375 degrees. Quickly lay the shrimp in the oil with about an inch of space in between each shrimp, and fry the shrimp in batches, cooking each side for 30 seconds. Set aside on a paper towel-lined plate, and sprinkle with salt and pepper powder to taste.
In the wok, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Fry the garlic until just golden brown (careful not to burn it!), and set aside to drain on a paper towel lined plate.
Remove any excess oil from the wok, so there's only a tablespoon or so left (you don’t want to use too much oil at this stage, as this is a “dry” dish). Add the peppers to the wok. Turn off the heat, and add the garlic back to the wok, stir-frying everything together for a minute. Add the shrimp to the wok, and gently toss everything for 10 seconds, sprinkling over a bit more of your salt and pepper mixture. Serve!