Salt and Pepper Shrimp (Printable Version)

Golden crispy shrimp tossed with garlic, scallions, and Sichuan pepper for an authentic Chinese-style dish.

# What You Need:

→ Shrimp

01 - 1.1 lb large shrimp, shell-on, deveined
02 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
03 - 1/2 tsp white pepper
04 - 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
05 - 3 tbsp cornstarch

→ Aromatics

06 - 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
07 - 2 scallions, finely sliced
08 - 1 small red chili, thinly sliced

→ Frying

09 - 2 cups vegetable oil, for frying

→ Sauce & Garnish

10 - 1/2 tsp sea salt
11 - 1/2 tsp ground Sichuan peppercorns
12 - Lemon wedges, to serve

# How to Make It:

01 - Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. In a bowl, toss shrimp with 1/2 tsp salt, white pepper, and black pepper. Let sit for 5 minutes.
02 - Toss the seasoned shrimp in cornstarch until lightly coated. Shake off any excess.
03 - Heat the vegetable oil in a deep skillet or wok over medium-high heat. When hot, fry the shrimp in batches for 2-3 minutes per batch until golden and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
04 - Carefully pour off most of the oil, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pan. Add garlic and chili; stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.
05 - Return shrimp to the pan, add scallions, Sichuan peppercorns, and 1/2 tsp salt. Toss everything together for 1 minute over high heat until well mixed.
06 - Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The shrimp emerge impossibly crispy while staying tender inside, creating that irresistible texture contrast that makes restaurant Chinese food so addictive
  • This comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like you spent hours mastering wok techniques
  • The aromatic hit of garlic and scallions creates this incredible perfume that fills your entire kitchen
02 -
  • Overcrowding the pan drops the oil temperature dramatically, resulting in soggy, greasy shrimp instead of crunchy ones
  • Double-frying technique—frying once, letting rest, then frying again—produces restaurant-level crunch that stays crispy longer
  • Sichuan peppercorns need to be freshly ground for that signature tingle, otherwise they just taste like mild pepper
03 -
  • Buy the freshest shrimp you can find and avoid ones that smell like ammonia or have black spots
  • Letting the shrimp sit after the first fry helps the coating set, making the second fry even crispier

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