Growing up, I was accustomed to eating very healthy food that my mom made every day. Although my dad also knows how to cook, (as a matter of fact, he cooks better than my mom), he only goes into the kitchen once in a while to showcase his skills. This super simple fried shrimp is one of my favorite dishes from him. You know, my mom hates frying food in the kitchen because it makes the room very smoky. That’s why I could only enjoy this super delicious dish 4 to 5 times a year as a treat 🙂 Just like for every other dish my parents cook, they’ve never had a recipe for this one. But since I’ve watched my dad cook this one so many times, I’m quite good at guessing the measurements from the consistency of the batter.
Why this recipe?
This fried shrimp recipe might be the easiest one out there, but it yields such great results. The main ingredient is the Shaoxing wine (which can be replaced by dry sherry). It gives a tangy, savory taste to the shrimp and compliments its light sweetness. The coating has a thin consistency, like pancake batter. The result is a light, crispy, and fluffy texture that is almost like tempura. The frying process is easier than your average fried shrimp. To speed up the process, use less oil, and generate the best results, my technique involves shallow-frying the shrimp in a large nonstick frying pan. I only add just enough oil to cover 2/3 of the shrimp, about half an inch (1.5-cm). Then I heat it to hot over medium-high heat. Because of the large contact surface area of the pan on the stove, you can fry quite a large batch of shrimp at one time without lowering the oil temperature too much. The bottom of the shrimp will turn golden brown in 1 to 2 minutes. Then you flip the shrimp to cook the other side.
When I fry 1 pound of shrimp, it only takes me like 10 minutes to finish cooking the whole batch. Not bad, right? The finished product might not be the prettiest fried shrimp out there, but I guarantee you it tastes SO GOOD. My husband gave it five stars and said it tastes even better than the fried shrimp tempura at the Japanese restaurant.
More delicious appetizer recipes
Salt and Pepper Squid Cheesy Shrimp Baked Spring Rolls Thai Fish Cakes (Tod Mun Pla) Fried Chicken Wings in Asian Hot Sauce Slow Roasted Crispy Pork Belly (Siu Yuk)
If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it @omnivorescookbook on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with. The recipe was originally published on Dec 19, 2013 and updated on Apr 13, 2018.
