Crispy Szechuan Shrimp

Ingredients

Szechuan Salt:
1 tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Shrimp:
1 pound large or jumbo shell-on & deveined shrimp* pat dry
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine*
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
1 egg white
1 1/2 cup potato starch*

Aromatics & For Serving:
5 garlic cloves minced
2 red chilies finely sliced
2 stalks green onions sliced
lime wedges

Directions

Make Szechuan Salt:
Heat a wok or large pan on medium-high heat. Dry toast the Szechuan peppercorns until fragrant.
Transfer them in mortar & pestle or coffee grinder and grind until they’re a fine powder. Mix with salt and set aside.

Prep Shrimp:
In a large bowl, add the egg white and whisk until frothy.
Mix in soy sauce, Chinese Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, and fish sauce until well combined, then add in shrimp. Set aside to marinate for 10 minutes.
Add potato starch to shrimp with the marinade and mix well. Scrunch mixture onto shrimp to pack on the potato starch and marinade.

Cook Shrimp:
Meanwhile, heat oil in the wok on high heat. Check if the oil is hot enough by sprinkling a little potato starch in the oil. If small bubbles form, it’s ready.
Gently shake off any excess potato starch from the shrimp, then carefully add them to the pan, working in batches if needed to prevent overcrowding. Fry for about 2 minutes per side or until golden brown and crisp.
Transfer to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate, then immediately sprinkle them with some of the Szechuan pepper and salt mixture to taste.

Cook Aromatics:
Drain oil from the wok and carefully wipe it down to remove any excess bits from frying.
Reheat wok to medium-high. Add in garlic, chilis, and green onions to dry toast until fragrant, about 1 minute. Sprinkle them on top of shrimp and serve with lime wedges on the side, if desired. Enjoy!