Ingredients

1 pound head-on raw shrimp Or you can use cleaned large shrimp (without head/shell or tail)
½ tsp roasted szechuan pepper salt recipe below
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes chili flakes
4 garlic cloves minced finely
1 ½ tbsp neutral oil
¾ cup tapioca starch or corn starch
Oil for deep frying
Extra szechuan salt and crushed red pepper/chili flakes

Roasted Szechuan Pepper Salt:
¼ cup sea salt or kosher salt
3 tbsp szechuan peppercorn 2 tbsp, if you prefer less spice and heat

Directions

Roasted Szechuan Pepper Salt:
Place the salt and peppercorn in a dry pan. Heat over medium heat to dry roast the salt and peppercorns while moving them frequently on the pan to prevent them from burning.
You will be able to smell the beautiful floral fragrance of szechuan peppercorns when it’s done. Don’t let it burn, as it will become bitter.
Remove from the heat and let it cool down. Grind the salt and peppercorns to a fine powder using a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle. Store in a jar with a tight lid and use as needed.

Cleaning Head-on Shrimp:
If the shrimp is frozen, thaw them out in cold or room temperature water (not warm water).
Using a pair of kitchen scissors/shears, snip off the sharp ends from the shrimp head (there’s a sharp point at the top of the head, and also the sharp mouth tips).
Locate the space between the shrimp head and the point where the shrimp body shell starts. Using the shears, cut along the “spine” of the shrimp shell – from where it starts (just after the head), to about ⅔ of the way down.
This will expose the intestinal tract (vein) of the shrimp. Remove this using a toothpick or under cold running water. Rinse the shrimp and place them on paper towels and blot to dry.

Preparing Crispy Szechuan Salt and Pepper Shrimp:
Marinate the cleaned and dry shrimp with the roasted szechuan salt, crushed chili flakes, garlic and oil, for about 30 minutes – 1 hour.
When you’re ready to fry the shrimp, heat oil in a saucepan (about 2 – 3 inches deep), to about 400°F.
Place the tapioca flour or cornstarch in a dry plate.
Coat each shrimp with the starch, and fry in the hot oil (3 – 4 shrimp at a time – without overcrowding the pan), for 1 ½ – 2 minutes. Flip them over once half way through. Cook until they turn light golden and are crispy.
Place the fried shrimp on a paper towel or wire rack to drain the excess oil.
Once all the shrimp has been fried, place all the shrimp in a bowl and sprinkle extra roasted szechuan pepper salt, red pepper flakes and toss gently to mix.
Extra szechuan salt and crushed red pepper/chili flakes
Serve with sweet chili sauce and lime wedges. Enjoy!