Deliciously Simple and Crispy Salt & Pepper Shrimp (Tôm Chiên Muối Tiêu)
For this recipe, I’m using large shrimp (size 21/25) with head-on, tail-on, shell-on, legs-on, everything-on. I give the shrimp a good rinse to wash away any fishy smells and then devein with a sharp pair of kitchen shears. The kitchen shears work well with the shell. If there’s no shell, a small sharp knife works more efficiently.
No need to marinate the shrimp. It’s simply get coated with a light layer of corn starch. Dust off the excess and in it goes in a hot pool of oil at 375°F for 2-3 minutes or until golden. Drain off the excess oil and transfer shrimp to a large mixing bowl. Add a bit of the spice mixture to taste. Toss, toss, toss to evenly combine, and boom, you’re done.
If you are looking for a more traditional recipe that includes frying the salt and colorful aromatics such as garlic, shallots, green onions, and colorful peppers, check out this older post.
Recipe below. Happy cooking!