Name: Vietnamese Crispy Salt and Pepper Prawns (Tom Rang Muoi)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 5
Cuisine: asian
Ingredients: 2 lbs whole shrimp (about 25-30 21/25 size large devein shrimp; head tail optional); ½ cup corn starch; Vegetable oil (for deep-frying); ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon ground black pepper; ¼ teaspoon granulated white sugar; 1 jalapeno (see notes); 2 fresh or dried red chili peppers (see notes); 2 garlic cloves (peel and slice thin); 1 shallot (peel and slice thin)

Description

Bite-sized bursts of savory, salty, and spicy (optional) flavors, these crispy fried shrimp are the perfect easy-to-make appetizer for any occasion.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Shrimp

2 lbs whole shrimp (about 25-30 21/25 size large devein shrimp; head tail optional)
1/2 cup corn starch
Vegetable oil (for deep-frying)

Seasoning Mixture

1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon granulated white sugar

Aromatics

1 jalapeno (see notes)
2 fresh or dried red chili peppers (see notes)
2 garlic cloves (peel and slice thin)
1 shallot (peel and slice thin)

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Instructions

Prep the shrimp: If preferred, cut off the whiskers, sharp point on the head and trim off the eyes with a pair of kitchen shears. I prefer to keep it all intact because they do fry up nicely. Devein the shrimp by inserting a toothpick underneath the vein on the back of the prawn. Slowly pull the toothpick up to remove the vein. Rinse off the shrimp to remove any lingering fishy smell and veins. Set aside.
Prepare the salt mixture: In a small pan, dry toast the salt on medium-low heat until it starts to turn color (about 2 minutes). Turn off heat and transfer the roasted salt to a small bowl. Mix in the ground black pepper and sugar until well combined. Set aside.
Deep fry the shrimp: In a wok or pot, heat vegetable oil to 350°F for deep frying. Dredge shrimp in corn starch and tap off excess. Deep fry the shrimp in batches, dropping them in oil one at a time, and cook for about 3 minutes or until golden and crispy. Transfer the shrimp onto a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
Stir fry finish: In a large wok or skillet, add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and heat on medium high. Add jalapenos or chili peppers, garlic, and shallots. Sauté until softened and fragrant (about one minute). Add the fried shrimp and sprinkle with the salt-pepper-sugar mixture. Lightly toss until evenly coated. Serve immediately for best results.

Notes

If you don’t like it spicy, omit the jalapenos and chili peppers and replace with a small amount of cubed red and green bell peppers.
When using dried red chili peppers, I like to keep it whole. This also lessens the spiciness. If using fresh chili peppers, slice into thin discs.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: side dish, appetizer
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: asian, vietnamese, chinese