A delicious Asian shrimp fritter recipe much better than at the restaurant
A classic of Chinese restaurants, whether all-you-can-eat or à la carte: this delicacy is ingrained in the collective mind of the French. Even if deep-frying can be intimidating, I want to reassure you: it’s much simpler than it seems. And you don’t even need a deep fryer! A saucepan is enough.
The origins of shrimp fritters
Although we often associate them with Chinese cuisine, I haven’t been able to find sources precisely determining the origin of shrimp fritters.
They’re just “there”, you know, since forever. I’ve read accounts of people growing up in Asia with their grandmother making them fritters. When I say Asia, I mean all of Asia. You can find them absolutely everywhere.
Wait, I see you coming: I have of course focused my research on the precise form of these fritters.
That is, a neutral fritter batter that puffs up well when fried, usually served with a dipping sauce such as sriracha, homemade sweet chili sauce or even sweet and sour sauce
Because if I had to broaden my scope to fried shrimp recipes, I wouldn’t have been out of the woods for a while! From salt and pepper shrimp to shrimp tempura and the hundreds of variations I’ve observed at night market stalls, the variation is endless!
The ingredients for Chinese shrimp fritters
Water: It’s very important that it’s cold. The thermal shock with the oil will help with the crispiness. You can also use sparkling water which will help even more
Baking powder: this is the ingredient that will make your fritters puff up. Be careful with the dosage, if you put too much it can quickly give an unpleasant aftertaste
Shrimp: Use medium-sized ones. Neither too big nor too small
Chinese Fried Shrimp
Matériel
Ingredients
- 30 shrimp medium size, ideally with shell-on tails
- 1 liter of frying oil
Batter
- 2 eggs
- 200 g wheat flour
- 150 ml water cold
- 1 packet baking powder 1 packet = 11 grams
- 1 pinch salt
Procédé
Batter
- Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until homogeneous2 eggs, 200 g wheat flour, 150 ml water, 1 packet baking powder, 1 pinch salt
- Place in the fridge if you prepare it in advance, it should remain cold
Frying
- If the shrimp are already peeled (always leaving the tail intact as shown in the photo), dry them with paper towels30 shrimp
- Heat the frying oil to 175 degrees and hold the shrimp by the tail, dip in the batter then gently place in the oil1 liter of frying oil
- Cook for 5 minutes or until golden brown
