Chinese Popcorn
Submitted by NoelleNoN
Chinese popcorn shrimp with a cornstarch crust, tossed in sweet-and-pungent sauce with ginger, garlic, red pepper, and citrus zest. Crackling-crisp bite-sized shrimp.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minChinese popcorn shrimp earns its nickname honestly. Bite-sized shrimp halves, double-dusted in cornstarch, fry up shatteringly crisp before getting tumbled in a bright sweet-and-pungent sauce that hits all corners of the tongue at once.
The prep is what separates the gloriously crunchy from the limp and sad. An egg white, cornstarch, salt, and oil slurry coats each shrimp, then rests in the fridge for at least two hours. That chill time sets the coating and pulls surface moisture so the second dusting of dry cornstarch adheres evenly. Fresh ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, and the double punch of lemon and orange zest give the sauce depth that ketchup alone could never deliver.
Chef Tips
- Oil temperature is everything. Use a thermometer. Under 350°F (175°C) and the shrimp go greasy; over 375°F (190°C) and they burn before cooking through.
- Fry in small batches. Dumping the whole pound at once drops the oil temp and ruins the crunch.
- Sauce the shrimp just before serving. Sit them in sauce too long and the crust turns soggy fast.
- Separate the shrimp with chopsticks or a wooden spoon as they hit the oil so they don’t glue together.
Variations
- Swap sherry for Shaoxing wine for a more traditional Chinese flavor base.
- Use scallops or chunks of firm white fish instead of shrimp.
- Stir in a spoonful of chili crisp for an extra-spicy, modern twist.
Ingredients
Directions
Peel and devein the shrimp.
Slice in halves lengthwise. Rinse well and pat dry.
Add the egg white to the shrimp and mix well. Mix 1½ tablespoons cornstarch with salt and add to shrimp.
Stir to coat well.
Add 1½ tablespoons oil and mix well again. Place the shrimp in a bowl and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
Remove the shrimp and dust with remaining cornstarch.
Shrimp should be dry to the touch. Heat the remaining oil in a large wok to 350 to 375℉ (190℃).
Fry the shrimp 1½ to 2 minutes until crisp, being careful to separate them with a long- handled wooden spoon or chopsticks to prevent sticking.
It may be necessary to fry the shrimp in several batches.
When done, remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon and drain well.
Combine the shrimp and the sweet and pungent sauce and toss quickly to coat.
Immediately turn out onto a platter and sprinkle with finely chopped green onions.
For the sauce, combine the sugar, ketchup, vinegar, and salt, and set aside.
Heat the oil in a wok. Add the garlic, ginger, green onion, red pepper, and zests of lemon and orange; cook 30 seconds.
Stir in the sugar-ketchup mixture.
Immediately add the sherry mixture and cook until slightly thickened.
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