Fried Salt-and-Pepper Shrimp

Serves 4 to 6

I HAVE PROBABLY BURNED the roof of my mouth half a dozen times eating salt-and-pepper shrimp at my favorite Chinese restaurant; I can never wait until they cool to scarf them down.

This recipe calls for shell-on shrimp; the frying makes the shells crispy and entirely edible, and that texture is part of what makes them irresistible. Don’t worry if your shrimp have been previously frozen; most have been, and they freeze quite well (although if you can find fresh shell-on Gulf shrimp—lucky you—by all means, use them). You should, however, be very wary of shrimp that have been rinsed with chlorine solution (a practice that’s legal but compromises their flavor) or shrimp that have been treated with preservatives. The size of the shrimp doesn’t matter tremendously for this recipe, but I usually select medium or large, as I think the shrimp labeled jumbo are often tougher.

I use a combination of floral Sichuan peppercorns and white peppercorns; the fried jalapeño rings add another layer of heat.

1½ pounds medium or large shell-on shrimp, preferably Gulf shrimp

1 teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, toasted and ground

¼ teaspoon white peppercorns, toasted and ground

½ teaspoon kosher salt

Canola oil, for frying

½ cup cornstarch

1 jalapeño chile, thinly sliced into rings

¼ cup cilantro leaves

With a sharp pair of scissors, cut through the shell along the back of each shrimp to reveal the vein; devein the shrimp by pulling out the vein with the tip of a sharp knife (if the shrimp still have heads, cut them off using the scissors). In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, ground peppercorns, and salt.

Heat 3 inches of canola oil in a heavy, high-sided pot over high heat. Put the cornstarch in a large bowl. Line a second large bowl with paper towels and set nearby. Working with a third of the shrimp at a time, dredge the shrimp in the cornstarch, turning to coat on all sides. When the oil registers 375°F on a deep-frying thermometer, add the shrimp and fry until crispy and bright pink, about 3 minutes. With a spider or slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp from the oil to the paper-towel-lined bowl.

Repeat the dredging and frying with the remaining shrimp, cooking them in two batches and letting the oil return to temperature between each batch. As each batch of shrimp is cooked, transfer them to the bowl with the others.

When all of the shrimp have been fried, add the chile slices to the oil and fry for 10 seconds. Remove from the oil with a spider or slotted spoon and transfer to the bowl with the shrimp. Remove the paper towels from the bowl. Season the shrimp generously with the salt-and-pepper mixture, tossing the shrimp so they are coated on all sides. Add the cilantro leaves and toss again to combine. Serve immediately.