Salt-and-Pepper
SHRIMP
with Thai Papaya Salad
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Also perfect as a party starter, this intensely peppered dish is incredibly easy to make and will take your palate on an international journey with just a few steps. The shrimp rub has a complex flavor from its handful of ingredients: The five-spice powder and furikake combined contain about a dozen ingredients! I like to wash this down with a cool, crisp white wine.
MISO-SAMBAL MAYONNAISE
¾ teaspoon white (aka) miso
½ teaspoon sambal oelek or other Asian chili sauce
½ cup mayonnaise, preferably Kewpie (see Chef Talk, here)
SALT-AND-PEPPER SHRIMP
½ teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns
½ teaspoon black peppercorns, preferably smoked
½ teaspoon katsuo fumi furikake (see Chef Talk, this page) or minced nori seaweed (optional)
¼ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1½ pounds extra-jumbo (16 to 20 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 teaspoons canola or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ recipe Thai Marinated Papaya Salad (here)
Lime slices, for garnish
1. To make the mayonnaise: Whisk the miso and sambal oelek together in a small bowl with a few drops of water to dissolve the miso. Add the mayonnaise and stir well.
2. To make the shrimp: Coarsely grind the Sichuan peppercorns and black peppercorns in a spice grinder. Add the furikake, if using, five-spice powder, and salt and pulse just to combine.
3. Toss the shrimp with the salt and pepper mixture. Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat until it is very hot. Drizzle in the canola oil and swirl to coat the inside of the skillet. Add the shrimp and cook until the underside is seared, about 30 seconds. Flip the shrimp and sear the other side for about 30 seconds more. Add the olive oil, scallions, ginger, and garlic and stir-fry just until the shrimp turn opaque, about 1 minute more. Transfer to one side of a platter.
4. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the papaya salad to the opposite side of the shrimp on the platter. Add the lime slices and serve with the miso-sambal mayonnaise passed on the side.