Salt and Pepper Shrimp

I had lunch recently at my favorite Thai place in NYC, Obao. It is actually a Thai/Vietnamese fusion restaurant, and they are known for recreating delicious Asian street food. While I was there the last time, I ordered their Salt and Pepper Shrimp appetizer, which was deliciously light and crispy, with a delicate balance of flavor. I did some research online and found that dredging the shrimp with cornstarch is what gives the shrimp the characteristic crunch. I had a lot of fun creating the recipe, and the best part was, it was finished in a flash!

Ingredients:
1/2 lb large shrimp (unpeeled)
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 eggs (whites only)
1 jalapeño, sliced, seeds removed
2 scallion stalks, cut into 2 inch pieces
1/4 red onion, sliced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
oil for frying

To prepare the shrimp, take a sharp knife or kitchen shears and cut the back of the shell open, without actually removing the shell. Slice into the shrimp a little along the way 'til it reaches where the vein is. Devein the shrimp by removing the black part from inside. Here is a video to illustrate the process better.

Once the shrimp are prepared, wash them with a bit of lime juice and water, and drain them completely. Add the egg whites to a bowl and whisk them a little to incorporate some air and make it a little lighter. Add the cornstarch to another bowl. Heat the oil (I used a vegetable oil/canola oil combination) over medium heat. Once it is hot, you can start the dredging process.

Dip the prepared shrimp (shells still on!) into the egg whites, shake off the excess, and then into the cornstarch.

Shake off the excess cornstarch and drop the shrimp into the hot oil. Remember that shrimp cook very quickly, so the oil should be nice and hot when you drop them in. They should begin to sizzle right away. Repeat with the remaining shrimp, but fry in small batches of 4-5 shrimp. Fry the shrimp for about 1 minute, then flip them over and fry for an additional 30 seconds or until they begin to slightly turn golden.

Remove from oil and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Once all the shrimp have been fried, set them aside.

In another pot, add about 2 tablespoons of the oil that you fried the shrimp in. Heat it over high heat, and add the jalapeño slices, onion slices, and scallions. 

Fry until they begin to brown slightly, and then sprinkle in the dry spices (black pepper, white pepper, garlic powder, salt, and sugar) and add the soy sauce. 

Stir to quickly combine and then add the fried shrimp. Toss quickly and remove from heat. Serve immediately.