I love shrimp… chilled with cocktail sauce, stir-fried with veggies, baked and stuffed with crabmeat and buttery Ritz cracker crumbles, grilled with anything, and fried in a variety of manners… including coconut shrimp.
I recall enjoying some big round fried balls of diced shrimp and veggies at a long-gone Manchester, New Hampshire Chinese and Polynesian restaurant called Cathay Island. I also fell for Boom Boom Shrimp at another restaurant from yesteryear… Goodland Bay on Marco Island. Of course, there’s pan-fried, deep-fried, and southern fried. Take-out Shrimp is not only fast but there’s zero clean-up!
Because I prefer a light, barely-there batter to a big, heavy, grease-laden batter, tempura style is a particular favorite method of frying. And it can be served with any sauce you like!
Super Simple Flash-Fried Shrimp
1 lb x-lg or jumbo raw shrimp, peeled & deveined
½ c milk, mixed with ½ c salt
¾ c flour (or ½ c flour & ¼ c panko crumbs)
½ c cornstarch
½ tsp each: sea salt, ground black pepper & garlic powder
Vegetable or Canola oil for frying (or other neutral oil)
Place shrimp in zip-top plastic bag, pour in the milk, close the top and let sit 5-10 min. (Yes, you could add a beaten egg, but it is not necessary.) Meanwhile, sift together flour, cornstarch, and seasonings. Drain liquid from shrimp and dredge in dry ingredients, tossing to coat very well. Fry in 375°F oil for 1-2 min till golden & crispy. Drain on paper towels and serve hot with favorite dipping sauce.
KISS Tip: If adding panko, stir it into sifted dry ingredients.
Just in case you want Boom-Boom Sauce, here’s my version.
Super Simple Boom-Boom Sauce
This sauce is awesome with shrimp, of course, but it works with lot of other foods, too. Try it on burgers, fish tacos, or a chicken wrap. It’s a great dipping sauce for items like fries, onion rings, grilled potato slices, and chicken tenders, too.
¾ c real mayonnaise
1/3 – ½ c sweet Thai chili sauce
2 T catsup
1 T sriracha sauce (or Frank’s Red Hot, for less bitterness)
¼ tsp each: garlic and or onion powder, salt & pepper
Combine, cover, and refrigerate until needed, several hours ahead or even a day or two earlier.
