Salt and Pepper Mantis Shrimp

by | Mar 1, 2025 | Cantonese Cuisine | 0 comments

Salt and Pepper Mantis Shrimp is a classic Cantonese seafood dish, very popular in Hong Kong and Guangdong. Mantis shrimp, also known as shrimp cracker, is a nutritious seafood. The salt and pepper method originated from a simple way of cooking seafood. After deep-frying at high temperature, it is seasoned with salt and pepper, which can maintain the freshness of the seafood and increase the spicy taste. The popularity of this dish also reflects Cantonese cuisine's emphasis on seafood ingredients and innovation in flavor. Features： The characteristic of Salt and Pepper Mantis Shrimp is its crispy on the outside and tender on the inside texture and spicy, salty and umami taste. After being deep-fried, the mantis shrimp has a crispy shell and tender shrimp meat. The aroma of salt and pepper and the stimulation of chili make this dish full of flavor and very appetizing. Ingredients： Mantis shrimp: 500g Dry starch: 50g Garlic: 30g Dried chili: 10g Sichuan peppercorns: 5g Scallions: 15g Ginger: 10g Cooking wine: 15ml Salt: appropriate amount White pepper powder: appropriate amount Cooking oil: appropriate amount Instructions： Process mantis shrimp: Wash the mantis shrimp, cut off the shrimp whiskers and shrimp feet, marinate with cooking wine, salt and white pepper powder for 15 minutes. Coat with starch: Coat the marinated mantis shrimp evenly with a layer of dry starch. Fry: Pour enough cooking oil into the pot, heat to 60% heat, put in the mantis shrimp and fry until golden brown and crispy, remove and drain the oil. Stir-fry salt and pepper: Leave a little oil in the pot, add minced garlic, dried chili segments, Sichuan peppercorns, minced ginger, and chopped green onions and stir-fry until fragrant, add appropriate amount of salt and white pepper powder to make salt and pepper. Mix: Put the fried mantis shrimp into the pot, stir-fry evenly with salt and pepper, and then serve. Precautions： Choose fresh mantis shrimp with plump meat. Control the oil temperature when frying to avoid burning. The saltiness of the salt and pepper should be adjusted according to personal taste. During the frying process, the mantis shrimp should be thoroughly fried to ensure that the inside is cooked through. If you like a richer taste, you can add some fried peanuts or cashews.
Salt and Pepper Mantis Shrimp

Salt and Pepper Mantis Shrimp is a classic Cantonese seafood dish, very popular in Hong Kong and Guangdong. Mantis shrimp, also known as shrimp cracker, is a nutritious seafood. The salt and pepper method originated from a simple way of cooking seafood. After deep-frying at high temperature, it is seasoned with salt and pepper, which can maintain the freshness of the seafood and increase the spicy taste. The popularity of this dish also reflects Cantonese cuisine’s emphasis on seafood ingredients and innovation in flavor.

Features：
The characteristic of Salt and Pepper Mantis Shrimp is its crispy on the outside and tender on the inside texture and spicy, salty and umami taste. After being deep-fried, the mantis shrimp has a crispy shell and tender shrimp meat. The aroma of salt and pepper and the stimulation of chili make this dish full of flavor and very appetizing.

Ingredients：
Mantis shrimp: 500g
Dry starch: 50g
Garlic: 30g
Dried chili: 10g
Sichuan peppercorns: 5g
Scallions: 15g
Ginger: 10g
Cooking wine: 15ml
Salt: appropriate amount
White pepper powder: appropriate amount
Cooking oil: appropriate amount

Instructions：

  1. Process mantis shrimp: Wash the mantis shrimp, cut off the shrimp whiskers and shrimp feet, marinate with cooking wine, salt and white pepper powder for 15 minutes.
  2. Coat with starch: Coat the marinated mantis shrimp evenly with a layer of dry starch.
  3. Fry: Pour enough cooking oil into the pot, heat to 60% heat, put in the mantis shrimp and fry until golden brown and crispy, remove and drain the oil.
  4. Stir-fry salt and pepper: Leave a little oil in the pot, add minced garlic, dried chili segments, Sichuan peppercorns, minced ginger, and chopped green onions and stir-fry until fragrant, add appropriate amount of salt and white pepper powder to make salt and pepper.
  5. Mix: Put the fried mantis shrimp into the pot, stir-fry evenly with salt and pepper, and then serve.

Precautions：

  • Choose fresh mantis shrimp with plump meat.
  • Control the oil temperature when frying to avoid burning.
  • The saltiness of the salt and pepper should be adjusted according to personal taste.
  • During the frying process, the mantis shrimp should be thoroughly fried to ensure that the inside is cooked through.
  • If you like a richer taste, you can add some fried peanuts or cashews.