Best Bites: Firecracker Shrimp
By Donna Erickson
Celebrate the Chinese New Year With Firecracker Shrimp
When it comes to demystifying Chinese cooking, my friend Katie Chin, daughter of restaurateur Leeann Chin, knows what it takes to bring tasty recipes into American homes. As a chef, cookbook author and television personality, Katie believes in spreading the word about how truly delicious Chinese cuisine can be, starting with sharing culinary traditions with her 8-year-old twins.
"Chinese New Year is coming up on Feb. 10," she reminds me. "Firecracker shrimp is a tasty and whimsical appetizer to kick off the celebration in our home in Southern California. My sous-chef kids mix the dipping sauce and roll up the 'firecrackers,' revealing shrimp tails and carrot strips for 'fuses.' As we prep, I'll tell them about their grandmother's memories of growing up in China -- and how firecrackers (believed to ward off evil spirits) lit up the sky on New Year's Day."
Roll up her firecracker shrimp for an appetizer that explodes with flavor in every bite. The recipe was adapted from her cookbook "Katie Chin's Everyday Chinese Cookbook: 101 Delicious Recipes From My Mother's Kitchen."
PHOTO CREDIT: Donna Erickson
FIRECRACKER SHRIMP
Serves 6 as an appetizer
1 large carrot, cut into 3-inch-by-1/4-inch matchsticks
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, divided
12 shelled and deveined large, raw shrimp (tails left intact)
4 spring roll wrappers
1 egg, beaten
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
Place carrot slices in a small bowl. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt. Sprinkle shrimp with remaining garlic salt. Set aside.
Cut each spring roll wrapper into thirds to make 12 long strips. Brush the top third of each strip with the egg. Lay 1 shrimp at the bottom of the strip. Set a carrot slice on top of the shrimp.
Tightly roll, letting the egg seal it together at the end. (The tail of the shrimp and the carrot should protrude from one end to resemble a firecracker.) Repeat with remaining wrappers.
In a large wok or deep skillet, heat 2-3 inches of oil to 350 F. Fry the shrimp rolls 5 or 6 at a time until golden brown (about 2 minutes), turning 2 to 3 times. Transfer to a cooling rack lined with paper towels.
Serve hot with dipping sauce.
DIPPING SAUCE
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sriracha chili sauce
In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise and sriracha together.
Cook's Note: Find spring roll wrappers in the freezer section of Asian markets. You can also substitute them with egg roll wrappers from the produce section of grocery stores.
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Donna Erickson creates relationships and community through food and fun. Find more to nourish and delight you at www.donnaerickson.com.
(c) 2024 Donna Erickson
Distributed by King Features Synd.