Recipe courtesy of
Andy Liang
for
Food Network Kitchen
Recipe courtesy of
Andy Liang
for
Food Network Kitchen
Watch how to make this recipe.
Fried Crispy Shrimp Balls
Getting reviews...
- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 55 min
- Active: 45 min
- Yield: 12 to 14 shrimp balls
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 13 servings
- Calories
- 92
- Total Fat
- 2 g
- Saturated Fat
- 0 g
- Carbohydrates
- 12 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Protein
- 7 g
- Cholesterol
- 56 mg
- Sodium
- 126 mg
Tender balls of minced shrimp coated in crispy pastry strands are a popular dim sum dish and easy to make at home. Every dim sum restaurant has their own twist on this simple plate, some frying the balls without a coating while some even wrap the balls in bacon. Our version uses thin strands of rice paper for an amazingly crispy exterior that contrasts beautifully with the bouncy shrimp filling. We tried four different kinds of wrappers to test which one offered the perfect crunchy outside and settled on spring roll wrappers. Rolling the wrappers up and cutting them across into thin strands takes just a few minutes. Serve the fried shrimp balls with umami-rich Japanese mayo or sweet chili sauce for a flavorful pairing. These are perfect as an appetizer, part of a dim sum spread or as a light meal or snack by themselves — they’re a kid favorite, too.
- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 55 min
- Active: 45 min
- Yield: 12 to 14 shrimp balls
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 13 servings
- Calories
- 92
- Total Fat
- 2 g
- Saturated Fat
- 0 g
- Carbohydrates
- 12 g
- Dietary Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Protein
- 7 g
- Cholesterol
- 56 mg
- Sodium
- 126 mg
Ingredients
NEW: You can now switch to Cook Mode to keep your screen awake.
Directions
- Flatten each shrimp with the side of a heavy knife until it is about 1/8-inch thick. Chop the shrimp until finely minced and a paste forms. Transfer the shrimp paste to a large bowl. Add the egg white, scallion, garlic, cornstarch, neutral oil, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, sesame oil, white pepper and 1 teaspoon salt and stir with your hands in one direction until there are streaks of paste on the sides of the bowl, about 1 minute. Gather all the shrimp paste into your hands and throw the shrimp into the bowl. Repeat the throwing process 7 to 8 times (this improves the texture of the mixture). Refrigerate the shrimp paste uncovered until needed.
- Separate each layer of the spring roll wrappers and stack 7 to 8 sheets on top of each other. Roll the stack up into a cigar shape and place it seam-side down. Thinly slice across the wrappers. Gently toss the slices until each strand is separated and spread them out on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining stack of spring roll wrappers and combine with the first bunch of shredded wrappers.
- Scoop 2 tablespoons of the shrimp paste using a 1-ounce ice-cream scoop and place the ball on the shredded wrappers. Gently pat and press to encase the ball with a thin layer of the wrapper strands. Carefully pick up the shrimp ball, shake to remove excess strands and gently reshape it into a ball. Place the coated ball on another baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining shrimp paste, leaving space in between each ball on the baking sheet so they don’t touch.
- Pour enough neutral oil into a large heavy Dutch oven so it comes halfway up the sides of the pan. Clip a deep-fry thermometer to the pot. Heat the oil over high heat until the thermometer registers 350 degrees F.
- Carefully lower each shrimp ball into the hot oil using a spider or slotted spoon and immediately flip it over to help maintain the ball shape. Fry 3 to 4 shrimp balls in the hot oil at a time, flipping them occasionally, until they are evenly golden brown and crispy, about 2 minutes. Remove the crispy balls with the spider and place on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet to drain. Sprinkle the balls lightly with more kosher salt. Repeat the same frying and draining process until all the shrimp balls are fried and crispy, about 4 batches.
- Serve the shrimp balls immediately with Japanese mayo or sweet chili sauce on side.
Cook’s Note
Spring roll wrappers, sometimes called spring roll pastry, can be found in the freezer section of most Asian grocery stores or online.
