How to Cook Fried Shrimp

Serves: 6-8

Preparation time: 20 mins

Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients needed to make Popcorn Shrimp:

• 2 lb large shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated
• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
• ½ cup chicken broth
• 1 cup clam juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest, grated
• ½ cup cornstarch
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 ½ tbsp Old Bay seasoning, divided
• 3 quart vegetable oil

For the cocktail sauce:

• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup thickened cream:
• ¼ cup tomato sauce
• ¼ tsp Tabasco sauce
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Cooking instructions for Popcorn Shrimp:

• Stuff the shrimp into a large Ziploc bag, along with garlic, lemon zest and half of Old Bay seasoning.
• Seal the bag and shake it well until the shrimp is well coated with the marinade.
• Set aside in the refrigerator for an hour at least half an hour to marinate.
• Place the oven rack at the middle position of the oven and preheat it into 200 degrees F.
• Pour oil in a large Dutch oven and heat it to 375 degrees F over moderate heat.
• Place the flour into a medium bowl and stir in the rest of Old Bay, cornstarch, baking powder plus black and cayenne pepper.
• Whisk in the clam juice and chicken broth until they form a smooth batter.
• Plop the marinated shrimp into the batter and stir it well until well coated.
• Drop the shrimps into the hot oil, ¼ of it at a time and fry for about a couple of minutes or until golden brown, while stirring at times so that the shrimps remain separate.
• Drain them out using a slotted spoon, into a plate, lined with paper towel.
• Place a wire rack on the baking sheet and arrange the shrimps onto it.
• Keep them warm inside the oven until the time of serving.
• Meanwhile to make the cocktail sauce, whisk the mayonnaise, cream and tomato sauce together into a bowl.
• Add a splash of Worcestershire and tabasco sauce into the above mixture and stir them well together.
• Leave the bowl in the fridge for an hour to let the flavours steep into the sauce.
• Serve the shrimp alongside the cocktail sauce and serve warm.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons