Description
This Salt-and-Pepper Shrimp with Crispy Polenta recipe pairs Cantonese-inspired spicy shrimp with golden polenta cubes. It’s bold, crunchy, and ready in 30 minutes—a perfect blend of numbing heat, buttery softness, and aromatic flair.
Ingredients
2¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2¼ tsp ground Sichuan peppercorns
1½ tsp sugar
1½ tsp kosher salt (Diamond Crystal; reduce if using Morton)
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
⅓ cup cornstarch
⅓ cup (or more) vegetable oil
1 (16–18 oz) tube precooked polenta, cut into 1” cubes
5 Fresno chiles, thinly sliced
1 bunch scallions, cut into 2″ pieces (halve thick white parts)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix black pepper, Sichuan peppercorns, sugar, and salt. Set aside.
- Toss shrimp with cornstarch until evenly coated. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook polenta cubes in a single layer, turning once, until crisp and golden (10–14 minutes). Transfer to a bowl.
- Add more oil if needed. Cook shrimp in batches until crisp and golden, about 2 minutes per batch. Transfer to the bowl with polenta.
- Sauté Fresno chiles in the pan until tender, about 1 minute. Add scallions and cook until just tender, another minute. Transfer to bowl.
- Sprinkle spice mix over all ingredients in the bowl. Toss to coat evenly. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
Notes
- Use jalapeños or bell peppers instead of Fresno chiles for less heat.
- Try this with tofu, chicken, or fish as protein swaps.
- Add a drizzle of melted butter or a squeeze of citrus at the end for extra flavor.
- Store shrimp and polenta separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days.
- Reheat shrimp gently in a skillet on low; reheat polenta in skillet or toaster oven for best texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 390
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 145mg
