Last Updated on September 10, 2020 by Simon Fan
Black pepper does not show up often in Chinese dishes, where white pepper is mostly used for its more subtle flavor and presence. However, when black pepper is called for in a few dishes, it’s used with such unconstrained zeal and exuberance that it becomes the real star of those dishes.
Two great examples are the black pepper beef and black pepper chicken, which you can find at many Chinese restaurants. Both dishes fully embrace the assertive flavor and presence of black pepper.
If you’re a fan of such dishes, you’ll like the black pepper shrimp recipe I’m sharing here. The recipe calls for coarsely ground or crushed black pepper, similar to the one you would use when making French mignonette sauce. To make the dish, whole shrimp with head and shell are first stir-fried over high heat without oil or seasoning. They’re then stirred and tossed with black pepper, garlic, salt, and Shaoxing wine. The result? An explosion of peppery, smoky, and salty flavors on the outside, creating a wonderful contrast to the sweet, juicy, and tender flesh inside the shells.
This dish may remind you of another Chinese dish salt and pepper shrimp, which also uses whole shrimp. They differ in two ways though:
- The primary spice of salt and pepper shrimp is not black pepper, but rather Sichuan peppercorns mixed with salt. When a Chinese dish has “salt and pepper” (椒盐) in the name, it typically refers to such mixture.
- When making salt and pepper shrimp, the shrimp are first deep-fried until their heads and shells become crispy, so you can eat every bit of the shrimp.
You do not have to use head-on shrimp for this recipe. For me, however, the head is the best part of the shrimp, full of rich flavors.
This dish is done very quickly over high heat, so get everything ready in advance. Once you’ve started, it’s go, go, go!
Black pepper shrimp
Serves 2
Ingredients
12 large head-on, shell-on shrimp, about 10 oz (285 g)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon coarsely ground or crushed black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 tablespoon water
Directions
- Using a pair of kitchen scissors, cut off the top spiny part of each shrimp head, as well the whiskers and legs.
- To devein the shrimp, cut open one or two segments of the shell along the back of each shrimp. Use a paring knife to make a shallow slit into the flesh, then lift out the vein with the tip of the knife or your fingers.
- Heat a wok or skillet over high heat until very hot. Add the shrimp and stir fry until they turn pink, about 1½ minutes. Transfer them to a plate.
- Heat the oil in the same wok over high heat. Add the garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Return the shrimp to the wok, and add the black pepper, salt, and wine. Stir-fry for 30 seconds. Splash in the water and continue stirring and tossing until the liquid has mostly evaporated, about 1 minute. Serve the shrimp immediately. They’re best when piping hot.
