Deliciously Easy Recipe: Spicy “Fried” Shrimp with Asian Slaw

This dish is gorgeous, but it’s trick is it’s simplicity. It’s also light, because it’s not deep fried. The secret is a non-stick frying pan, and lots of cornstarch to make a crunchy coating. And the salad comes together in the blink of an eye.

Blink, there it is!

It’s a perfect colorful dish for late fall, too. It’s comforting, but fresh. When the light is dim, seeing something vibrant on the table is a present to yourself – from yourself.

Spicy "Fried" Shrimp

Ingredients:

1 large egg

1 cup fat free buttermilk

¾ cup unbleached flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 tablespoon Tabasco

1 cup panko

½ teaspoon dried basil

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon cayenne

½  cup olive oil or peanut oil

1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Instructions:

Beat the egg in a medium bowl. Add the buttermilk, flour, cornstarch and Tabasco. Whisk well.

In a separate bowl, mix together the panko, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, onion powder and cayenne.

Pour oil into a medium non-stick frying pan, and heat over medium heat, until a piece of panko when dropped, sizzles immediately. (About 2-3 minutes.)

While oil is heating, place shrimp in the buttermilk mixture and then into the panko mixture. Press well to coat. (A good trick is to use one hand for the wet mixture, the other in the dry mixture – that way the coating stays dry and adheres to the shrimp.)

Spicy Asian Slaw

Ingredients:

1 small purple cabbage, thinly sliced

1 endive, thinly sliced

3 scallions (white and green parts), sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon hot chili oil

1 teaspoon sesame oil

½ teaspoon grated ginger

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

Toss the cabbage, endive, and scallions together in a large bowl, or on a large plate. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, rice vinegar, chili oil, sesame oil, ginger, salt and pepper together.

Toss the slaw with the vinaigrette.

Scallion Sriracha Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

½ cup Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon horseradish

1 scallion (white and green parts), sliced

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon sriacha sauce or other chili sauce

Instructions:

Spoon the yogurt into a small bowl. Mix in the horseradish, scallion, and salt. Top with sriacha and gently swirl in with a toothpick.

To Serve:

Place the shrimp on the slaw and serve with dipping sauce.

Recipe and Photos by Launie Kettler