The fried battered shrimp are a tasty and quick appetizer, perfect to serve on special occasions and during the Christmas holidays. A simple recipe to prepare and very similar to the battered cauliflower I had made a few weeks ago. Let’s just say they are a great classic of appetizers, which can never be missing on the table, especially at this time of year.
A perfect finger food to serve as an appetizer on New Year’s Eve. The recipe is very simple and, although cleaning the shrimp requires a bit of patience, I assure you that the final result will definitely be worth it. Once the shellfish are cleaned, with the tail left on, they are then dipped in a batter made of very cold sparkling water, flour, and salt. Also in this recipe, I did not use yeast. Despite this, it is always better to let the batter rest in the refrigerator before diving the shrimp in and then frying them in plenty of hot oil.
Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, the battered shrimp will certainly be snatched up quickly. Now let’s get into the kitchen because the fried battered shrimp will be ready in a click!
If you are interested in other Christmas appetizers, also read:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 4 people
- Cooking methods: Frying
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
- Energy 192.37 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 23.51 (g) of which sugars 2.25 (g)
- Proteins 11.48 (g)
- Fat 6.40 (g) of which saturated 0.80 (g)of which unsaturated 4.84 (g)
- Fibers 0.67 (g)
- Sodium 881.89 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 73 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 16.75 oz shrimp
- 2/3 cup sparkling water (cold)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- salt (to taste)
- vegetable oil (enough for frying)
Tools
- Frying Pan
- Cutting Board
- Scissors
- Toothpick
- Paper Towels
- Plate
- Hand Whisk
Steps
First, take care of cleaning the fish. Those who know me know that I don’t particularly like doing this kind of thing, but shrimp clean up in no time. Remove the head and then cut the shrimp’s back with a pair of scissors and with the help of a toothpick remove the black thread: the crustacean’s intestine. Then very gently, also remove the shell leaving only the tail attached. Finally, rinse them very well under running water, drain them, and pat them dry with kitchen paper towels. Of course, the scraps can be used to make a good fish broth.
Then put the flour with the very cold sparkling water and salt in a bowl and mix with a hand whisk until you get a smooth batter without lumps. Then cover with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator for half an hour.
Then heat plenty of vegetable oil in a pan. Then take back the bowl with the batter and dip the shrimp one by one in the batter. Then dip them in hot oil and fry them until they are golden.
Drain the shrimp on paper towels and serve them, accompanying with mayonnaise or ketchup if you prefer.
Variations and Tips for Battered Fried Shrimp
Fried battered shrimp are best consumed immediately to maintain their crispiness.
FAQ Questions and Answers
How can I accompany the battered shrimp?
You can accompany them with simple lemon, or with mayonnaise or ketchup
How do I know when the vegetable oil is ready for frying?
Dip a toothpick in the oil and as soon as you see the first bubbles, then it will mean it is ready for frying.
