Taiwanese🐟 Seafood

Black Pepper Butter Thai Shrimp

Name: Black Pepper Butter Thai Shrimp
Cuisine: Taiwanese
Ingredients: 1 lb live Thai shrimp; ~1½ tbsp ground black pepper; ~½ tsp white pepper powder; ~½ tsp salt; ~¼ tsp sugar; ~2 tbsp minced garlic; ~2 tbsp chopped green onion; ~1 tbsp minced ginger; 1 tbsp oil; ~3 tbsp rice wine; 1 piece butter; ~¼ tsp five-spice powder (optional); ~1/8 tsp licorice powder (optional)

A beloved Taiwanese dish featuring Thai shrimp. Buying a catty of live shrimp at home is more economical than shrimp fishing grounds. This recipe covers the full process: cleaning the live shrimp, removing impurities and the head roe, doing a simple butterfly cut for flavor absorption, and preparing a signature black pepper spice blend with onion powder, garlic powder, and ginger powder. The dish is finished with butter to enhance the aroma, delivering fragrant, appetizing black pepper shrimp in one pot.

High-proteinLow-cal

Adapted from a video by 吳秉承承味饌廚房

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Ingredients

live Thai shrimp1 lb
ground black pepper~1½ tbspest.
white pepper powder~½ tspest.
salt~½ tspest.
sugar~¼ tspest.
minced garlic~2 tbspest.
chopped green onion~2 tbspest.
minced ginger~1 tbspest.
oil

Steps

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1
Soak the live shrimp in water to let them expel unwanted waste from their digestive system, especially if sourced from a shrimp fishing facility. Alternatively, freeze the cleaned shrimp first if uncomfortable handling them alive, then thaw before cooking.
2
Trim the antennae and mouth area of the shrimp using angled cuts. Open the head carefully and remove the roe sac inside by squeezing gently—this is crucial for freshness and flavor.
3
Make a shallow cut along the back of the shrimp for better flavor absorption—just enough to open it slightly, not deeply.
4
Mix the black pepper powder as the base with white pepper, salt, and sugar. Add fresh minced garlic, chopped green onion, and minced ginger. Optional additions include five-spice powder or licorice powder. Blend thoroughly to distribute flavors evenly.
5
Use a sturdy pan and heat it well. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, then add the minced garlic, green onion, and ginger to bloom the aromatics. Reduce to low heat to fully develop the aroma.
6
Add the prepared shrimp to the pan, draining excess moisture. Increase the heat to high, sprinkle the black pepper salt mixture over the shrimp, and stir to sear the bottom and coat evenly with the aromatics.
7
Pour in rice wine and cover the pan. Steam or braise the shrimp until they turn red and the flavors meld together.
8
Uncover the pan, stir the shrimp and aromatics, and increase the heat to high. Sprinkle more of the black pepper seasoning mix to coat all the shrimp evenly.
9
Turn off the heat. While the pan is still hot, add a small piece of butter to enhance aroma and richness. You'll notice a layer of cooked shrimp protein at the pan bottom, which adds depth to the dish. The shrimp are done when curled and the back opens up.
10
Stir everything together one final time and serve the fragrant black pepper butter shrimp.

Black Pepper Butter Thai Shrimp

Ingredients

Steps

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