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Shrimp Chili

Learn the secrets of Ebi Chili (Shrimp Chili) directly from Chef Komoda of the renowned "4000 Chinese Restaurant" in Minami-Aoyama. With a cooking method where 80% of the flavor is determined by the shrimp's initial seasoning, you can enjoy exquisite, perfectly crisp shrimp chili at home.

📖Cooking Basics

dry（tantanmen）

Steps

Peel the shells from 12 shrimp and place them in a bowl.
🕒 03:03
Add 1 pinch of salt, 1 tbsp potato starch, and 1 tbsp water to the bowl with the shrimp and mix gently.
🕒 04:14
Rinse the shrimp thoroughly under water to remove any dirt and devein them.
🕒 04:48
Thoroughly pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. This is the key! Properly drying the shrimp allows the subsequent seasoning to adhere better.
🕒 06:22
Place the dried shrimp in a bowl and mix well with 2 pinches of salt and a little white pepper until a sticky texture forms. This is the key! Kneading with salt and pepper develops a sticky texture, resulting in a crisp shrimp.
🕒 07:00
Add 1.5 tbsp of Cooking Sake (Rice Wine) and knead until the shrimp absorb the liquid.
🕒 08:00
Add 1 tbsp of potato starch and knead to coat the shrimp evenly.
🕒 08:42
Add 1 tbsp of grapeseed oil and gently mix so the shrimp separate from each other.
🕒 09:14
Finely chop 1/3 stalk of scallion. This is the key! Over-mashing the scallions can release bitterness and unpleasant odors, so do not mash them after chopping.
🕒 10:22
Before turning on the heat, add grapeseed oil (to taste) to the pan and arrange the seasoned shrimp without overlapping.
🕒 14:41
Heat over medium heat. Once the shrimp have a light sear on both sides and the potato starch coating has solidified (they don't need to be fully cooked yet), remove them from the pan. This is the key! Overcooking shrimp at high heat causes them to shrink, so starting in cold oil over medium heat and removing them before they are fully cooked is crucial.
🕒 15:11
Leaving the oil in the pan from which the shrimp were removed, turn off the heat and add 2/3 tsp grated ginger, 1/3 tsp grated garlic, 1 tbsp Toban Djan (Chili Bean Paste), and 2 tbsp tomato ketchup.
🕒 17:16
Turn the heat to low and stir to prevent burning, cooking until fragrant. This is the key! Gently simmering over low heat brings out the aroma and umami of the aromatics and toban djan.
🕒 19:10
Add 180cc of water, 1/3 tsp chicken stock powder, 1 pinch of salt, 1/3 tsp sugar, and a little white pepper, and bring to a boil.
🕒 20:14
Add the seared shrimp and chopped scallions to the simmering chili sauce.
🕒 21:39
Gradually add 1.5 tbsp potato starch mixed with water (slurry) and stir until thickened.
🕒 21:54
Pour in 1 beaten egg and cook slowly while stirring gently, allowing the shrimp chili and egg to integrate. This is the key! Gently stirring in the egg creates a unified texture with the sauce and shrimp.
🕒 22:36
Turn off the heat momentarily and add 1/4 tsp vinegar, mixing lightly. This is the key! Adding vinegar at the end helps to mellow the sharpness of the spice without imparting a strong sourness.
🕒 23:05
Turn the heat back on, drizzle 1 tsp grapeseed oil, and mix to give the dish a glossy finish.
🕒 23:55