Firecracker Shrimp with Sweet Chili Sauce
Ooooohhhh - these were so delicious! These Firecracker Shrimp with Sweet Chili Sauce almost didn't make it to the dinner table - we were eating them as they came out of the fryer - not even minding that we burnt our tongues! The reason I love this dish so much is because the ingredients are so simple and I almost always have frozen shrimp and a packet of Eggroll/Springroll wrappers in the freezer. I was inspired by these two lovely ladies - after seeing their photos and realizing, "hey, I got those ingredients!" I scurried to the kitchen to start. Note: For another recipe using egg roll wrappers, try My Mother's Famous Egg Rolls
!
Here are my secrets to Firecracker Shrimp with Sweet Chili Sauce:
Coat the shrimp: I marinate the shrimp in garlic, ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce, and sweet chili sauce. The recipe is flexible. If you don't have all those ingredients, change it up! I promise you it will taste just as delicious. Other creative ideas for marinade: Moroccan spices, curry powder, cajun seasoning, garam masala, etc. Whats your favorite seasonings for shrimp? Ok, back to "coating": if you use liquid ingredients in the marinade (such as soy or sesame oil) - add a little cornstarch. This does something important - it thickens the marinade so that it clings to the shrimp. Oh, and while we're talking about marinating shrimp - don't use wine in your marinade for seafood. If you want to use wine in a seafood dish, add it towards the end of cooking process or even in the marinade right before you cook the seafood. Wine in a marinade changes the texture of the delicate seafood, especially shrimp. It makes it a little mushy - not good!
Pat the shrimp dry: After swimming in the marinade for 20 minutes, you should pat the shrimp as dry as possible. Don't worry about wiping off the marinade - the shrimp has already been infused with the flavors during the 20 minute soak. Plus, the cornstarch will keep some of the marinade clinging to the shrimp. Whenever you make something that involves wrapping and frying, the ingredients should be dry to prevent the wrapper from getting soggy and I'm sure you know what happens when you put something wet into hot oil.
Nick the shrimp: Taking a cue from the Japanese shrimp tempura, score or nick the shrimp several times along the inside of the "curve." This lets you straighten out the shrimp so you don't get a short, curly roll. Just be sure not to cut to far...three little nicks is good.
Roll tight: When you roll, try to make the roll tight and compact, like a joint ....um....er....cigar..... You don't want the shrimp falling out when you put it in the fryer. See that wrapper corner? That is where you need to brush your cornstarch "paste." Not too much though! Just enough to keep the wrapper in place and seal.
The sweet chili sauce that I use is Mae Ploy. Its sweet and tangy, not too spicy. 
Firecracker Shrimp with Sweet Chili Sauce
25 large tail-on shrimp, deveined and nicked (see above)
15 eggroll/springroll wrappers, cut in half diagonally (2 triangles)
oil for frying
Marinade
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp grated ginger (using rasp grater)
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sweet chili sauce
1 tsp cornstarch
Cornstarch "paste" (mix well to form paste)
1 Tb cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1. Combine marinade ingredients in bowl, marinate shrimp for 20 minutes.
2. Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel. Wrap each shrimp in a eggroll/springroll wrapper half. Seal with cornstarch paste.
3. Fry in hot oil (375) for 3 minutes, until golden brown and shrimp is cooked through. Serve with sweet chili sauce for dipping.
April 14th, 2007 at 1:17 pm
Ah you made this, yeah, this is a great recipe. Thanks to Rice and Noodles for all the inspiration.
April 15th, 2007 at 3:25 am
I really enjoy your take on this recipe and your step-by-step instructions! I've heard that this dish originates from the Southeast Asian islands, and is called "firecracker shrimp" because it looks like a firecracker!
April 15th, 2007 at 8:52 am
Passionate Eater - thank you for reminding me what these guys were called! The evening that I made them, I asked my guests if they knew what they were called. No one did, and we took a poll on naming them. Here were some of the wacky names we came up with after 2 bottles of wine: Shrimp in a blanket, Sleeping bag shrimp, Can't stop eating one shrimp, Mummy shrimp, Shrimp logs
April 15th, 2007 at 4:38 pm
Makes me wanna eat again though I just had my lunch :p~~~
April 15th, 2007 at 6:56 pm
I am so happy that i have inspired you to make these beauties! This is my signature dish for which i am known for to make a lot of.
I like to change the ingredients for the marinade too sometimes [keeps the guests guessing!] - and yes, they never last more than 5 minutes after they're done cooking!
I find the rolling process quite therapeutic, don't you?
They look so beautiful neatly piled waiting for impatient fingers to take them.
Thanks for the mention. I appreciate it.
April 15th, 2007 at 7:03 pm
I've never had these but they look soooo good!
April 16th, 2007 at 10:24 am
Oh my God!! These look heavenly! I can just imagine the wonderful mingling of the crunchy shrimp with the sweet chilli sauce. Yum!
April 16th, 2007 at 11:25 am
Mae- I was going to use a whole wrapper like you did and fold in half, but after quick calculation I realized I didn't have enough wrapper. Next time I make these I'll buy 2 packets of wrapper!
Amy & Meena - hope you have a chance to make these. Take a look at Mae Gabriel & Rasa Malaysia's recipe too (click on the links in the post above)
April 16th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
Those look delightful. My dad makes a version of them, but with one main difference: the shrimp are rolled up with a single basil leaf for each roll. It accents the sweetness of the shrimp nicely!
April 16th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
This looks so good! Can't wait to try it ^^
April 16th, 2007 at 10:57 pm
Holluu- Thats a great idea - I'll have to try that next time. It would look so pretty if I could get the basil leave to show through the wrapper. It could possibly work if I put the leaf towards the end of the wrapper....will let you know how that turns out!
April 17th, 2007 at 10:56 am
The only thing better than looking at these beauties is eating them at Jaden's house. The only thing prettier than looking at them is looking at Jaden. Thanks for another dynamite dinner at your home ~ you and Scott are truly amazing hosts and your cooking always inpsires us; Frank to eat like a chubby hubby and me to MAYBE start cooking again ;-).
For those of you who do not know Jaden ... she is the most talented woman I have ever met, and a sweetheart as well!
So Jade ... what's for dinner next week?!?!?
April 17th, 2007 at 11:56 am
Thank you C! We love you too....next week maybe dim sum?
April 17th, 2007 at 2:04 pm
Attempted to make thes last night. marinated in a "Soyaki" sauce from Trader Joe's. Came out quite nicely, not much substance to them though. Perhaps making them a little more eggroll-like with some sprouts or carrots could spice them up. But they were quite good with little prep and quick cooking.
April 17th, 2007 at 5:59 pm
Blake- when I used store bought marinade - I always boost up the flavors by adding fresh grated garlic and ginger (asian style) or fresh grated garlic & spices/chopped herbs. If a dish needs just a little kick, it sometimes means it is missing a "high" or "bright" flavor note. In your case, it could mean a dipping sauce like the tangy Mae Ploy, or adding a splash of rice wine vinegar to the marinade. When I served these last week, my friend Kelly went into my refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of what she calls "Rooster Sauce" or Sriracha, which in addition to heat, has vinegar in it. Thanks for trying the recipe and please keep me posted on your next version of the recipe!
April 19th, 2007 at 4:00 am
I think it depends on the thickness of your wrapper. The last time i cooked a batch, i only did half of the wrapper triangle (just like you did) because when i did the first 2 prawns to taste for seasoning, the wrapper seemed a little too thick. I think you'll be able to tell once you start wrapping if this is so.
Seriously, your photo is giving me itchy fingers to roll!
April 19th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
[...] For another great recipe using egg roll wrappers, try my Firecracker Shrimp with Sweet Chili Sauce! [...]
July 9th, 2007 at 3:34 pm
[...] **I've moved! Read the rest of this post at my new home** [...]
July 10th, 2007 at 3:08 pm
Do these shrimp egg rolls freeze as well as your mother's famous egg rolls?
July 10th, 2007 at 3:18 pm
Hey Lisa-
I haven't tried freezing them, but I'm sure they will freeze just as well, you'll fry for a couple of minutes more. Make sure you freeze on a tray first so that they freeze individually.
Jaden
July 26th, 2007 at 2:18 pm
Hi Jaden,
You have a beautiful blog site. I just love to browse it. I made these firecracker prawns last night and found the flavor of the prawns bland. Are the measurements for the marinade correct? I should have adjusted it to taste. It seems very little for the 25 prawns.
June
December 5th, 2007 at 2:15 pm
[...] The finished dish photo and recipe - Firecracker Shrimp Recipe [...]
December 5th, 2007 at 8:31 pm
These look great and sound nice and tasty!
December 7th, 2007 at 4:41 pm
I live in Venice. Where is a good Chinese food market to get items for your wonderful recipes? Thanks, Phil
January 17th, 2008 at 12:14 am
Hello,
I made these shrimp recipe yesterday and it was so delicious !
I would like to copy your recipe to my BLOG if you don't mind.
Thank you
February 10th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
I am making this tomorrow....do u get all comments even if it is months later that someone tries the recepie?
February 10th, 2008 at 9:15 pm
of course I do Blondee!
February 12th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
Hi Jaden,
I added your blog to my LINKS, so everyone can discover your wit and great photos. Will be looking for new recipes to make-my kitchen looks too clean lately.
I'll write you when another tropical fruit comes into ripeness.
You should check out the Feb South Beach Food and Wine Festival-as an instructor..hint, hint!
Carambolically yours,
Ivan
February 14th, 2008 at 6:19 pm
Two words for this dish: FABULOUS FABULOUS...i had to vary in that i could not find such big shrimp so i used smaller and quickly did a turn or two of the Magic Bullet and then made them more into eggrolls.......my 22 yr old wants to invite his new girlfriend over for the first time and i must make these he said to have with drinks....the seasoning, the dip, even the oil heat was spot on.....
February 16th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Instead of deep frying these, is there a recommended way of 'baking' them somehow? trying to see if I can make these a bit more 'healthy'
February 16th, 2008 at 10:58 pm
Hey Rebecca,
Baking might not work - the spring roll wrapper really is meant to be fried. You could try using filo dough instead...actually... come to think of it...what a great substitute! Use the same chili sauce and wrap in filo and bake.
Thanks for the inspiration!
xo, jaden
February 29th, 2008 at 1:51 am
hi,
made your shrimp for my son's B-day party last week.it was a BIG hit . everyone loves it. thanks a bunch. i am looking for a good orange beef recipe. try a few , some how I find the sauce a little lacking .do you have any good ones to share . I was eyeing your ribs with orange glaze, would that work do you think? by the way , my son went to buffalo U for 5 years . very cold up there.
diane