Panko Shrimp
Crispy Japanese-style shrimp coated in panko breadcrumbs that deliver an incredibly light, airy crust while keeping the shrimp juicy inside. The secret is the three-stage breading and precise oil temperature.
Ingredients
- 225 glarge tiger shrimp
- 500 mlvegetable oil for frying
- 50 gwheat flour
- 2 pieceeggs
- 100 gpanko breadcrumbs
- 1 sweet chili sauce
- 1 soy sauce
- 1 lemon
Method
- Peel shrimp, leaving the tails on. Make a shallow cut along the back and remove the dark vein.
- To keep shrimp straight: make 2-3 shallow crosscuts on the belly side without cutting through. Place belly-down and gently press flat with your palm. Pat thoroughly dry with paper towels.
- Set up a breading station: Plate 1: flour + salt + pepper. Plate 2: lightly beaten eggs. Plate 3: panko.
- Holding each shrimp by the tail, coat fully in flour (shake off excess), dip in egg, then coat in panko pressing gently so the crumbs adhere. Rest on a rack 5-10 minutes.
- Heat oil to 170–175 °C. Fry shrimp in small batches 1-2 minutes until deep golden. Do not overcook or shrimp will turn rubbery.
- Remove onto a rack. Season with salt while hot. Serve immediately with sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, and lemon wedges.
FAQ
Regular breadcrumbs produce a denser, darker crust. Panko creates a light, airy, extra-crispy coating — that is what defines the Japanese style. If you have no panko, grate crustless white bread on a coarse grater and dry it briefly in the oven.
Classic sauces include Japanese Kewpie mayo with sriracha, tonkatsu sauce, or simply lemon with soy sauce. Serve with shredded cabbage salad, steamed rice, or mashed potatoes. Thai sweet chilli sauce works great too.
Best eaten immediately — the crust softens in the refrigerator. To reheat, use an oven or air fryer at 200 °C (390 °F) for 5–7 minutes. The microwave will destroy all the crunch.
Replace the panko with gluten-free breadcrumbs or ground corn chips. Use rice flour or cornstarch instead of wheat flour for the first coating layer.
Breading falls off when the shrimp are wet or the flour step is skipped. The correct order is: pat dry → coat in flour → dip in egg → coat in panko. Let them rest 5 minutes before frying.
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Comments (1)
The residual heat continues cooking the large tiger shrimp for 2-3 minutes after you remove it from the pan. I pull my panko shrimp when it looks slightly underdone in the center — it finishes perfectly on the plate.