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Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp

Inspired by the garlic shrimp trucks on Oʻahu’s North Shore, this Hawaiian garlic butter shrimp is loaded with garlic, lightly coated in seasoned cornstarch, pan-fried until crisp, then tossed in a buttery garlic sauce with a little Vietnamese chili paste for heat. North Shore shrimp trucks helped make garlic shrimp famous in Hawaiʻi, especially around Kahuku and Haleʻiwa, where shrimp plates are usually served hot with white rice and plenty of garlicky butter sauce.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings: 2 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Hawaiian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Shrimp Coating
  • 500 g shrimp shell-on or peeled
  • 60 ml cornstarch
  • 5 ml smoked garlic salt
  • 5 ml paprika
  • 5 ml black pepper
  • Oil for frying
Butter Garlic Sauce
  • 50 g garlic minced
  • 75 g butter
  • 5 ml Vietnamese chili paste
  • 5 ml smoked garlic salt

Method
 

  1. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. This helps the cornstarch coating stick better and fry up crispier.
  2. In a bowl, mix the cornstarch, smoked garlic salt, paprika, and black pepper.
  3. Toss the shrimp in the seasoned cornstarch until lightly and evenly coated. Shake off any excess.
  4. Heat a layer of oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Fry the shrimp for about 1½–2 minutes per side, or until lightly crisp and cooked through. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.
  5. Lower the heat to medium-low. Add the butter to the pan, then add the minced garlic. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn.
  6. Stir in the Vietnamese chili paste and smoked garlic salt. Cook for about 30 seconds to blend the chili into the butter.
  7. Add the fried shrimp back into the pan and toss until fully coated in the garlic butter sauce.
  8. Serve hot with white rice and lemon or lime wedges.

Notes

Vietnamese chili paste can vary a lot in spice level and saltiness. Start with 5 ml for a mild version, or use 10 ml for a spicy garlic butter shrimp.
For a bigger batch, double the recipe for 1 kg shrimp, but fry the shrimp in two batches so the coating stays crisp.