Shrimp Toast Recipe
Crisp, golden bread triangles topped with a savory, springy raw shrimp and scallion paste coated in breadcrumbs. Shallow-fried in 30 minutes for a homemade Chinese takeout-style appetizer.
Equipment
- Food processor
- Pot
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb shrimp peeled and de-veined
- 1 egg
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 scallions finely chopped
- 5 slices of white bread crusts removed and cut into triangles (4 triangles per slice of bread)
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- oil for frying
Instructions
- Process the shrimp, egg, and salt with short pulses, then add the scallions and pulse only enough to distribute them. Stop when the mixture looks sticky and mostly smooth, with tiny shrimp pieces still visible.
- Divide the mousse among the bread triangles and spread it in an even layer all the way to their edges. A level coating cooks more evenly than a mound and helps the bread keep its shape.
- Fill a frying pot with about 1 inch of oil and heat it over medium-high heat, using 350°F to 360°F as a practical frying range. The oil should be hot enough to bubble promptly around the coated toast without making the crumbs darken immediately.
- Lower the mousse-covered face of each triangle into the breadcrumbs and press lightly but firmly to attach the coating. The shrimp layer should carry an even covering of crumbs without thick, loose clumps.
- Carefully lower a small batch into the oil with the shrimp coating facing down. Leave space between the triangles so the oil can circulate and the pieces don’t stick together.
- Turn each triangle once the topping develops golden-brown edges, then fry the bread face until golden as well. The shrimp layer should feel set and look opaque through the center, with no translucent patches.
Notes
Ingredient tip: Always use raw peeled and deveined shrimp and pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels before pulsing. Cooked shrimp will not form the sticky mousse needed to cling to the bread.
Texture tip: Spread the shrimp paste in an even layer all the way to the bread edges, and drain finished pieces in a single layer on a wire rack rather than on paper towels so steam does not soften the underside.
Doneness: Check the thickest part of the shrimp topping with a fine-tip thermometer to make sure it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F, as browned breadcrumbs alone do not guarantee a cooked center.
Storage and reheating: Cool leftover cooked toast on a wire rack before refrigerating in a covered container. Reheat in a single layer in an oven or air fryer until hot throughout and crisp at the edges, skipping the microwave.
Nutrition information is an estimate based on common ingredients and serving sizes. Values may vary depending on brands, portions, and substitutions.