15 Reviews of Szechuan Pepper-Salt Prawns

From: Gay Gilmore

On Jun 20, 2004

The recipe poster himself provided me with a package of these peppercorns and I had been dying to try this recipe. It was delicious. The aroma from the toasting peppers was really unlike anything I had tasted before. The serrano chilies bring the perfect amount of freshness and snap to the shrimp. There was some confusion about whether the recipe required peeled shrimp or not (ingredients say so, but directions mention shells later). We used peeled, frozen for convenience and I'm glad I did because there is less hassle at the table. Unfortunately, our shrimp was not completely thawed so there was some early concern about whether the cornstarch was sticking and/or doing what it was intended to do because of excess liquid, but the finished product was just fine. I would be sure to completely thaw and pat dry the shrimp next time out — and there will be a next time — Kathy DesRosiers actually cooked this dish, but I was right beside her the whole time Paired with Green Onion Pancakes Green Onion Pancakes, 79216 Ginger Sesame Asparagus and 90126 Aromatic Sticky Rice.

From: LuvMyBabies

On Feb 4, 2007

i had a hard time finding the szechuan peppercorns because 2 of the asian stores here didn't carry any. so i went to search it online and i was told to look at a spice store or another asian store called 88. glad i went to store 88 first because i found it for $1.34. really cheap. anyways loved the flavor. i didn't have any serrano so i did w/out but it still came out kind of spicy. but then i probably just over seasoned w/ the pepper-salt mixture since i didn't have 1 lb of shrimps. will do again but next time i'll go lighter w/ the seasoning according to weight of shrimp. thanks for sharing the recipe. =)

From: KitchenManiac

On Nov 15, 2003

This was just AMAZING!! so simple to prepare but oh the flavours melded together wonderfully!!! a zillion thumbs up to this recipe, and I fully recommend this. Followed the recipe to the T. Thanks Meanie!

From: Ilovemy4kids

On Feb 16, 2007

We do not have serrano chilis here, so we just used regular chili peppers. A delicious dish that was enjoyed by all. Thank you for posting.

From: *Kathy*

On Jul 4, 2004

Very easy and quick to make. I doubled the recipe for a bigger crowd and use mixed peppercorns (szechuan peppercorns were not available). The perfect level of spicy/hot for us. I used frozen shrimp and patted them dry with paper towels before dusting with cornstarch. We had just enough left over for lunch the next day. Thanks!

From: sugarpea

On Feb 21, 2004

Divine! With many thanks to a Zaar friend I had my first taste of szechuan peppercorns tonight and I certainly picked an incredible tasting recipe to try. I used a less hot chile but will definitely try the serranos next time as the ground pepper mix was not at all overpowering. Thank you Mean Chef for sharing another Tom Douglas recipe.

From: GinnyP

On Dec 14, 2003

Made this without the cornstarch because I'm doing Atkins right now, but it turned out absolutely fantastic! My kids liked it even though they don't generally eat anything spicy. We laughed through the whole meal because it was hot for all of us, but not unbearably. The flavor made us keep going back for more even though we all looked like we were practicing breathing for a Lamaze class. lol

From: *Shelly*

On Nov 4, 2004

People who love shrimp and spicy should definitely try this. It has some heat to it but it's not overwhelming. The shrimp get a lovely little delicate crunch/crust to them. Great dish. Served with rice.

From: Josie-Jo

On Jan 31, 2005

Very yummy! I normally do not eat shrimp but I found myself munching on some leftover peices at 12:00 am. I toasted regular black peppercorns and mixed them with ground white pepper. I didn't have the right kind of chilies so I substituted 5 small thai peppers. I also sprinkled on a handful of cilantro over the finished product and squeezed some lime juice over everything. It was delicious. Thanks for sharing.

From: FlemishMinx

On Feb 16, 2005

We loved this mind-blowing (and brain-burning) dish. It very much reminds of a recipe I used to have-now lost- for "Salt and Pepper Shrimp" in which the shrimps were cooked in their shells (which were then eaten as well). Thanks for re-introducing me to this great flavor experience!