Chile-Dusted Crispy Shrimp Tacos
Iain Bagwell
Rich, spicy, and irresistible, these tacos are from chef Donnie Masterton at Taco Lab by Tacolicious, in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Rather than sliced avocados, he likes to set out whole pitted halves, and lets guests scoop out spoonfuls to add to the tacos, along with crunchy jicama slaw.
How to Make It
1
Pour enough canola oil into a large deep pot to come 1 in. up side. Heat until it registers 350° on a deep-fry thermometer.
2
In a dry frying pan, toast ancho chile until fragrant; remove, then toast cumin and coriander seeds until fragrant and a shade darker, about 1 minute.
3
Snip chile into pieces with kitchen scissors or cut with a knife. Grind chile, toasted cumin and coriander, and 1 tsp. kosher salt in a clean coffee grinder; set aside.
4
Put flour in 1 bowl, eggs in a second, and panko in a third. In batches, dip shrimp first in flour, eggs, and finally panko to coat. Fry shrimp in hot oil until evenly golden, about 2 minutes.
5
Transfer with a slotted spoon to a rack set on a baking sheet. Liberally dust shrimp with ground seasonings.
6
Serve shrimp with tortillas, avocados, and slaw.
* Ancho chiles are the dried form of poblanos. Find at Latino markets and on the international aisle of well-stocked grocery stores. To make the slaw, mix an equal ratio of jicama matchsticks and thinly sliced green cabbage with chopped cilantro leaves; then season with lime juice and cilantro to taste.
Ingredients
Canola oil for frying
1 dried ancho chile*
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 ½ tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup flour
2 large eggs, beaten
1 ½ cups panko
24 peeled deveined medium raw shrimp
To Serve
Warm corn tortillas
Avocados
Jicama and Green Cabbage Slaw*
Directions
1
Pour enough canola oil into a large deep pot to come 1 in. up side. Heat until it registers 350° on a deep-fry thermometer.
2
In a dry frying pan, toast ancho chile until fragrant; remove, then toast cumin and coriander seeds until fragrant and a shade darker, about 1 minute.
3
Snip chile into pieces with kitchen scissors or cut with a knife. Grind chile, toasted cumin and coriander, and 1 tsp. kosher salt in a clean coffee grinder; set aside.
4
Put flour in 1 bowl, eggs in a second, and panko in a third. In batches, dip shrimp first in flour, eggs, and finally panko to coat. Fry shrimp in hot oil until evenly golden, about 2 minutes.
5
Transfer with a slotted spoon to a rack set on a baking sheet. Liberally dust shrimp with ground seasonings.
6
Serve shrimp with tortillas, avocados, and slaw.
* Ancho chiles are the dried form of poblanos. Find at Latino markets and on the international aisle of well-stocked grocery stores. To make the slaw, mix an equal ratio of jicama matchsticks and thinly sliced green cabbage with chopped cilantro leaves; then season with lime juice and cilantro to taste.
