Boom Boom Shrimp

This Boom Boom Shrimp is large shrimp in a light, crackly soda-water batter, fried until golden and tossed in a creamy sweet-and-spicy boom boom sauce made from mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, peanut butter, ketchup, lemon, and sriracha. It takes about 35 minutes and serves 4 as dinner over rice or 6 to 8 as an appetizer.

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Total Time35

Course: Appetizer, Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: boom boom sauce, boom boom shrimp, crispy fried shrimp

Servings: servings

Calories: 780kcal

Ingredients

Boom boom sauce

⅓ cup sweet chili sauce
2 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter see notes
2 teaspoons lemon juice
⅔ cup mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons ketchup
½–1 Tablespoon sriracha to taste

Shrimp

canola or vegetable oil for frying, 2 to 3 inches deep
1 pound large shrimp peeled, thawed, and patted dry
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon chili powder

Batter

1½ cups all-purpose flour
⅔ cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1½ cups carbonated water club soda or seltzer

For serving

chopped peanuts optional
green onions chopped, optional
lemon wedges optional

Instructions

Boom boom sauce

Whisk the sauce: Add the sweet chili sauce, peanut butter, lemon juice, mayonnaise, ketchup, and sriracha to a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Start with ½ Tablespoon of sriracha and add more for a spicier sauce. Set aside.

Shrimp

Heat the oil: Add 2 to 3 inches of oil to a large heavy-bottomed pot and set over medium to medium-high heat until it reaches 375°F. Set a wire rack over a baking sheet.
Season the shrimp: While the oil heats, toss the shrimp with the salt, garlic powder, pepper, and chili powder.
Make the batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. Whisk in the carbonated water until a thick batter forms.
Fry: Toss a handful of shrimp in the batter to coat. Lift each one by the tail and lower it gently into the hot oil. Fry about 90 seconds to 2 minutes per side, until the coating is crisp and golden and the inside reaches 145°F. Move to the wire rack and repeat with the remaining shrimp.
Sauce and serve: Drizzle the sauce over the shrimp, or place all the shrimp in a large bowl and toss with the sauce to coat evenly. Top with peanuts and green onions and serve with lemon wedges.

Notes

Peanut butter: Microwave the 2 Tablespoons of peanut butter for 10 to 15 seconds before whisking it in so the sauce comes together smooth.

Nut-free: Use SunButter (sunflower seed butter) in place of the peanut butter and leave off the chopped peanuts.

Salt: If you use table salt or fine sea salt instead of kosher, use half the amount.

Sauce amount: If you plan to drizzle rather than toss, half the sauce recipe is plenty.

Sides: Rice, sliced cucumbers, lemon wedges, green onions, and chopped peanuts.

Refrigerator Storage: Fried shrimp is best hot and fresh. Only sauce what you will eat, and store un-sauced shrimp in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The sauce keeps on its own, covered, for up to 5 days.

Reheating: Reheat un-sauced shrimp in an air fryer at 375°F for 3 to 4 minutes, or a 400°F oven on a wire rack for 6 to 8 minutes, then sauce.

Make Ahead: The sauce can be made up to 5 days ahead. Mix the batter right before frying so the carbonated water is still bubbly.

Nutrition