Shrimp Toast

Shrimp toast is a side dish that has been created by mixing Western and Chinese influences. The shrimp paste is soft and savoury, while the toast is crispy and slightly sweet. The combination of texture and flavors will leave you wanting more!

This dish is the perfect party appetizer and can by whipped up in under 25 minutes. We love a quick and easy crowd pleaser dish! Shrimp toast is so simple to make, but packs a punch of flavors and textures.

What is Shrimp Toast (蝦多士)

Shrimp toast is a side dish that is believed to first have appeared in Hong Kong restaurants but has since become a staple in America. It's a perfect example of fusion cuisine between Western and Chinese cuisine, which we always love! For us, the first time we ate it was in China and we absolutely loved it. Where we live, we've never seen them in restaurants, but I heard that in the US, they are somewhat common. These shrimp toast reminds me of the shrimp tofu in dim sum restaurant, but even better!

More related recipes:

• Spicy Salmon Sushi Pizza
• Spicy Salmon Crispy Rice
• Fried Spam Musubi Rice Dog

Tips to make the best Shrimp Toast

• Make sure your oil is got enough. Before frying, drop a few sesame seeds to ensure the oil is hot enough. If it starts sizzling, it means it's ready. If you start pan-frying when your oil is not ready, your toast will become overly oily.
• Spread paste over toast only when ready to pan-fry. If you plan on preparing this dish ahead, we suggest to only start spreading the paste over the bread when you're ready to fry and serve. If the paste is spread over a few hours in advance, the bread will soak in the moisture from the taste, resulting in a less desirable texture.
• Blend shrimps to create a paste. The shrimp paste should be easy to spread over your toast.
• For a healthier alternative, air-fry instead of pan-fry. Traditionally, this dish is deep-fried, but we personally find that pan-fried is a good option. If you prefer a healthier version, air-fry for about 5 minutes, or until golden.
• Save bread crust for other dishes. We highly suggest cutting the crust off your bread for better texture, and keep the crust for recipes such as meat balls or breadcrumbs.
• Use more or less bread than indicated in recipe. We bought a milk bread load that is smaller than the usual supermarket white bread loaf. We cut our bread slices only in half, but if the loaf is better, cut in quarters to form triangles.
• Serve with a sweet and sour or sweet chili sauce. This will help cut through the fat and elevate the dish! This one is very popular.

Ingredients

• Shrimps are the star of the dish! Make sure to use good quality ones. If you prefer prawn, feel free to use that instead.
• Low-sodium soy sauce will add flavor and saltiness to your dish. We prefer using low-sodium to not overpower the other flavors.
• Sesame oil adds a nutty aroma.
• Garlic because we like to put it in everything! Mince very finely to make sure to not get big bites of garlic.
• Sugar is not to add sweetness, but to balance the flavors.
• Egg white will make the shrimp paste fluffy and softer in texture.
• Milk bread is our choice of toast because it has a great texture and subtle sweetness to it. When pan-fried, it become perfectly crispy on the outside, yet still fluffy on the inside. We also like to cut off the crust for better texture.
• Cilantro will add freshness to your shrimp toast. We added 1/4 cup to make the best, but if you love cilantro, feel free to add more.
• Green onions are great in this dish to add another layer of flavor.
• Sesame seeds are traditionally added on top of the paste. We prefer to sprinkle the seeds on top, but if you like a lot of sesame flavor, you can dip the toast in it to cover the paste evenly.
• Cornstarch will make your paste extra smooth.
• Vegetable oil is used for pan-frying, but feel free to swap for your favorite neutral oil.

Instructions

Make your shrimp paste. In a blender, or food processor, put your shrimps, soy sauce, sesame oil, minced garlic,sugar, egg white, minced cilantro, finely chopped green onions and corn starch. Blend until smooth, creating a spreadable paste.

Prep your bread triangles. With a butter knife, spread the shrimp paste on each bread triangle, about 1/4 inch in thickness. Sprinkle each triangles with sesame seeds.

Heat your oil. In a medium pan, or skillet, heat about 1/8 inch of oil at medium high. Drop a few sesame seeds, and if it starts to sizzle, it means your oil is ready.

Pan-fry your shrimp toast. With a spatula and chopsticks, pan-fry your bread triangle with the shrimp side down first. Let fry for about 3 minutes, and flip on the other side. Fry for another 3 minutes.

Drain oil. After pan-frying, transfer immediately to a cooling rack to drain. Let rest for 1-2 minutes.

Serve with a sweet and sour sauce, and enjoy!