Shrimp Toast

I grew up eating shrimp toast as an appetizer at Chinese restaurants with my family. The triangles of bread were covered in a sesame seed-cloaked layer of shrimp paste and fried to golden perfection. I’d dip the toast in plum sauce as I waited for plates of moo shu pork, sesame chicken and fried rice.

With this shrimp toast recipe, I can now re-create my favorite appetizer for dim sum at home. This Chinese shrimp toast is accented with garlic, cilantro and ginger, like the variation my Thai-Chinese mama makes.

What is shrimp toast?

Shrimp toast is a Cantonese specialty often served as a dim sum offering and appetizer at Chinese restaurants. The recipe features shrimp paste seasoned with aromatics spread on toast, coated with sesame seeds and fried.

Shrimp Toast Ingredients

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• Shrimp: Shrimp has a mild seafood flavor that’s ideal for soaking up bold seasonings. Any size shrimp will work here.
• Lard: Pork lard adds a deep, savory flavor to the shrimp paste and brings moisture to the mixture.
• Cilantro: This herb adds gentle citrus and pepper notes to the shrimp paste.
• Paste: Along with the shrimp, lard and cilantro, the paste for this shrimp toast incorporates green onions, garlic, an egg white, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, ginger, white pepper and salt.
• Bread: You can technically use any type of bread for Chinese shrimp toast, but I like plain white sandwich bread. It becomes airy and crispy when fried.
• Sesame seeds: Coat the shrimp toast recipe in toasted sesame seeds for a layer of nutty crunch.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the bread

The night before you plan to make the shrimp toast recipe, cut the crusts off your slices of bread and halve the slices into triangles. Leave them out to dry out overnight in a single layer on a wire rack. This will result in an airier and crunchier toast that doesn’t soak up as much oil during frying.

Editor’s Tip: Save your crusts to whip up a batch of homemade bread crumbs.

Step 2: Make the shrimp paste

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Place the shrimp, cilantro, green onions, garlic, lard, egg white, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, ginger, white pepper and salt in a food processor.

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Blitz everything until the mixture becomes a smooth paste, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

Editor’s Tip: Put the shrimp paste in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to make it easier to spread.

Step 3: Assemble the shrimp toast

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Place the sesame seeds in a shallow dish. Spread one side of each bread triangle with about 1/8 inch shrimp paste, then place the bread with paste side down on the bed of sesame seeds. Sprinkle seeds on any bare spots, then gently press them into the toast with your fingers to ensure they’re stuck in place.

Set the seed-covered beauties on a large baking sheet.

Step 4: Chill the toast

Put the baking sheet in the refrigerator for another 30 minutes to firm up the paste, which will help the sesame seeds adhere to the toasts.

Step 5: Fry the toast in batches

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Fill a deep skillet with 1/2 inch oil and heat to 375°F (or until a tiny piece of toast bubbles and rises to the top when you drop it in). Add a batch of the triangles, paste side down, and fry until golden brown, one to two minutes. Flip them and fry until the other side is brown, about one more minute.

Transfer the finished triangles to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining toast.

Step 6: Serve the shrimp toast

Serve the toast warm with a side of sweet-tangy plum sauce.

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Recipe Variations

• Make plum sauce from scratch: For a dip with kick, whip up spicy plum sauce to pair with your toast.
• Use the air fryer: Instead of cooking in oil, brown the Chinese shrimp toast in an air fryer at 325° for five to seven minutes, flipping each halfway through the cooking time.
• Omit the lard: To make the shrimp toast recipe a little healthier, leave out the lard. Just note that your cooked shrimp paste will be slightly drier without it.

How to Store Shrimp Toast

For the best flavor and texture, we recommend devouring your shrimp toast the same day it’s made. However, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Shrimp Toast Tips

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Can you prepare shrimp toast in advance?

Absolutely. Instead of cooling your shrimp toast in the refrigerator prior to frying, pop the triangles in the freezer. Once they’re firm to the touch, store the shrimp toast in an airtight container or a bag in your freezer for up to one month. Fry them up when you’re ready.

How do you make shrimp toast in the oven?

Cook your shrimp toast in an oven preheated to 350° for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping them halfway through.