Volcano Shrimp Recipe

Prepare shrimp

Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. Lightly season the shrimp with 1 teaspoon of the salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. Set aside in a bowl.

Make the batter

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour (3 tbs), cornstarch (3 tbs), remaining 2 teaspoons salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. In a separate small bowl, beat the egg with 4 tablespoons of cold water. Pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredients and stir briefly until combined; the batter should be slightly thick but still pourable. If it feels too thick, add 1 teaspoon cold water at a time until it reaches a light coating consistency.

Heat oil

Pour about 1 to 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil into a heavy skillet or small pot (enough for shallow to medium deep frying). Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C) or until a small drop of batter sizzles and turns golden within about 30 seconds.

Fry shrimp

Working in a single layer but without crowding (fry in batches if necessary), dip each seasoned shrimp into the batter to coat, letting excess drip off. Carefully place shrimp into the hot oil. Fry for 1.5–2 minutes per side, until golden and crisply cooked through (internal temp ~120–130°F / 49–54°C). Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Keep fried shrimp warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven while you finish remaining shrimp.

While shrimp are frying, make the volcano sauce. In a medium bowl combine 1 cup mayonnaise, 3 tbs sriracha, 1 tbs gochujang (optional), 1 tbs sweet chili sauce, 1 tbs fresh lime juice, 1 tsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp honey, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, and 1/4 tsp kosher salt. Whisk until smooth and taste; adjust heat or sweetness to your preference (add more sriracha for heat, more honey for sweetness). For a thinner consistency to drizzle, add 1–2 teaspoons water or more lime juice.

Assemble lettuce cups: Arrange butter lettuce leaves on a serving platter. If using, place a little sliced cucumber or avocado in each leaf to create a base.

Top with shrimp: Place 2–3 warm fried shrimp in each lettuce leaf (depending on leaf size).

Drizzle sauce: Spoon or drizzle 1–2 tablespoons of the volcano sauce over the shrimp in each cup. For a restaurant look, transfer sauce to a squeeze bottle and create zigzag lines.

Garnish: Sprinkle thinly sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds over the shrimp. Serve with lime wedges on the side for squeezing.

Serve immediately so the shrimp stays crisp. Leftover sauce can be refrigerated up to 5 days; reheated shrimp will lose crispness.