Ingredients
1 teaspoon white peppercorns
1 tablespoon Szechuan peppercorns
2 teaspoons coarse pink or sea salt
2 pounds jumbo head-on, shell-on shrimp, deveined and patted dry
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup julienned fresh ginger (from a peeled 1 1/2-inch piece)
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (2 tablespoons)
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
Preparation
Toast both types of peppercorns and salt in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder or mortar and pestle and coarsely grind. Toss shrimp with spice mixture to evenly coat, then thoroughly coat in cornstarch.
Heat oil in skillet over medium-high. When it shimmers, add ginger, garlic, and scallions. Cook, stirring frequently, just until fragrant and beginning to turn golden in places, about 2 minutes.
Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon, leaving oil in skillet. Add shrimp to skillet in a single layer (you may need to work in two batches); cook, flipping once, until they turn opaque and shells become crisp and golden brown in places, 3 to 4 minutes total. Transfer to bowl with ginger mixture, tossing to evenly coat; serve immediately.
