Crispy Shrimp Balls
- 1 pound raw shrimp (peeled, deveined, tails-off, finely minced)
- 10 egg roll wrappers (cut into small strips)
- 1/4 cup softened cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 to 2 whole green onions (thinly sliced)
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
- 2 teaspoons finely minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 2 to 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 egg (optional, if mixture is sticky)
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Sweet chili sauce for dipping
- In a mixing bowl, combine minced shrimp with cream cheese, soy sauce, green onions, cilantro, garlic, ginger, cornstarch, black pepper, salt, red pepper flakes, and egg if needed. The mixture should be sticky and easy to shape.
- Shape the shrimp mixture into small balls using about 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling each.
- Coat each ball in egg roll wrappers, pressing tightly to ensure they adhere well.
- Heat oil in a deep pan until it reaches 350°F.
- Fry the shrimp balls until they’re beautifully golden brown and cooked in the center. Make sure the heat isn’t too high, or the outside will brown before the center cooks.
- Transfer the fried shrimp balls to a wire rack to drain any excess oil, then serve with sweet chili dipping sauce!
If you find the mixture already sticky, you can omit the egg next time you make these.
