American Chinese / Cantonese-inspired Recipe

Shrimp Toast

Shrimp toast is a fried appetizer of seasoned shrimp paste spread on bread and fried until crisp.

Recipe at a glance

PurposeHigh-frequency Chinese restaurant menu dish
Cuisine or formatAmerican Chinese / Cantonese-inspired
Menu variation ruleProtein may be adjusted without creating a separate recipe family.

Ingredients

  • 8 oz shrimp
  • 6 slices white bread
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • White pepper
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • Sesame seeds, optional
  • Oil for frying

Method

  1. Chop shrimp into a paste.
  2. Mix with egg white, soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, and cornstarch.
  3. Spread paste on bread.
  4. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if using.
  5. Cut into triangles.
  6. Fry shrimp-side down first, then turn.
  7. Drain and serve hot.

Menu-literacy notes

  • Shrimp toast contains shellfish and wheat.
  • The shrimp layer should be bouncy and the bread crisp.
  • It is richer than steamed dim sum shrimp dishes.

Variations and substitutions

  • For chicken, beef, shrimp, pork, tofu, or mixed seafood variants, keep the same sauce logic and adjust the cooking time for the protein.
  • For allergies or religious dietary needs, check sauces, broth, wrappers, cooking wine, and shared wok or fryer use.
  • For takeout-style dishes, sauce texture matters: the sauce should coat the food rather than become a thin soup.

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