Shrimp Toasts

This easy and tasty appetizer will probably surprise you. You most likely have all the ingredients for it at home, since the base of it is sliced white bread. Elevate it with a flavourful shrimp paste, then fry to get a beautiful crunch, these shrimp toasts are best served with sweet chili sauce and are perfect for your Lunar New Year menu.

---

Shrimp Toasts

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 5 minutes Yield: 4 servings (16 pieces)

INGREDIENTS

• 4 slices of thinly sliced white bread, crusts cut off (I used sourdough)

• 250 g (about 1 cup) shrimp, peeled and deveined

• 3 green onion stalks, finely minced

• 1/2 tsp fresh ginger, grated

• 1 clove garlic, grated

• 1/2 tsp sesame oil

• 1 egg white

• 1 tbs cornstarch

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 3 tbs toasted sesame seeds (black, white, or mixed)

• 1 tbs everything bagel seasoning

• Neutral oil to fry

• Sweet chili sauce to serve

DIRECTIONS

1. On a cutting board with a large knife, finely minced the shrimp into a paste by chopping it over and over. Put into a mixing bowl with the sesame oil, egg white, cornstarch green onion stalks, cilantro, grated ginger and grated garlic, and salt and pepper. Mix very well to combine. You can also do this step by combining everything in a food processor, and processing until you have a paste/mousse like consistency.

2. Cut the crusts off the the bread. Divide the paste into 4 portions and spread onto each slice of bread, enough to cover the full piece of bread edge to edge so there is no whites from the bread showing. Cut into 4 triangles each, so you have 16 triangles total.

3. In a shallow plate, combine the sesame seeds and everything bagel seasoning. Mix well to combine, then dip the shrimp toasts in, shrimp side in, and gently press to cover the the top with a sesame crust. Repeat with remaining toasts.

4. In a frying pan, heat about 1/2 - 3/4 of an inch of neutral oil. Heat oven medium low. Once the oil in hot, gently place the shrimp toasts in, shrimp side down. To avoid overcrowding, do this in 2-3 batches. Gently fry on the shrimp side for 2-3 minutes, then flip and fry on the bread side for an additional 1-2 minutes, or until the bread is golden in color. Watch and be careful not to burn as it goes from golden to burnt very quickly on the bread side. Remove from heat and place on a paper towel lined tray. Repeat with remaining toasts. Serve immediately with sweet chili sauce.