Fried Shrimp Balls (Dim Sum Classic)

Deep fried shrimp balls resting on a wire rack

5 from 18 votes

Fried Shrimp Balls (Dim Sum Classic)

These super crispy Fried Shrimp Balls are a common Chinese appetizer that you can find at Dim Sum. They're moist and tender shrimp filling is coated in spring roll wrapper strips and golden fried to perfection! Learn how to make this classic Cantonese recipe below!

Prep Time20

Cook Time5

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings: balls

Author: Chris Joe

Ingredients

1 pound shrimp peeled and deveined, finely chopped into a paste
3 cloves garlic minced
¼ teaspoon white pepper 1g
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
½ tablespoon light soy sauce 7ml
½ tablespoon Shaoxing wine 7ml
1 teaspoon sugar 4g
½ teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon neutral oil 15ml
1 ½ tablespoon cornstarch 12g
10 sheets spring roll pastry cut into strips (I use and recommend the brand Spring Home - NOTE: Do NOT use wonton wrappers as they will be too thick / won't have the proper length!)
Neutral oil for frying

Instructions

In a bowl, combine shrimp, garlic, white pepper, salt, light soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, shaoxing wine, cornstarch, and neutral oil. Mix in one direction until a paste forms. Optional but recommended: chill the mixture for 20 minutes in the freezer to firm up the paste.
Cut the spring roll pastry sheets into ¼” strips. Separate and lay them out flat on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Wet your hands with water then roll a heaping tablespoon of the shrimp mixture into a ball. Place the ball on the spring roll strips and cover the entire ball until fully coated. Use a knife or scissors to cut any oblong strips so that the ends of the strips are close to the ball.
In a pan or wok, heat oil to 350F and fry in batches for 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Serve with thai sweet chili sauce and enjoy!

Notes

The spring roll pastry sheets are essential to get the correct texture on the shrimp balls. You can find them in the larger Asian grocery stores, but ensure that they are the kind that say PASTRY - this is how you get the thin crispy texture!

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