The Best Butterfly Shrimp Recipe (With Thai Gogi Tempura)

Here's a yummy recipe for the best butterfly shrimp with Gogi tempura inspired by Thai flavors. Tiger shrimp are used and marinated in tasty Thai sauces and spices. The result is a dish full of addictive flavors that everyone will enjoy. It's great as an appetizer for special occasions or whenever you feel like treating yourself!

For more delicious Thai appetizers, give these recipes a try. Shrimp in a blanket, Thai eggrolls, Thai fish cakes, Thai shrimp cakes, Gai Tod-Thai fried chicken wings, and Thai beef jerky.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Butterfly Shrimp Recipe
• What is Thai Gogi Tempura?
• Ingredients for Butterfly Shrimp with Thai Gogi Tempura
• How to Make Butterfly Shrimp
• Garnishing Options
• Helpful Kitchen Notes and Tips
• Helpful Kitchen Tools for This Recipe
• What to Serve with Butterfly Shrimp
• Variations and Substitutes
• Storing Leftovers
• Frequently Asked Questions
• The Best Butterfly Shrimp Recipe
• More Thai Appetizers You'll Love

Why You'll Love This Butterfly Shrimp Recipe

• This dish features succulent shrimp with a nice crunchy texture, making it a family favorite.
• The Thai Gogi tempura adds a unique and savory twist to traditional butterfly shrimp.
• This butterfly shrimp is a perfect party appetizer or hors d’oeuvres.
• The meaty shrimp is filling and can be used in a salad for a tasty light meal.

What is Thai Gogi Tempura?

Thai Gogi tempura is a tasty tempura powder made from wheat flour, tapioca starch, baking powder (sodium bicarbonate), and Thai seasoning. When mixed with water, it forms a batter that transforms food into a delightful, crispy treat. Whether it's fish, meat, or vegetables, this addictive coating adds flavor to any dish.

Instead of mixing Gogi flour with water for My butterfly shrimp recipe, I'm using it as a flour mixture mixed with beaten eggs and the dip in the use of the crunchy panko breadcrumbs to create an even more crispy coating with a flavorful texture that elevates the butterflied shrimp to a new level of delicious. 

Ingredients for Butterfly Shrimp with Thai Gogi Tempura

These are the staple ingredients for this recipe. You can modify the salt, white pepper, and chicken powder with other seasonings like garlic or onion. 

• Large tiger prawns or jumbo shrimp (shells and tails on). Best to use fresh shrimp if possible. Check the seafood counter at your local grocery store.  
• Oyster sauce. Adds a rich umami flavor to the shrimp. Learn more about the essential Thai sauces here.
• Soy sauce. I used Thai light soy sauce, but any soy sauce is fine.
• Fish sauce. It adds a salty umami flavor that gives this recipe a Thai taste.
• Gogi tempura flour. Find this tempura flour at your local Asian grocery store. 
• Panko bread crumbs (add more as needed for your batter). Plain bread crumbs don't give the extra crunch for this recipe. https://amzn.to/3QabCj4
• Salt. Just a little to seal in the salty flavor in the flour mixture.
• Chicken powder. (Not shown in picture above) This is where a lot of the Asian flavors come from. It's highly recommended, but in a pinch, you can substitute onion or garlic powder. 
• Ground white pepper. White pepper gives a unique Thai flavor with a little kick of heat. You can adjust the pepper to your preferred level of spiciness. Learn more about the different Thai spices here.
• Eggs. As needed for dipping shrimp in flour and tempura. I used about 3 small eggs for this recipe.
• Oil for deep frying. Use neutral oils like plain vegetable oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, or avocado oil. Olive oil, soybean oil, peanut oil, and sesame oil are not recommended. 

How to Make Butterfly Shrimp

1. Prepare the shrimp. On a cutting board, remove the shells and heads of the shrimp and leave the last tails on for easy handling and easy eating. Then, make a lengthwise incision along the back of the shrimp with the tip of your knife. Slice through the center of the shrimp without cutting all the way through. Use a small paring knife to remove the veins. You'll need a lot of paper towels to wipe your fingers through this step. 

Ice the shrimp. This step is optional but highly recommended. In a large glass bowl or platter, place a handful of ice under the deveined shrimp to keep it cool while prepping the other ingredients. It will also help make it more crispy once deep-fried in the hot oil. 

Season the shrimp. In a mixing bowl, combine oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, and white pepper, then marinate the shrimp. Allow it to marinade while you prep the flour and breadcrumb mixture. 

The batter. Prepare the Gogi tempura coating by combining Goi flour, salt, and chicken powder. Then, Whisk the eggs until smooth. Place breadcrumbs in a separate bowl to coat the shrimp. You should have 3 bowls for this step: a Gogi flour bowl, a Panko bread crumb bowl, and a bowl of whisked eggs.  Set them all near each other to coat the shrimp.

The coating. Dip each shrimp in the Gogi tempura coating, then in beaten eggs, and finally back into the coating mixture, ensuring all the sides of the shrimp are well-coated. Place the breaded shrimp on a single layer on a baking sheet. 

Heat oil for deep frying over medium-high heat. Fry the coated shrimp until they turn golden brown. Fry 3-5 pieces at a time, depending on the size of your pan. This step happens quickly, so be ready with a wire mesh skimmer to remove the shrimp to a baking sheet or a paper towel-lined platter. Repeat the steps until the shrimp is all cooked. 

Serve with your favorite sauce and garnish with lime or lemon wedges, or cilantro leaf. 

Garnishing Options

Garnish your butterfly shrimp with lime wedges, cilantro leaves, or thinly chopped green onions. 

Helpful Kitchen Notes and Tips

• If using frozen shrimp, allow them to thaw naturally from the frozen state. Then, make sure to pat it dry with paper towels as much as you can to remove access water.
• For food safety, ensure thorough cooking to avoid any health risks associated with seafood.
• Use a deep fryer for the best results.
• For a beautiful presentation, add thinly sliced purple and white cabbage on a serving platter and place the fried shrimp on top. The cabbage can be used as a small salad. Add a squeeze of lemon or lime as a tangy dressing. 
• Removing the dark vein from the back of the shrimp ensures a cleaner and more appealing presentation.

Helpful Kitchen Tools for This Recipe

​The listed items are affiliate links where I earn a small commission from your purchase. 

• A deep fryer is recommended for easy and efficient frying. 
• A shrimp deveiner helps remove the veins.
• A small sharp knife for slicing the top of the shrimp to make the butterfly shape. 

What to Serve with Butterfly Shrimp

• This dish can be served as an appetizer or a main dish with homemade French fries.
• Use my green seafood sauce, tamarind dipping sauce, pad Thai sauce, or sweet chili sauce for the perfect dip.

Variations and Substitutes

• You can adjust the seasonings and spices to suit your taste preferences.

Storing Leftovers

• Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The shrimp will get soggy a bit. If you have an air fryer, cook it for 2-3 minutes at 350 to help bring back the crispness. Don't overcook the shrimp, or it will get tough and chewy.

Frequently Asked Questions

**Love a recipe you've tried? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and a review in the comments section further down the page. Or follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram!**

Print

More Thai Appetizers You'll Love

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these tasty Thai appetizers.