"Brand New Funk" Nashville Hot Shrimp Sandwich

Hot Shrimp Sandwich recipe -Nashville Hot Chicken meets Japanese Ebi Katsu Burger (shrimp cutlet burger) for a spicy, succulent panko-crusted shrimp sandwich with tangy collard greens slaw.

This month of February, as part of Black History Month, my recipe for Nashville Hot Shrimp Sandwich will be featured as part of a Black History Month Virtual Potluck along with recipes by 27 other amazing and uber-talented black food bloggers.

Each of us will share one dish that's deeply rooted in black culture; and because we all hail from different parts of the world you'll have the chance to experience a myriad of dishes from across different meal occasions including vegan/vegetarian, meats/seafood, desserts, etc. as well as geographical locations from Africa and the related African Diaspora.

Scroll to the end of this post to get the full list of those bloggers participating as well as their delicious recipes.

MOOD MUSIC

Hot Shrimp Sandwich Ingredients

This sandwich is basically a mash-up of Nashville Hot Chicken and Japanese Ebi Katsu shrimp sandwich. This is actually a simple recipe. Don't be put off by the number of recipe ingredients, as most are for the spicy chili rub.  

• Panko bread crumbs
• Shrimp
• Black pepper
• Kosher salt
• Eggs
• Potato buns
• All-purpose flour
• Cayenne pepper
• Smoked paprika
• Brown sugar
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Black pepper
• Dried thyme
• Pickles

What Is Ebi Katsu?

It was the appreciation for my own culture as well as Japanese that inspired this Hot Shrimp Sandwich recipe. I've never been to Japan, but had ebi katsu burgers in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles. I put extra emphasis on burgers, cause I smashed three of those bad boys!

Ebi Katsu burgers are just panko-crusted shrimp cutlets deep-fried and served on sesame buns with shredded lettuce and tarter sauce. The cutlets are made from a combo of shrimp paste and diced shrimp. The sandwich is both juicy and delicate with a nice crispiness to it.

WHAT IS NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN?

My first thought after having my first ebi katsu burger was how do I make this at home. After a bit of research, I settled on an approach and after enough practice, I decided to my own spin on it. In my mind, a Nashville Hot version of the recipe would be "Ill" to use old school 80s vernacular.

For those unfamiliar, "Ill" is slang for dope, fresh, phat, GREAT! At its core, Nashville Hot Chicken is chicken deep-fried and then bathed in a spicy chili oil (dry cayenne based spice mix + oil the chicken cooks in). The chili oil makes it easy to sprinkle on additional spice mix. You can make it as fire as you prefer!

NASHVILLE HOT SHRIMP SANDWICH COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Step 2 -Place the panko breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl and set aside. Mix the flour, egg, whole and pureed shrimp in a large bowl and mix well to combine. It should be a sticky, cohesive mix.

Step 3 -Gently place a mound of the shrimp mix in the breadcrumbs. I like mine to extend a little outside the diameter of the bun. Cover on all sides with the breadcrumbs and place in the fridge while the oil heats.

Step 4 -Heat the oil in a frypan or fryer until it reaches 180C/350F. Gently lower the patties into the oil. Fry for about 3-4 minutes on each side until the breadcrumbs are golden. Drain on cooling rack. If using a deep fryer, you'll know it's ready when the patty floats.

Step 5 - Brush the chili oil onto the patty covering it entirely.

Step 6 - Place the slaw on the base bun, then add the patty and top with pickles and mayo/sauce.

What does Hot Shrimp Sandwich Taste Like

Okay, let's get things straight upfront, hot is in the name so there has to be some level of heat in the sandwich. After all, the originator created hot chicken as a revenge sandwich for her cheating man. If you don't do hot, then this ain't the recipe for you. Now you can moderate the heat levels to your liking.

This sandwich recipe is mid-level, as I figured I needed to make the introduction mass friendly, vs. the scorching, lip numbing, runny nose and forehead sweat inducing that I like lol. Don't worry you won't need a glass of milk as a chaser for this recipe, but a cold beer is a great compliment.

I'd say the heat accommodates and is forgiving. But be warned there is an addictive quality to it that may make you want to test the limits. There is magic in the spice rub mix that is used. I went more for Cajun hot which features a mixture of cayenne, paprika, garlic, onion powder and dried herbs.

Serving Suggestions

Fried food pairs well with briny, acidic items. So if you prefer your sandwich plain Jane, serve a slaw like this collard green version on the side. Yuca fries are a great option as well.

Shrimp Cutlet Sandwich Cooking Tips

• Use a combination of pureed/minced and whole shrimp for the patties. Texturally this works great, as you get a light patty, but that whole plump shrimp feeling and texture when you bite down into the sandwich
• Most Japanese Ebi Katsu Burgers use smaller shrimp for costs but opt for larger ones if you can afford them. The texture will be better.
• Fresh or frozen shrimp each work fine, so if you want to cut down on time buy the already peeled frozen and just plan to thaw them out.
• Season the shrimp mixture before frying for added flavor
• Crisp shredded cabbage is used for Ebi Katsu burgers as the crisp texture and refreshing qualities compliment the deep-fried shrimp. However, I prefer a good basic slaw for the hot shrimp sandwich. The slaw is needed to counter the heat and the vinegar helps break up the fat.
• Simple mayo or a fancy garlicky and/or herb aioli is a great pairing. You can also just use my versatile roasted red pepper sauce recipe to take the sandwich up an even higher level. The red pepper acts almost like a spicy remoulade used to dress shrimp-based dishes in New Orleans
• I prefer simple potato buns, but other soft breads sesame and brioche work fine
• Use cayenne as liberally or lightly as you prefer. Just don't go so far as to nuke your taste buds and thus miss enjoying the deliciousness of all the complementary flavors.

MORE SHRIMP RECIPES

• Mofongo Relleno
• New Orleans Style BBQ Shrimp
• Piri Piri Grilled Shrimp
• Southern Shrimp and Grits
• Nigerian Grilled Shrimp Skewers
• Red Rice and Shrimp
• Baby Kale Pesto Pasta with Harissa Shrimp

MAKING THIS RECIPE

If you make this Spicy Shrimp Sandwich, please come back and leave me a comment below with your feedback. Definitely take a photo of the dish and be sure to tag #foodfidelity so that I can see them.

You can also keep up with my food exploits as well as original recipes! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. If you like any of the music you find on the site, visit me at Spotify to find curated monthly playlists.

Here is the line-up and recipes for the Virtual Potluck. Be sure to check them out!

Beautiful Eats & Things | Okra, Corn, & Tomato Chicken Stew

Beyond The Bayou Blog | Mackerel Balls With Biscuits & Cane Syrup

B Sugar Mama | Red Beans and Rice

Butter Be Ready | Caribbean- Curry Goat with Rice and Peas

Cooks with Soul | Boudin balls

D.M.R. Fine Foods | Spice Roasted Chicken

Dash of Jazz | Soul Food Power Bowl

Dish it with Tisha | Jamaican Curry Chicken

Domestic Dee | Chicken Sliders

Eat.Drink.Frolic. | Bourbon + sweet potato pie

First and Full | Homemade Peach Pie

Food is Love Made Edible | Smothered Okra with Chicken and Smoked Sausage

Immaculate Bites | Pimento Cheese

Kaluhi's Kitchen | Pilipili & Rosemary marinated mbuzi choma with Kachumbari

Kenneth Temple | Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

Marisa Moore Nutrition | Sweet and Spicy Roasted Cabbage

Meiko And The Dish | Hot Buttered Rum Biscuits

My Life Runs On Food | Southern Style Caesar Salad

Rosalynn Daniels | Osso Bucco

Savory Thoughts | Haitian Patty

Simply LaKita | Fried Okra

Sweet Tea & Thyme | Spiced Peach Shortcakes

That Girl Cooks Healthy | Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce

The Hungry Hutch | Cornbread Dressing

The Seasoning Bottle | Guava Short Ribs

Whisk It Real Gud | Banana Bread

Sharing is caring!