more than 200 years later, this has left the existing
land entirely vulnerable to the sweep of the ocean.
The loss of marshlands also threatens the lives of the
f ish a nd shrimp that use them as breeding a nd nursing
grounds, and the livelihood of the shrimpers.
Maps depicting changes to the delta are stark—the
land has shrunk by at least 25 percent since 1932, and
sea-level rise pushes future projections of the area
perilously close to nonexistence. As the waterline ad-
vances inland, the Vietnamese have moved houses,
schools, and entire apartment buildings up onto stilts
in an attempt to escape the rising water.
In light of the changes, however, the Vietnamese
have remained a paragon of resilience. In 2005, after
Hurricane Katrina, they were the first people back in
the neighborhood of New Orleans East, where most of
the city’s Vietnamese live, without awaiting govern-
ment assistance. According to Eric Tang, a writer and
author of The Gulf Unites Us, the community boldly
and radically reclaimed their neighborhood, demand-
ing accountability from officials, and rebuilding their
community and their network of edible gardens with
impressive agility. Some moved into neighborhoods
abandoned by wealthy, mostly white residents—one
such block is now home to a sprawling garden of man-
goes, mint, taro, squash, and bananas. In 2010, they
weathered the devastating BP oil spill, again pivot-
ing their businesses and communities.
Among the challenges they currently face are the
various restoration projects intended to fix the er-
rors of the past—man-made diversions intended to
rebuild marshland and mimic the delta’s naturalSERVES 4
Total: 45 min.
The shells of these crispy,
twice-fried shrimp from
Hoàng Gia in New Orleans are
fully edible. The local shrimp
farmers enjoy this dish as a
snack or a ppetizer, dunke d in
the accompanying salty-sour
lime juice and with plenty of
cold beer. Take the time to fry
the shrimp in batches, and
avoid crowding the pot, which
will lower the temperature of
the hot oil.
2 Tbsp. canola oil, plus
more for deep-frying
¼ cup fresh lime juice
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black
pepper
3 lb. jumbo head-on,
shell-on Gulf shrimp
2 large eggs, beaten
1½ tsp. sugar
⅓ cup rice fl our
1 Tbsp. fi nely chopped
garlic
2 Tbsp. oyster sauce
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
½ medium yellow onion,
thinly sliced
2 large jalapeños, sliced
¼-inch thick
1 In a large, heavy pot, add
enough canola oil to reach
2 ½ inche s up the side s. Heat
until the temperature reg-
isters 350°F on a deep-fry
thermometer.2 Meanwhile, in a small bowl,
add the lime juice and a gener-
ous pinch each of kosher salt
and pepper. Set aside.3 In a large bowl, add the
shrimp, eggs, sugar, and rice
fl our. S ea son with sa lt a nd
freshly ground black pepper,
and toss well to coat.4 Line a large baking sheet
with paper towels, and place it
by the stove. When the oil
is hot, fry the shrimp in
4 batches, turning with a slot-
ted spoon or spider skimmer
as needed, until crispy and
cooked through, 5–7 minutes.
Transfer to the lined baking
sheet.5 In a large wok over high heat,
add 2 tablespoons canola oil,
swirling the wok to coat the
bottom and sides. Add the
garlic and cook, stir-frying con-
tinuously, until fragrant but
not yet browned, about 60
seconds. Add the oyster sauce
and sesame oil followed by the
fried shrimp, onion, and jala-
peño slices. Cook, tossing or
stirring constantly, until the
shrimp a re evenly coate d in
the glossy sauce, 1–2 minutes.6 Tra nsfer the shrimp to a
large platter. Serve hot
with the lime dipping sauce on
the side.SALTED
FRIED
SHRIMP