Honey Walnut Shrimp

Ingredients

  • 8 oz (250 g) medium raw shrimp, shelled and deveined (butterfly if you like)
  • 1 tbsp egg white
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup (70 g) cornstarch
  • Non-flavored oil for frying (vegetable, canola)

Dressing

  • 1/2 tbsp condensed milk
  • 1/2 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
  • 3 tbsps mayonnaise

Glazed walnuts

  • 1/2 cup (50 g) walnut halves
  • 1/4 cup (65 ml) water
  • 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar

Directions

  1. Pat the shrimp dry and mix with salt and egg white to evenly coat. Let marinate for 30 minutes.
  2. Rinse the walnut halves with cold water, drain, and set aside.
  3. In a small saucepan, bring the water to a oil and add the sugar. Stir until the glaze thickens. Lower the heat to medium and add the walnut halves. Stir until the mixture becomes golden brown or caramel in color.
  4. Pour the walnuts out onto parchment or wax paper to cool (use chopsticks or a fork to separate them so they aren’t touching or sitting in a pool of caramelized sugar).
  5. In a small bowl, mix the condensed milk, honey, lemon juice, and mayonnaise together. When the shrimp is ready, remove the shrimp to a new bowl (leave the excess egg white and liquid behind) and dust with the cornstarch making sure to get an even coating on each shrimp. Shake off any excess cornstarch. Heat 2-3 inches of oil in a wok or medium to large pot (depending on how comfortable you are dealing with splatter) to a temperature of about 350°F.
  6. Carefully drop the shrimp into the oil. Work in small batches and fry until the shrimp is a light brown. Scoop the shrimp out with a strainer or slotted spoon and let drain on paper towels or (my preference) a cooling rack to preserve the crispness. Combine the shrimp and half the dressing in a bowl and toss to coat the shrimp.
  7. Add more dressing as needed. Serve with the candied walnuts over the shrimp. Serves 4 as part of a multi-course meal.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *