This dish. The one that my husband calls, that one time, at that super nice Asian restaurant when I picked up my plate with every intention of licking it clean. Sluurrrrrp. No shame, none at all. Not an ounce. Well, just enough for me to regain my composure with my plate hovering in the air, mid-way to my mouth. #sorrynotsorry And you won’t be sorry either once you get a taste of this irresistible shrimp. 

If it illicit-ed that kind of reaction in public it was a no-brainer that I would try, try, and try again to not only recreate something similar at home, but keep right on trying until I got it just right. 

I love shrimp, and there’s really no right or wrong way to prepare it in my book. But if there’s a top notch, if I have a choice I’d really love for you to make it this particular way, version … This is it.

Crisp, fried shrimp are combined with sugared nuts and tossed in a creamy, sweet sauce. Serve it as is or serve it over a bed of freshly steamed white rice for an authentic, restaurant quality meal.

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Crispy Honey Shrimp with Candied Walnuts

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

This budget friendly, Asian inspired recipe features crisp, fried shrimp that are tossed in a creamy, sweet honey sauce and topped with candied walnuts.

Course: Main Course, Seafood

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: chinese, copycat, Honey, shrimp, takeout, walnut

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• canola oil for frying
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 tsp honey
• 1 1/2 tsp condensed milk
• 1 lb medium shrimp peeled and deveined
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 large egg beaten
• 1/2 cup cornstarch

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-medium high heat.
2. Add 1/2 cup of water to a medium sized pan and bring it to boil over medium heat. Stir in the sugar and stir constantly, until the syrup has thickened and turned golden. Working quickly, toss the walnuts in the syrup, stirring a bit to evenly coat before transferring them to a non-stick baking mat, or pachment paper, lined baking sheet.
3. Add the mayo, honey and condensed milk to a small bowl and stir together until they're evenly combined.
4. Salt and pepper the shrimp, as desired, and then, working one at a time, dip the shrimp into the egg, and then dredge them in the cornstarch, pressing gently to ensure a good coating.
5. Working in batches of 10 or so, add the prepared shrimp to the hot oil, and fry until they're golden brown and crispy, about 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove the fried shrimp from the oil and allow them to drain on a layer of paper towels.
6. When all the shrimp are cooked, transfer them to a large bowl. Add in the sauce mixture and toss them together until evenly coated.
7. Serve the honey shrimp immediately, topped with the candied walnuts, or stir the walnuts into the sauce mixture along with the shrimp. Either method is delicious.

Recipe Notes

recipe adapted from Damn Delicious