Chinese Honey-Walnut Shrimp

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Servings: 2
Yield: 2 servings

Description

Make honey-walnut shrimp from scratch for an easy way to enjoy the classic Chinese restaurant combo of delicate fried shrimp with caramelized walnuts and honey mayo.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon egg white
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup walnut halves
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 tablespoon honey
1/2 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/3 cup cornstarch
vegetable oil for frying

Directions

1 Mix egg white and salt together in a bowl; add shrimp and toss to coat evenly. Cover and let shrimp marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2 Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add sugar; cook until dissolved, about 1 minute. Add walnuts. Turn heat down to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until syrup thickens and turns into a dark caramel color, 4 to 7 minutes.
3 Line a baking sheet. Pour walnuts onto the baking sheet, spacing the pieces apart. Let cool.
4 Mix mayonnaise, honey, condensed milk, and lemon juice together in a small bowl for the dressing.
5 Drain excess liquid from the shrimp. Place cornstarch in a plastic sandwich bag. Toss shrimp in the cornstarch in batches.
6 Heat 2 to 3 inches of oil in a medium to large pot to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Drop shrimp carefully into the hot oil in batches; fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels to preserve crispiness.
7 Serve shrimp with the walnuts and honey dressing.