Name: Honey Walnut Shrimp
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 1 lb Shrimp, large, peeled and deveined; 1/2 tsp Salt, kosher salt; 1/4 tsp White pepper; 1/2 cup Corn starch; 1/4 cup All-purpose flour, or gluten-free multi-purpose flour; 1/2 tsp Baking powder; 1/2 tsp Salt, kosher salt; ~1/2 cup Sparkling water, ice-cold; 2 tbsp EverCrisp, optional; Neutral Oil, about 1/2 inch deep in the pan; 1/4 cup Mayo; 2 tbsp Honey; 1 tsp Rice vinegar; 1/2 cup Walnuts; 1 tbsp Honey; 1 tsp Butter

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Honey Walnut Shrimp Recipe — Chinese Restaurant Classic in 15 Minutes | Chef Fatty

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0Total: 15 min

The story

Honey walnut shrimp is a Chinese-American restaurant classic, and the version most home cooks attempt doesn't match the restaurant because of two specific techniques: the batter and the sauce ratio. Get both right and you're at restaurant parity in twenty minutes.

The batter is the first move. A wet tempura-style batter made with cornstarch, flour, baking powder, salt, and ice-cold sparkling water. The sparkling water is the key. Carbonation introduces micro-bubbles into the batter that expand in hot oil, giving you a lighter, crispier shell. Ice-cold is also the key. Cold batter shocks when it hits hot oil and sets fast, which means the shrimp cooks through before the batter can absorb oil and go heavy. A tablespoon or two of EverCrisp added to the batter gives an extra shatter layer.

Fry the shrimp in a half-inch depth of oil at 350 to 360 degrees. Double-frying briefly sets a lighter, crispier crust. The first fry cooks the interior; the second fry drives off surface moisture and hardens the shell.

The sauce ratio is where most home versions fail. Restaurant honey walnut shrimp has a glossy, light coating of sauce. Home versions tend to drown the shrimp. The correct ratio is a quarter cup of mayo to two tablespoons of honey and a teaspoon of rice vinegar. Light, tangy, just enough sweetness to match the candied walnuts.

Speaking of candied walnuts, they're optional but essential. Half a cup of walnuts, a tablespoon of honey, and a teaspoon of butter, cooked together in a small pan until the walnuts are glossy and caramelized. They're the crunchy-sweet counterpoint that ties the whole dish together. Toss the fried shrimp lightly in the sauce, pile it on a plate, scatter the candied walnuts over the top. Eat immediately.

Method

Mix the Sauce

01
Combine mayonnaise, honey, and rice vinegar in a bowl and stir until smooth.

Season the Shrimp

02
Pat the shrimp completely dry using paper towels.
03
Season the shrimp evenly with kosher salt and white pepper.

Heat the Oil

04
Add neutral oil to a skillet to a depth of about 1/2 inch.
05
Heat the oil to 350–360°F over medium-high heat.

Make the Batter

06
Combine cornstarch, flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.
07
Add the ice-cold sparkling water and mix just until combined and thick, with a condensed milk–like consistency.

Fry the Shrimp

08
Dip each shrimp into the batter and allow excess batter to drip off.
09
Fry the shrimp in batches until lightly golden and crisp, about 2–3 minutes per batch.
10
Transfer the shrimp immediately to a wire rack to drain.
11
Allow the shrimp to rest for 1 minute, then return them to the oil for 20 seconds to reinforce the crust.
12
Transfer back to the wire rack.