NEW VIDEO!!! I am so excited to share this video and recipe that Pia and I partnered with California Walnuts to bring you, and I hope you love it!
If you remember, Pia is quite the little burgeoning chef and has helped me with quite a few delicious recipes and videos, including these others that she worked on with California Walnuts. (I linked to them below!)
So she was thrilled to get to collaborate on a series of recipes and videos showcasing the versatility, simplicity and goodness of California Walnuts. We really wanted to focus on recipes that could be made easily on school nights and that Pia felt like she could make all on her own! Well, there was a little parental supervision for the frying part of this- but everything else was all her!
The result was this absolutely addictive crispy honey walnut shrimp that is reminiscent to the dish you can find at Chinese restaurants but so much better!
It is gluten-free and egg-free too. NO MAYO!!! Which is what the shrimp is usually coated in. This also calls for an amazing new ingredient that I am really excited about- condensed coconut milk. JUST YUM. The crispy shell is achieved with a tempura like rice batter that will give them the lightest fried coating and is mild in flavor so you can enjoy the texture without a gummy strong flour taste. Just fresh shrimp, nutty walnuts and sweet honey!
FRYING TIPS:
-Make sure your shrimp are really nice and dry before battering them so that the batter sticks.
-if you find the batter a little too thing, add up to 1/3 cup more rice flour, but a tablespoon at a time until you feel the batter is thick enough to easily coat the shrimp.
-Make sure you keep your oil up to temperature, including not overcrowding the pan. It should stay between 350 and 375 for the best results.
-The shrimp will initially sink to the bottom of the pan. That’s ok! Let them fry for a full minute before gently dislodging with a spatula. I would equate it to a sear on a piece of meat. If you try to flip it too early it will stick and rip the breading off. If it’s already golden brown, it will dislodge and flip easily without sticking to the bottom of the pan.
More Video’s from Pia!
Banana Walnut Donuts with Maple Glaze
Banana Walnut Donuts with Maple Glaze (gluten-free and vegan)
Chocolate Coconut Walnut Truffles
Pumpkin Walnut Sage Risotto,
- Sweet Walnuts:
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups walnuts
- Crispy Shrimp:
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 ½ cups sweet rice flour (plus up to a ⅓ cup more if needed)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 cups club soda
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Honey Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons honey
- ¼ cup condensed coconut milk (or regular condensed milk)
- Pinch of kosher salt
- Garnish:
- 2 green onions, finely sliced
- Pomegranate seeds (optional)
- Steamed White Rice to serve it with
- kosher salt for seasoning
- Bring a small pot with the water and sugar to a boil and add the walnuts. Let them simmer for 3-4 minutes over medium heat. When they are done, pour them out onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and set them aside.
- While the walnuts are cooking, make the crispy shrimp batter. In a large bowl, combine the flour, garlic powder and salt and then whisk in the club soda until you have a smooth batter. Pat the shrimp dry and then add them to the batter.
- Bring the vegetable oil up to temperature (350 degrees) in a heavy pot or a fryer.
- While the oil is coming up to the right temperature, make the Honey Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, condensed milk and a generous pinch of kosher salt until smooth. Set aside.
- Gently add the shrimp to the oil and cook them in batches, flipping them after a minute, until golden brown. When they are done add them to a mixing bowl, sprinkle with kosher salt and continue with the next batch.
- When the shrimp are all fried, add the walnuts to the shrimp and then drizzle everything with the honey sauce and gently toss to coat with the green onions. Season to taste with kosher salt. Serve the shrimp over plain steamed white rice. Optional garnish is pomegranate seeds for a little pop of acidity and color.
Pinned and can’t wait to try this!
Awesome! Thank you!
OMG! These shrimp are sooo good. Thanks for the recipe.