Honey Walnut Shrimp

May 10: National Shrimp Day

An afternoon jaunt to Honolulu’s Chinatown after church was a Sunday shopping ritual for Islander and her parents when she was a little girl. Aside from the Pearl Harbor commissary, the vibrant Asian marketplace was her family’s alternate source for fresh produce, meat and seafood. Sometimes, they would treat themselves at one of the many Chinese restaurants where Islander would always order a shrimp dish. Among her favorites is Honey Walnut Shrimp. The origins of this recipe, whether from an American Chinatown, Canton or Hong Kong, is debatable, but the dish is no doubt delectable. Because the sauce is rich and creamy, Honey Walnut Shrimp is often served at Chinese banquets and on special occasions. One does not need to go to Chinatown to buy the ingredients or eat this dish at a Chinese restaurant or banquet hall. It is surprisingly simple to make at home and can be easily prepared in observance of National Shrimp Day.

Recipe

(Adapted from All Recipes)

Ingredients

• ½ cup water
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup raw unsalted walnut halves
• pinch of salt
• 4 egg whites (we used ½ cup pasteurized liquid egg whites)
• 2/3 cup cornstarch or mochiko (sweet rice flour)
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• vegetable oil for frying
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon canned sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tablespoons of honey

Directions
In a small saucepan, dissolve the sugar and salt into the water and bring to a boil. Drop in the walnuts and boil for five minutes until they begin to caramelize. Drain the liquid and let the walnuts dry on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper. In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites with the cornstarch/mochiko until a smooth batter is formed. Coat the shrimp in the batter.

Deep fry the shrimp in hot oil until golden brown.  Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels and set aside.   Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, condensed milk and honey. Mix the sauce with the fried shrimp and caramelized walnuts. Transfer to a platter and serve.

Notes

• We have used liquid egg white brands such as Crystal Farms AllWhites and Egg Beaters Whites.
• Use a combination of cornstarch and mochiko for a different texture on the shrimp coating.
• Mochiko can be purchased at local Asian grocery stores. Check the package label as there is a distinction between plain and sweet rice flour. Use the latter for this recipe.