Learn how to make the best homemade honey walnut shrimp, a Chinese takeout favorite! With homemade candied walnuts!
Ingredients
2poundsextra-large shrimp
2cupscorn starch
4 to 6cupscanola oil for frying
For Glaze:
3/4cupmayonnaise
1/2cupsweetened condensed milk
juice from 1 lemon
3/4cuphalf-and-half, or cream
For Candied Walnuts:
1cuphalved walnuts
1/4cupwhite granulated sugar
1/4cuphoney
1/4cupwater
2 to 3cupscanola oil for frying
For Serving:
6cupsServe with steamed rice
Instructions
For the Candied Walnuts:
Prepare the walnuts first. Place the nuts into medium saucepan and cover them completely with water. Bring the water to a simmer over medium high heat and cook for 30 minutes, occasionally whisking vigorously (you want to remove all the skin off of the walnuts).
Drain the walnuts and rinse them several times undering running cold water and then set aside. Place the walnuts into large frying pan and add in the 1/4 cup water, sugar and honey. Cook the walnuts in the sugar syrup over medium-high heat. Once the sugar mixture begins to simmer, continue to cook and stir continuously until the sugar syrup is reduced, thickened and sticks to walnuts well, about 3 minutes. Remove the walnuts from heat and keep warm.
Heat approximately 2 cups canola oil in medium saucepan over medium heat until hot. Remove the walnuts from frying pan and place directly into the hot oil; do this step in small batches. Fry for 1 minute then remove and spread onto baking sheet using spatula. Make sure the walnuts are not sticking together - let them cool completely before touching them. (Use caution when making glazed nuts as sugar syrup becomes extremely hot!)
Making the Glaze:
Next, prepare the glaze. In large bowl, combine the glaze ingredients and whisk together until smooth: mayonnaise, sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice and half-and-half. When adding the half-and-half, add 3/4 cup first, then more if you want the glaze to be less thick. Set aside.
Preparing the Shrimp:
Next, prepare the shrimp. Heat approximately 4 cups of canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, until the oil reaches approximately 300F. Meanwhile, clean and peel shrimp and pat them dry with paper towels. Once the oil is hot, coat 8 to 10 shrimp at a time in cornstarch and drop into the hot oil. Fry the shrimp until they're golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the fried shrimp from the oil with slotted spoon and place onto paper towels to drain excess oil. Repeat the frying process with remaining shrimp.
Once the shrimp are done, place them into a large bowl and pour the prepared sweetened condensed milk glaze over the top. Toss the shrimp until they're well-coated. Serve the coated shrimp over a bed of steamed rice and top with the candied walnuts.