INGREDIENTS
FOR THE HONEY GLAZED WALNUTS
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup roasted, salted walnut halves or pieces
FOR THE SAUCE
⅓ cup Kewpie mayonnaise – or use good quality regular mayo
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
FOR THE SHRIMP
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (16-20 count)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
For the honey glazed walnuts: Line a plate or small baking pan with parchment paper; set aside.
Heat a small skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Add walnuts and toast for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, taking care to not let them burn. In a small bowl or cup, combine water and honey. Add the honey mixture and stir to combine. If using unsalted nuts, then sprinkle them with a little salt now (or just sprinkle anyway, I like the little bit of extra saltiness!). Cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until honey mixture has dissolved. Take care to not let the walnuts burn.
Pour the walnuts onto the parchment lined plate and use 2 forks to quickly separate the walnuts. Let cool while you prepare the rest of the ingredients – the walnuts will get crunchier as they cool.
For the sauce: Whisk together all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside until ready to use.
For the shrimp: Pat the shrimp very dry with a paper towel, then place them in a wide shallow bowl or on a plate.
In a small bowl or cup, combine the salt, garlic powder, ground ginger, and black pepper. Sprinkle half of this mixture evenly over the shrimp. Then sprinkle half of the cornstarch evenly over the shrimp. Flip the shrimp and repeat this process with the remaining spices and cornstarch.
Heat a large skillet with tall sides over medium heat. Once hot, add the oil. The oil should be very hot, but not smoking.
Add prepared shrimp to the hot oil, making sure not to overlap any of the shrimp. If needed, cook shrimp in batches, to not overcrowd. I use a 12″ skillet, which works great to cook this size & amount of shrimp in 1 batch. Cook shrimp for about 2 minutes per side, or just until they are firm, opaque, and lightly browned/crisped.
Add cooked shrimp and half of the glazed walnuts to a large bowl. Drizzle half of the sauce over the shrimp and walnuts, and quickly toss until evenly coated.
Serve over white rice or fried rice, with additional sauce and glazed walnuts on the side. Garnish with fresh green onion, sesame seeds, and dried red pepper flakes, if desired.
NOTES
This makes enough for 4 smaller servings, with another side dish or two. Or 2 larger servings – we often make this for date-night-in!
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 580Total Fat: 46gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 38gCholesterol: 152mgSodium: 1099mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 2gSugar: 16gProtein: 20g