Honey Pecan Shrimp

One of my favorite Chinese banquet dishes is Honey Walnut Shrimp. Delicately deep fried shrimp are tossed in a luscious sauce - sweet, creamy, slightly tangy, silky smooth, yet thick enough to make the candied nuts cling to the shrimp and leave you licking the plate. Here, expertly prepared Praline Pecans from Truly Good Foods are the perfect nutty component. The warm, tender shrimp counter the earthy, crunchy pecans…or is it the other way around? Maybe I’d better have another sample, if nothing else, to get a better taste of the addicting sauce that bathes the nuts, the shrimp, the whole sublime dish…

Honey Pecan Shrimp
by Gary Gee
My Cooking Blog
Serves 4

1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Coarse salt
6 egg whites
1/2 cup cornstarch
Freshly ground white pepper
Aleppo pepper
2/3 cup mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon milk
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Peanut oil, for frying
1/2 cup Truly Good Foods Praline Pecans
1-2 green onions, chopped, for garnish

Rinse and drain shrimp; pat dry. Sprinkle with salt, tossing to coat. Store in refrigerator until ready to cook.

In a medium bowl, make batter by whisking egg whites until frothy; whisk in cornstarch until smooth. Add pinch of salt, a few grinds of white pepper and pinch of Aleppo pepper. Whisk until well combined; set batter aside.

In a large bowl, make the sauce by whisking together mayonnaise, honey, milk, lemon juice, and a few grinds of white pepper until smooth. Set aside.

In a wok or large vessel, heat a half-inch of peanut oil over medium high heat. Test oil with a drizzle of batter; when it sizzles and fries quickly, oil is ready.

Coat shrimp individually in batter, letting excess drain (it may be easier to prepare several at a time and drain on a wire rack while oil is heating). Working in batches, shallow fry shrimp, about 2-3 minutes per side, turning to evenly cook to a light golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined platter and keep warm. Repeat until all shrimp are cooked.

Add Praline Pecans to mayonnaise mixture; stir to combine. Add shrimp, and toss gently but thoroughly to coat well. Turn out immediately on serving platter and garnish with chopped green onions. Serve at once.