Why This Recipe Works
Someone asked me which restaurant this recipe is from, and I didn't know how to answer. It's a copycat recipe, yes. But a copy of what? There's no original honey walnut shrimp. There's no restaurant that invented it and said "this is the one, the authentic version, everything else is imitation."
There's just—versions. Panda Express has one. The Chinese restaurant down the street has one. Somewhere in Hong Kong, probably, there's one. Each one slightly different. Each one claiming nothing and everything at once. The original is the space between all the copies.
So here's my version. It's not authentic because there's no authentic. It's not a perfect copy because there's nothing to copy perfectly. It just—is. Crispy shrimp, candied walnuts, that creamy-sweet sauce that everyone remembers but no one can quite place. The mayonnaise is the secret. Or the condensed milk. Or the honey. Everyone has a theory about what makes it right.
Pro Tips Before You Start
- Use large shrimp (21-25 count)—the visual is better, and visuals matter, we've established that
- Candy the walnuts first and let them cool completely; warm walnuts get soggy
- The sauce should be thick enough to coat the shrimp but thin enough to be... I don't know, appealing? It's hard to explain. You'll know when you see it.
- This photographs best in natural light, around 2pm, with the sauce slightly pooled on a white plate
I've been making a lot of glazed things lately. Glazed salmon, glazed salmon again, more glazed salmon. This isn't salmon, at least. It's shrimp. With a glaze. But a different kind of glaze. A creamy one. Still shiny, though. Still photographs well. That's the point, I think. Or is it?
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Honey Walnut Shrimp
A copy of a copy of a copy. Still delicious.
Ingredients
- For the Candied Walnuts
- For the Shrimp
- For the Sauce
Instructions
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Candy the WalnutsCombine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add walnuts and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the water evaporates and the sugar crystallizes around the walnuts, then begins to caramelize. Watch carefully. Transfer to parchment paper, separate, and let cool completely.
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Make the SauceWhisk together mayonnaise, honey, condensed milk, and lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside. This is the glaze. Another glaze. It's always a glaze.
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Prep the ShrimpPat shrimp dry with paper towels. Dip each shrimp in egg whites, then coat thoroughly in cornstarch. Shake off excess.
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FryHeat oil to 350°F in a deep pan or wok. Fry shrimp in batches until golden and crispy, about 2-3 minutes per batch. Don't crowd the pan. Transfer to a wire rack.
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AssembleToss the fried shrimp with the honey sauce until evenly coated. Transfer to a serving plate. Top with candied walnuts. Take a photo. Eat.
Nutrition Information
Per serving
Recipe Notes
On authenticity: I researched this recipe for longer than I'd like to admit, trying to find "the original." There isn't one. The dish exists in a strange space—Chinese-American cuisine that references something that may or may not have existed before it was copied. Every recipe I found was a copycat of a copycat. Eventually I stopped looking.
Substitutions: Some versions use only condensed milk, no mayo. Some use only mayo, no condensed milk. Some add rice vinegar. The variations are endless. None of them are wrong because none of them are the original.
Why this keeps happening: I notice I keep making recipes with glazes, with coatings, with shiny surfaces. This one is no different. I'm not sure what that means.
Recipe Reviews (67)
This tastes EXACTLY like my favorite Chinese restaurant! Or maybe the one near my old apartment. Or Panda Express? I can't remember anymore, but it tastes just like the picture!
Excellent recipe. Quick question: which restaurant is this a copycat of? I want to tell people where the recipe is from but I'm not sure how to describe it.
Delicious! I've been following this blog for a while now—is it just me or are a lot of the recent recipes kind of... similar? Lots of glazes and coatings. Not complaining, they're all good, just noticing a pattern.
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