back in the day
Recipe: chinese honey walnut shrimp recipe
Some time last week (Nov 7th) marked seven years since I began blogging. I hadn’t even realized this until today as I’ve been bogged down with so much. It seems fitting though, because I’ve been talking with some blog friends lately about blogging “back in the day” compared to now, today. It’s quite different. But I won’t bore you with those musings. I remember how excited I was in the early days to find a handful of blogs that posted Chinese recipes I wanted to make. The two I loved most were Jaden’s Steamy Kitchen and Bee’s Rasa Malaysia. They still crank out reliable recipes and I often reference their blogs for all manner of Chinese (or other Asian) cooking help.
Bee recently released her first cookbook, Easy Chinese Recipes, a lovely collection of favorite Chinese recipes and beautiful glossy photos to entice the reader to make every single dish. Bee’s style in her book is no different from her exacting instructions and helpful background information on her blog. The recipes are easy to follow even if you’ve never cooked Chinese food before. But I’ve cooked Chinese food before. LOTS. OF. IT. Yet, I still found plenty of recipes that I’ve been wanting to make and never found a good recipe for until I flipped through Bee’s book.
easy chinese recipes: family favorites from dim sum to kung pao
As any cook is bound to do, I compared some of my family recipes with Bee’s versions and they totally jived. There was never any doubt. I dog-eared several pages – recipes to revisit when I had more time. I finally settled on a restaurant favorite that I never had the guts to try at home, until now…
shrimp, honey, walnuts
marinate the shrimp in salt and egg white
The shrimp are raw despite their pink color (these are wild-caught Key West pink shrimp from Whole Foods), so be sure to use RAW shrimp and not cooked shrimp. It’s a straightforward process considering there is frying involved. Peel and de-vein your shrimp, then butterfly them if you like. (I like to butterfly them because they take on a pretty curled and flared shape when cooked.) Marinate in salt and egg white.
candied walnuts
mixing up the sauce
While the shrimp is doing its thing, there is plenty of time to candy the walnuts and mix the honey sauce. When you pour the walnuts out of the pan to cool, avoid letting them cool in a puddle of caramelized sugar because then you’ll have something more akin to walnut brittle. Chopsticks are great for scooching the walnuts about.
dust the shrimp in cornstarch
fry to golden loveliness
Toss the shrimp in cornstarch and if you’re like me (OCD), make sure to dust the crevices. Plop the shrimp into hot oil and fry until golden (a minute or two). I really really really like my splatter screen because it 1) reduces the number of times I get splattered with oil and 2) limits the mess that frying makes on my range top. You can drain the fried shrimp on paper towels, but I prefer to drain fried foods on a cooling rack because it keeps the fried things crisp (which is the whole point!).
pour the sauce over the shrimp
toss to coat
Coat the shrimp in the honey sauce and adorn with candied walnuts. Serve this dish hot because it is amazeballs when it’s hot – less so when it’s room temperature. I’ve had this dish plenty in the South Bay (California) and I swear this version is just as good. I cannot wait to try more recipes. Nice job, Bee!
honey walnut shrimp – booyah!
part of a complete meal
Full disclosure: I received a free review copy of Easy Chinese Recipes from Tuttle Publishing. All opinions expressed are my own… (duh).
Chinese Honey Walnut Shrimp
[print recipe]
from Easy Chinese Recipes by Bee Yinn Low of Rasa Malaysia
8 oz (250 g) medium raw shrimp, shelled and deveined (butterfly if you like)
1 tbsp egg white
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (70 g) cornstarch
non-flavored oil for frying (vegetable, canola)
dressing
1/2 tbsp condensed milk
1/2 tbsp honey
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
3 tbsps mayonnaise
glazed walnuts
1/2 cup (50 g) walnut halves
1/4 cup (65 ml) water
1/4 cup (50 g) sugar
Pat the shrimp dry and mix with salt and egg white to evenly coat. Let marinate for 30 minutes. Rinse the walnut halves with cold water, drain, and set aside. In a small saucepan, bring the water to a oil and add the sugar. Stir until the glaze thickens. Lower the heat to medium and add the walnut halves. Stir until the mixture becomes golden brown or caramel in color. Pour the walnuts out onto parchment or wax paper to cool (use chopsticks or a fork to separate them so they aren’t touching or sitting in a pool of caramelized sugar). In a small bowl, mix the condensed milk, honey, lemon juice, and mayonnaise together. When the shrimp is ready, remove the shrimp to a new bowl (leave the excess egg white and liquid behind) and dust with the cornstarch making sure to get an even coating on each shrimp. Shake off any excess cornstarch. Heat 2-3 inches of oil in a wok or medium to large pot (depending on how comfortable you are dealing with splatter) to a temperature of about 350°F. Carefully drop the shrimp into the oil. Work in small batches and fry until the shrimp is a light brown. Scoop the shrimp out with a strainer or slotted spoon and let drain on paper towels or (my preference) a cooling rack to preserve the crispness. Combine the shrimp and half the dressing in a bowl and toss to coat the shrimp. Add more dressing as needed. Serve with the candied walnuts over the shrimp. Serves 4 as part of a multi-course meal.
November 18th, 2011 at 8:34 am
oh jenn I love this dish. there is a similiar one I make and I add in pineapple chunks. its so so good. when i make it my hubby is giddy with excitement.
November 18th, 2011 at 8:50 am
7 years! Congrats! I always enjoy your blogs. You make them seem so easy, but I appreciate all that it takes for you to complete one. Good work!
November 18th, 2011 at 8:56 am
This was my late fathers favorite dish. I am so glad I can now make it and remember him. I could not quite remember what is was so could not look it up but your detailed post helped me. Thank you!
November 18th, 2011 at 10:07 am
Congratulations on 7 years! :-)
November 18th, 2011 at 10:30 am
Congratulations on seven years. This, like everything else you produce, looks gorgeous.
November 18th, 2011 at 11:53 am
Hi Jen, happy 7th. That’s a long time in blogging, I wonder if there is a 7-year itch in blogging, LOL.
Thanks so much for trying this recipe and the cookbook shout-out. I am so glad that you like the recipe.
November 18th, 2011 at 3:11 pm
This is one of my favorites. I’ve never attempted it at home. Now I’ll have to give it a try!
November 18th, 2011 at 4:30 pm
7 years! That’s great! Yours is a great blog that I love visiting!
November 18th, 2011 at 5:54 pm
Oh how I love this dish, but never know how to make it. A matter of fact, I had it for dinner last night with our neighborhood Wine & Dine group of 20+ folks. Many of the ladies had this as their entree. Now I will make my own.
November 18th, 2011 at 9:42 pm
I am so going here. Thanks for the ‘roadmap.’ ;) (I’m in trouble, it’s bedtime and I’m thinking about food, again…)
Happy 7th! I hope you never tire of blogging and photographing. My world is better because you do.
:)
November 20th, 2011 at 1:27 pm
Congratulations on 7 years of your blog, Jenn! It’s one of my favorite reads for recipes. I also really appreciate Bee’s Rasa Malaysia. Honey walnut shrimp is one of my favorite recipes from that site, and I’ve probably made it nearly a dozen times since finding it a year or two ago. When first researching the recipe, I read thru a number of them and picked Bee’s to use. Some other recipes suggest using mochiko flour instead of corn starch. Having made it with both, I have to agree that mochiko makes for a superior crunchy crust around the shrimp. I don’t bother removing the ‘extra’ batter around the shrimp. In fact, the additional batter around the shrimp makes the dish better IMO. After frying the shrimp, I fry up the excess batter and add it to the dish. Not healthy, I know, but it tastes good. Also, while I believe the sauce recipe is almost spot on to what it tastes like in restaurants, I find it a bit on the sweet side and add more lemon juice (quite a bit more) to taste.
November 21st, 2011 at 2:05 pm
I love this dish.
Thanks for the recipe!
November 22nd, 2011 at 12:44 am
I’ve always loved this dish in Chinese restaurants, but never made it at home. Looks like I’ll give this a go one of these days…great recipe!
November 22nd, 2011 at 2:05 am
I never used to like honey walnut shrimp growing up because I wasn’t a big fan of mayonnaise. Now I will happily scarf it up. Must be old age ;-)
Happy 7th bloggerversary. Keep loving what you do and doing what you love; it’s what sustains you.
November 22nd, 2011 at 12:46 pm
These shrimp look absolutely amazing. I’ve got some local (Vancouver) spot prawns in my freezer that are going to work perfect for this recipe. Thanks for you tip about putting the prawns (or other fried things) on a cooling rack to keep them crisp. I’ll be trying that for sure!
November 22nd, 2011 at 5:01 pm
Wow, 7 years? That’s awesome! The shrimp looks beyond delicious with that amazing sauce!
November 23rd, 2011 at 2:00 am
I remember “back in the day”! :) I also love Bee’s blog and book…having a ball going through the recipes. The sweet and sour pork is good too! Made it at home, my first time ever for sweet and sour pork!
November 23rd, 2011 at 11:37 pm
Delicious looking photos. The shrimp sound wonderful!
November 25th, 2011 at 11:44 am
This recipe sounds so delicious. I love the idea of combinging walnuts and shrimp, i have family visiting tomorrow night and will be trying this recipe. Great photos!
November 27th, 2011 at 5:13 pm
vanillasugarblog – I love it too, but the mayonnaise is always something I have to get my head around :)
Jill – thank you :) xo
Connie – you’re welcome!
Kimberly – thanks.
Tori – you’re very sweet.
Bee – thanks, friend! I am wondering about that 7 year itch for blogging too ;) I always love your recipes xo
Phoo-d – it’s really easy once you get the mise en place. Hope you enjoy it!
Debbie – awww, thank you!
Margie – thank you :)
warren – wow!! You really know how to go all out on yours! I like the idea of reducing the mayo and upping the lemon juice – sounds right up my alley :)
Susan – you’re welcome!
the food dude – thanks!
Nate – ha ha, we’re OLD ;) Thanks!
Kristen – oh, I’m jealous of your fresh shrimp!
Sally – thank you!
joey – ooh, I’ll have to try the sweet and sour pork (I’ve never made it before either!)
Amy – I hope they liked it!
November 29th, 2011 at 2:19 am
This is probably my one of my top 5 favorite Chinese dish!
So good, you did a great job there!
December 7th, 2011 at 12:47 pm
That is my favorite dish in the whole wide world. Everytime I have a chance, I order it. Yours look great!
December 14th, 2011 at 10:46 pm
It’s been almost a month and I finally got to making these. They’re so good! I’m sitting down and eating a huge plate of them right now :) Thank you for sharing the recipe!!
January 1st, 2012 at 4:51 am
Just made this last night! Delicious! And the crunch was amazing. I do agree with the above comment that the sauce was a touch too sweet (for me) so next time I think I might either up the lemon or use a bit less honey since I think the honey flavor might have been a bit too pronounced. I’ve never tried candying anything before and it didn’t turn out all too well but hopefully the next time will go a bit better. Also, it was first time I deep fried anything but I’m starting to get why you were freaked out by splatter before… It really is pretty scary.
February 10th, 2012 at 7:33 am
[…] night before the event I googled “easy Chinese recipes” and found Chinese Honey Walnut Shrimp on Use Real Butter. The recipe is actually from the book Easy Chinese Recipes by Bee Yin Low […]
February 26th, 2012 at 6:59 pm
[…] SHRIMP WITH CANDIED WALNUTS (adapted from Use Real Butter):8 ounces 1 pound medium raw shrimp, shelled and deveined (I bought frozen shrimp, defrosted them […]
April 28th, 2012 at 12:50 am
I usually just go to Panda Express when i’m craving this, but if I can make a version at home that’s tasty, I can rid myself of the fast food thing. Thanks for posting this recipe!
November 4th, 2012 at 8:31 pm
can you substitute the mayo? i all because i’m allergic but i want to make this
November 5th, 2012 at 9:28 am
Mishion – I’m not a fan of substitutions, but perhaps you could try vegannaise or some other non egg-based imitation?
December 11th, 2012 at 8:01 pm
I made this last night and I was so surprised how easy it was. It turned out perfect too! It looks exactly like the picture and tastes so great. Thanks for the recipe!
January 1st, 2013 at 1:56 pm
[…] adapted this recipe from Chinese Honey Walnut Shrimp found at Use Real Butter, but it is originally from Easy Chinese Recipes by Bee Yinn Low. The main change I made was to […]
February 12th, 2013 at 9:56 am
[…] if you want to add walnuts to your honey shrimp, prepare them like you find HERE, and throw them in the bowl with your fried shrimp before coating. Honey Walnut Shrimp Recipe […]
April 19th, 2013 at 10:21 am
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April 20th, 2013 at 9:04 am
Hi…it won’t let me cut and paste, so is there a way to keep the recipe for myself with out having to hand write it all out? Thanks!
April 20th, 2013 at 9:11 am
I found the “print” option above, but wanted to put your pics with it too!
April 29th, 2013 at 9:08 am
[…] days of discovering this recipe, I had to try it for myself. I love shrimp, I love honey, I love walnuts. Plus, it’s all […]
July 2nd, 2013 at 10:38 am
[…] Tomatoes + Strawberries, Mushrooms + Apricots, Eggs + Beats, Eggs + Coconut, Oysters + Watermelon, Shrimp + Walnuts, Salmon + Licorice, Scallops + Vanilla, Chocolate + Onions, Blackberries + Rose, Rhubarb + […]
November 16th, 2013 at 7:28 pm
Does anyone have a suggestion as to what to make with this entree?
December 1st, 2013 at 11:41 am
Jessica – you can make anything with this. Definitely recommend some vegetable sides, perhaps fried or steamed rice. Anything goes. Check out my recipes page (the Asian recipes column on the left) for ideas. https://userealbutter.com/recipes/
December 5th, 2013 at 10:56 pm
[…] Tomatoes + Strawberries, Mushrooms + Apricots, Eggs + Beets, Eggs + Coconut, Oysters + Watermelon, Shrimp + Walnuts, Salmon + Licorice, Scallops + Vanilla, Chocolate + Onions, Blackberries + Rose, Rhubarb + […]
December 24th, 2013 at 6:05 pm
Hi! Lovely blog you have! Great recipes, they all look so delicious! I’m planning on making this recipe, it looks soo good! I have One question, is the “condensed milk” the sweetened condensed milk? Or is it just regular evaporated milk? Thank you!
December 24th, 2013 at 6:07 pm
Katherine – it’s sweetened condensed milk.
January 2nd, 2014 at 11:17 am
Omg! I made these last night and they were so easy and A W E S O M E! Thank you so much for the recipe!
August 1st, 2014 at 8:03 am
I’m curious – when you said you had this in the South Bay – in Nor Cal or So Cal? If the latter, I’m curious which restaurant it was. I lived in the South Bay in So Cal for 20+ years and only found two restaurants that had great honey walnut shrimp – one of which is no longer in business (China Teapot), and the other is Seafood Port. Can’t wait to try your recipe!
August 2nd, 2014 at 9:03 pm
dana – south bay near San Francisco :)
May 17th, 2015 at 8:47 am
Hi Jenn:
Thank you for this recipe. It looks delicious!
Could you tell me, if Bee’s recipes are authentic chinese, or are the chinese-American?
Have a Joyful Day :~D
Charlie
May 18th, 2015 at 11:20 pm
Charlie – I think they are as authentic as they get. Some might be Chinese-American, but she does a good bit of research on her recipes.
January 10th, 2016 at 5:13 pm
Great work on this shirmp. As a stay at home dad, this is perfect for my kids and wife when they come home!
July 14th, 2016 at 12:46 am
I pinned this recipe a while back because it looked delicious and I LOVE walnut shrimp. I used the last photo because it made my tummy growl the loudest. Unfortunately, when I pulled it up to make it tonight, it took me to a recipe listing ingredients including garlic, green onions, yogurt and trivia. Eek! Maybe linked to wrong recipe? Will give it another go next week since using a different pic to pin seemed to fix the problem.
November 9th, 2016 at 10:08 pm
I made your recipe tonight. It was sooo delicious. Ive been craving Walnut Shrimp for months now. The last time I had this dish was at my favorite Chinese restaurant in the South Bay. Anyway, thank you for helping me satisfy my craving. My fiancé loved the dish as well, with rice and soy sauce, his fav
December 25th, 2021 at 10:12 am
Making this dish for Christmas Day meal; first enjoyed this decadent dish in Hong Kong on a Christmas Day almost 40 years ago. Thought about googling recipes for this honey-mayo-walnut shrimp but then realized that odds were good that you’d have a tested recipe. Thank you, Jen!
March 15th, 2022 at 11:07 am
EmilyF – Great to hear from you, Em! Miss you! Much love to you and the fam xoxo