Try this Candied Walnut Shrimp with Asian Dipping Sauce and Green Apple Slaw. The recipe makes a wonderful appetizer or light romantic dinner.
Candied Walnut Shrimp have that great combination of flavor and textural interest, that I really love in a dish. The delicate sweetness of the shrimp is not over-powered by the rich candied walnuts. Both shine through. The shrimp are teamed with a tangy and lightly spicy dipping sauce and a crisp green apple slaw to create a light yet well-rounded meal.
If you would prefer a creamier sauce, make my Japanese Yum Yum Sauce instead.
As I mentioned above, this would also make a great appetizer, but I personally think it is perfect for a romantic dinner. I would start off with a nice brothy soup for the first course followed by these Candied Walnut Shrimp with Dipping Sauce accompanied by the Green Apple Slaw, as a light main course. This leaves room for dessert. Perhaps a nice slice of Key Lime Pie.
Candied Walnut Shrimp: Prep Notes
While this is a multi-step recipe, the candied walnuts can be prepared in advance, and the shrimp can be dredged and coated a little while before cooking. Hands-on cooking time while entertaining your loved one would not be long at all then. The little extra effort for this recipe is so worth it.
- 12 jumbo raw wild shrimp
- 1 cup tapioca flour corn starch may be substituted
- 1 tsp ground ginger dry
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped candied walnuts
- oil for frying
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbs Fresno peppers cut into thin strips 1/2" long
- Finely sliced scallions
- 1 large green apple cored & sliced into matchsticks
- 2 tbs lime juice
- 1 tbs low sodium soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tbs Jalapeno peppers thin sliced, 1/2" long
- Prepare the dressing and slaw first. Simply combine ingredients and mix.
- Peel & de-vein the shrimp, leaving tail on, then pat dry with paper towel.
- Set out 3 bowls: in first one, mix together tapioca flour & ginger in second beat the two eggs well, put the chopped candied walnuts in the third bowl.
- Dredge the shrimp in egg, then flour, then egg again, finally in the walnuts. Set aside the prawns once coated.
- Heat a 1/2" of oil in small skillet over med-high. Once hot drop in the prawns 3-4 at a time, don't crowd them. As you see the edges start to become opaque gently flip with a fork and cook another minute. Drain on pastry cooling rack or plate (no towel, they will stick)
- Serve shrimp on or over apple slaw with dipping sauce on the side. Sprinkle scallions over both the shrimp and the dipping sauce.
If gluten-free soy sauce is used, the recipe is gluten-free.
Rebecca Orr says
I love shrimp. I rarely eat it at home though. I think this recipe will be changing that!