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Nut shrimp is a Chinese-American dish made with deep-fried shrimp, candied walnuts, and a mayonnaise-based sauce. It can be found on Chinese restaurant menus and is often made with easily accessible ingredients. The dish can be made with or without honey and variations may include additional ingredients like pineapple or chicken.
Nut shrimp is a Chinese-American dish that combines lightly breaded and deep-fried shrimp with candied walnuts and a creamy mayonnaise-based sauce. The dish is often found in the chef’s special section of Chinese restaurant menus. It is, however, typically made with ingredients that can be easily found at any American grocery store. While it’s often known as nut shrimp honey, not all versions of this dish actually contain honey. Some restaurants offer variations on the dish by swapping or adding different ingredients.
This dish gets its name from the key ingredient in candied walnuts. While it is possible to purchase candied walnuts, many people find that freshly prepared walnuts taste fresher and fresher. The crunchier the nuts, the greater the contrast with the shrimp and its rich sauce. Typical recipes for walnut shrimp include instructions for making candied walnuts, which usually involves boiling the walnuts in simple syrup and frying them until crisp. Honey is not used in the preparation of nuts.
Shrimp are often breaded very lightly and then fried. Some recipes use shrimp that has been battered or rolled in breadcrumbs, although this can distract from the crunchy nuts. In many cases, the shrimp is simply rolled in cornstarch or a mixture of cornstarch and egg whites. The shrimp is then fried and drained. Because nuts can be expensive and the candying process can be time consuming, honey nut shrimp is sometimes priced higher than many other dishes on a Chinese restaurant menu.
A typical sauce used to make nut shrimp is quite simple and is made by combining condensed milk with mayonnaise. Additions to the sauce may include butter, lemon juice, and additional sweeteners such as sugar or honey. The sauce may or may not be cooked depending on the recipe. Many recipes called for the prawns to be topped with the candied walnuts and then drizzled with the sauce.
Both Chinese restaurants and home cooks prepare different variations on this dish. In some cases, cooks may add additional elements to the nutty shrimp sauce, such as fresh or grilled pineapple. Another variation of the dish is the Honey Nut Chicken, where the breaded and fried chicken is replaced with shrimp. This alternative works well for those who can’t or won’t eat shrimp. Chicken is also typically much less expensive than shellfish, making it an affordable alternative for those who love this sweet, rich dish but can’t afford the cost of cooking with seafood on a regular basis.
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