Crispy Honey Shrimp

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Plump shrimp in a feather-light cornstarch batter, shallow-fried in a small pot of oil until they shatter, then tossed in a glossy honey glaze off the heat so the crust never goes soft. Ready in about 35 minutes with a handful of pantry ingredients — the takeout-chain favorite, but crunchier.

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lb large shrimp (26–30 count), peeled and deveined, tails off
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
• 3/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 large egg white
• 1/2 cup ice-cold water
• 3 tbsp cornstarch, for dredging
• 3 cups neutral oil, such as canola or peanut

• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 clove garlic, finely grated
• 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

• 3 tbsp fresh chives, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• 1 pinch flaky salt
• steamed white rice, for serving

Instructions

1. Pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels — surface moisture is the enemy of a crisp crust. Toss in a bowl with the kosher salt, white pepper, and Shaoxing wine and let sit 10 minutes while you set up everything else.
2. Make the glaze: in a small bowl, whisk together the honey, rice vinegar, soy sauce, mayonnaise, lemon juice, grated garlic, sesame oil, and cayenne until completely smooth and pourable. Set aside at room temperature — do not heat it.
3. Make the batter: whisk 3/4 cup cornstarch, the flour, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Add the egg white and ice-cold water and whisk just until smooth; it should be the thickness of heavy cream and coat a spoon in a thin film. If it's too thick, add cold water 1 teaspoon at a time.
4. Pour the oil into a small, deep saucepan (2- to 3-quart) to a depth of about 1 1/2 inches — a narrow pot means less oil and a steadier temperature. Heat over medium to 350°F, using a thermometer if you have one. If not, the batter should sizzle immediately and float when dropped in. Set a wire rack over a sheet pan nearby.
5. Drain any liquid from the shrimp and toss them with the 3 tablespoons of dry cornstarch until lightly, evenly dusted. This dry layer grips the wet batter.
6. Working with 5 or 6 shrimp at a time, drop them into the batter, lift each out letting excess drip off for a second, and lower it into the oil. Fry 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, until pale gold, puffed, and crisp. Transfer to the rack. Let the oil return to 350°F between batches — it will drop about 25°F each time.
7. For maximum crunch, give everything a second fry: raise the oil to 375°F and return the shrimp in batches for 45 to 60 seconds, until deep gold and audibly crisp. Drain on the rack and season lightly with flaky salt.
8. Turn off the heat under the oil. Put the hot shrimp in a large dry bowl, pour the honey glaze over, and toss quickly with a spatula — 10 to 15 seconds, just enough to coat. Tossing off the heat keeps the glaze from thinning out and steaming the crust.
9. Pile onto a platter, scatter with chives and sesame seeds, and serve immediately with steamed rice. These are at their peak within about 5 minutes of glazing.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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