Pf Chang's Shrimp With Candied Walnuts

Sarah the Chef's Note:

A very close copy-cat of the restaurant's version. I've seen 3 variations of recipes for this dish on the internet. 1 tasted like mayo (YUCK), 1 was WAY too sweet, the other did not provide enough sauce and had too much of the spices. This seems to be a close as you can possibly get.

• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

The Walnuts

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup walnuts

The Sauce

• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, slightly heaping
• 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon turmeric (maybe a dash more)
• 1 dash celery salt (do NOT put in very much)

The Shrimp

• 1 lb shrimp, de-veined and shelled
• 2 egg whites
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 cup oil (for frying)

The Finishing Touches

• 1 cup honey dew melon ball (or Cantaloupe if you prefer)

Directions:

1. The the walnuts:.
2. Prepare a piece of parchment paper or lightly grease a baking sheet. Set aside.
3. Combine water and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add in the walnuts, stirring constantly. Cook for 5-10 minutes or until thickened. Place the walnuts on the parchment paper or baking sheet. Separating them carefully. Allow them to cool fully.
4. An alternative to this is to simply toss the walnuts in a skillet with some white sugar and heat over medium-high heat, tossing constantly until the sugar is melted and caramelized.
5. For the sauce:.
6. Whisk this together over a low heat until warm. You want a very pale yellow color, if the color is too pale, add a dash more tumeric. Remove from heat.
7. The the shrimp:.
8. Clean and dry shrimp well.
9. Whisk egg whites lightly in a bowl, add the shrimp and coat well.
10. Combine the flour and cornstarch. Dredge the shrimp.
11. Fry shrimp in hot oil, 3-5 minutes until the breading is golden and the shrimp are pink. Fry only a couple shrimp at a time, transferring to a paper towel to drain. Continue until all the shrimp are cooked.
12. Toss the shrimp and honey dew and/or cantaloupe melon balls in the warm sauce. Top with candied walnuts. Serve over rice!

Reviews

[alligirl]

I've never had the PF Chang's version of this, so I have no prior knowledge of this recipe, or the flavors involved. First, I think the shrimp themselves could have used some seasoning. They did fry up nicely, but after tossing them with sauce, they lost their crunch. I like crispy shrimp, therefore, I would serve the sauce on the side, next time...The candied walnuts were a nice addition. Thanks for sharing this recipe, Sarah the Chef. Made for Fall PAC 2011.

[jpatel02004]

I enjoyed this dish. The walnuts add a really nice touch to the coconut flavor. Be careful working with the shrimp before and during the frying process or else they'll separate or not come out exactly as envisioned. Perhaps the shrimp was a little heavy on the mayo side, but it'll definitely satisfy those who love Americanized Chinese food and places such as Pf Chang's.

[nekogoddess]

My partner loved this.. I used coconut cream instead of milk..and it was so so yummy.. Definately five stars and on the menu again and again.. this would be great at a potluck..I will take it with me to my next one.