Sesame Shrimp With Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

From the book The Seventh Daughter, by Cecilia Chiang.

• Ready In: 25 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1  lb medium shrimp, shelled and deveined, with tails attached
• 2  teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 -3  cups  white sesame seeds
• 1  teaspoon  sesame oil
• 2  tablespoons  chinese rice wine
• 2  large eggs
• 1⁄2 cup cornstarch
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 cup  peanut oil, plus additional for deep frying
• 1  cup water

• Chinese honey-mustard dipping sauce

• 1⁄4 cup Dijon mustard
• 2  tablespoons honey
• 2  tablespoons  peanut oil
• 2  tablespoons soy sauce

Directions

1. To make sauce - whisk together the mustard, honey, oil and soy sauce until well combined. Set aside until ready to serve.
2. In a bowl, gently mix the shrimp with salt to coat salt.
3. Cover with cold water, slosh around a few times, drain the shrimp well, and then transfer to a cutting board.
4. Line up 3 shallow bowls and put 1 cup flour in one.
5. In the second, whisk together sesame oil, wine, eggs, cornstarch, baking soda and the remaining 1/2 cup of flour, 1/2 cup of the peanut oil and the 1 cup of water until well combined.
6. In the third bowl, add sesame seeds.
7. Heat a wok or large pot with peanut oil for deep frying over high heat until 360°F
8. Work in batches of 4-5 shrimp at a time. For each shrimp, hold by tail, dip in flour, then batter, then sesame seeds.
9. Deep fry in batches of 4-5 shrimp until golden brown, about 2 minutes.
10. Serve with dipping sauce.