If you’ve been to any Asian-fusion restaurants like Buddakan, Tao or Nobu…you’ve likely indulged in the delicious rock shrimp menu item. Those places are pretty upscale, so making rock shrimp at home seemed intimidating. Good news! It’s a lot easier than I thought it was going to be! I “modeled” mine after the one I tried from Pod in Philadelphia because they pair theirs with candied walnuts and pineapple, which I’m a huge fan of. I love that sweet and salty combo, especially with the buttery shrimp. Suffice to say, this recipe is amazing and easy.
If you can’t find candied walnuts at the store, you can use this recipe and make your own!
Rock Shrimp with Candied Walnuts and Pineapple
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw shrimp
- 2 egg yolks
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 cold water
- 1/4 cup diced pineapple
- 1/4 cup candied walnuts
- Lime zest for topping, to taste
- Vegetable oil for frying
Spicy Sauce
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 2 tsp sriracha
Directions
- Wash and devein shrimp, then place to the side.
- In a deep pot, heat 3-4 cups of vegetable oil on high heat.
- While the oil heats, prepare the batter. Pour flour into a bowl, then add cold water and egg yolks and mix until fully combined.
- Place the shrimp into batter and make sure they are fully coated on all sides.
- Use tongs to place shrimp one by one into the hot pot of vegetable oil. It's important you do one at a time so the shrimp do not stick together. The batter is so wet that it may disperse. After a few seconds of frying, you can add the next rock shrimp.
- Flip shrimp occasionally until fully cooked and crispy.
- Once shrimp are fully cooked, place on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
- Mix all sauce ingredients in a bowl until thoroughly combined.
- Place shrimp in the bowl and toss shrimp until fully coated. Serve with diced pineapple and candied walnuts, and lime zest for flavor.