Bang Bang Shrimp

one of the best appetizers i have tried in past years happens to be the bang bang shrimp served at the bonefish grill restaurants. they have more than 150 locations throughout the country. we first tried this restaurant when visiting our son in greenville south carolina.  this shrimp recipe comes very close to the taste of the shrimp served at bonefish, as well as the Thai chili sauce served alongside the appetizer.

i made the copy cat recipe a couple of weeks ago and served it as a main course, since the shrimp is just that good to feature for an entree.  the whole preparation time is about 35 minutes, so it is a quick cook recipe for certain.

to begin, make the sauce first.  mix 1/2 cup low fat mayonnaise with 1 tablespoon Asian chili sauce, 2 teaspoons honey, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon water.  stir together and chill.

this brand of sweet chili sauce is exceptional and i use this sauce in many Asian dishes with great results.

next, prepare the shrimp. select large (26-30 count) peeled and cleaned shrimp. assemble the following ingredients:
a small amount of canola oil
2 large eggs
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
shredded romaine lettuce
fresh chopped chives or thinly sliced scallions

whisk eggs in a shallow bowl.  in a second bowl, whisk flour, cornstarch, salt and pepper.
heat oil in a heavy pot, wok, or electric skillet.  i use an electric skillet for this recipe.  bring temperature to 350 degrees.

dredge the shrimp in the flour mixture, then the egg, then return to the flour mixture again.  brown the shrimp in the oil about 1-2 minutes on each side. the shrimp will firm up and curl into a tight C when they are cooked.

serve on the bed of shredded lettuce with the dipping sauce.  top the shrimp with the shredded chives or scallions.

this is a wonderful appetizer or shrimp entree.  using very little oil and this light batter, the taste of fried shrimp has never been this good or light in calories.