Bang Bang Shrimp

Crisp rice-flour shrimp with homemade chili sauce and creamy bang bang sauce. Allow about 3 hours when making and cooling the chili sauce, or about 60 minutes when that sauce is made ahead.

Ingredients

• Chili Sauce — 2 Red Chilis like Fresno or Hatch
• Chili Sauce — 4 Garlic Cloves
• Chili Sauce — 1 tsp Ground Ginger
• Chili Sauce — ½ tsp Paprika
• Chili Sauce — ½ cup Rice Wine Vinegar
• Chili Sauce — 1 cup Water
• Chili Sauce — ¼ cup Granulated Sugar
• Chili Sauce — Kosher Salt and Black Pepper to Taste
• Chili Sauce — 1 Tbsp Cornstarch Plus 2 Tbsp Water to Dilute
• Bang Bang Sauce — ¾ cup Mayonnaise
• Bang Bang Sauce — 2 Tbsp Chili Sauce
• Bang Bang Sauce — 1 Tbsp Sriracha Sauce
• Bang Bang Sauce — 1 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
• Bang Bang Sauce — 1 Tbsp Honey
• Bang Bang Sauce — Kosher Salt to Taste
• Bang Bang Sauce — 2 Scallions Chopped for Garnish
• Shrimp Soak — 1 lb 21/25 Shrimp Tail Removed
• Shrimp Soak — ½ cup Buttermilk
• Shrimp Soak — 1 tsp Sriracha Sauce
• Shrimp Soak — ½ tsp Garlic Powder
• Shrimp Soak — Kosher Salt and Black Pepper to Taste
• Dredge Mix — ¼ cup Cornstarch
• Dredge Mix — ½ cup Rice Flour
• Dredge Mix — ½ tsp Paprika
• Dredge Mix — 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• Dredge Mix — 1 tsp Onion Powder
• Dredge Mix — ½ tsp Baking Powder
• For Frying — Approximately 3 cups Peanut Oil

Method

1. MAKE THE CHILI SAUCE: Finely mince the chilis and garlic by hand or in a food processor. Combine in a saucepan with the ginger, paprika, vinegar, 1 cup water, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil for a few minutes.
2. THICKEN AND COOL: Mix the cornstarch with its 2 Tbsp water and stir into the chili sauce. Bring back to a boil, immediately reduce the heat to low and gently simmer for 1–2 minutes, until thickened. Cool for at least 2 hours. Thin with water if it becomes too thick after cooling.
3. SOAK THE SHRIMP: Mix the shrimp with the buttermilk, Sriracha, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. MIX THE BANG BANG SAUCE: Mix the mayonnaise, 2 Tbsp cooled chili sauce, Sriracha, rice wine vinegar, honey and salt until combined. Reserve the scallions for garnish.
5. DREDGE: Combine the dredge ingredients. Remove the shrimp from the soak and shake off excess liquid. Coat all sides in the dredge, then rest on a drip grate for at least 5 minutes.
6. FRY AND SERVE: Heat approximately 3 cups peanut oil in a large sauté pan to 350°F. Fry the shrimp for a few minutes on both sides, then transfer to a drip grate to drain. Drizzle with bang bang sauce and garnish with scallions.