Sulhee Jessica Woo's 30-Minute Crispy Honey-Walnut Shrimp Is a Hit with Kids and Adults

You don't need Uber Eats to get your hands on restaurant-quality Chinese-American food.

Sulhee Jessica Woo shares her recipe for Crispy Honey-Walnut Shrimp, which comes together in 30 minutes.

"It's the perfect blend of sweet and savory flavors," says the chef, who features this dish in her cookbook Let’s Make Some Lunch — but promises it makes a great school-night dinner. "It’s a crowd-pleaser for any time of day: perfect for busy school dinners or a convenient lunch option for the next day."

Best of all, everyone in the family will love it. "Kids enjoy the crispy texture of the shrimp, creamy sauce and crunch of candied walnuts, and parents like that it’s easy to prepare and takes less than 30 minutes," she says.

To really enhance the crispiness, “pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel before coating them in cornstarch," says Woo. "It helps the coating adhere better and creates a crispier texture."

Sulhee Jessica Woo's Crispy Honey-Walnut Shrimp

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup water

1 cup walnuts

¼ cup mayonnaise

2 Tbsp. honey

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

1 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp. kosher salt

Vegetable oil

⅓ cup cornstarch

1 lb. large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

Cooked white or brown rice, for serving

Sliced scallions, for serving (optional)

1. Line a large rimmed baking sheet using parchment paper.

2. Stir together sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar completely dissolves and mixture is syrupy, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool 5 minutes.

3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium. Add walnuts; cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer walnuts to saucepan with sugar syrup, and stir until evenly coated. Pour onto baking sheet in an even layer; let cool until ready to use.

4. Whisk together mayonnaise, honey, lemon juice, condensed milk and salt in a large bowl until smooth. Set aside.

5. Pour oil to a depth of 1 to 2 inches into a large high-sided skillet or Dutch oven. Heat over medium high to 350°.

6. Toss cornstarch and shrimp in a medium bowl until well-coated, shaking off any excess. Add shrimp, in batches of 6 to 8 at a time, to hot oil in skillet; cook, flipping occasionally, until lightly golden and crispy, 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate, and let drain.

7. Add shrimp to honey mixture, and toss to coat. Gently stir in reserved walnuts. Serve over rice, and sprinkle with scallions.

Serves: 4
Active time: 30 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes