How to Make Honey-Walnut Shrimp, an American Chinese Favorite 合桃蝦

It wasn’t until we came to the United States that this dish—perhaps most famous at Panda Express—entered our lives.

My mother was out with work colleagues at a Chinese restaurant when they suggested honey-walnut shrimp.

One bite and my mom was hooked: Crispy fried shrimp, shellacked in this rich, creamy, sweet-and-tangy sauce, with crunchy candied walnuts adding a nutty accent.

My parents set out to develop their own version, and they landed on several innovations:

• Instead of American-style mayonnaise, they used Japanese Kewpie mayo, which has a more savory and creamy quality.
• The sweetness comes from honey and condensed milk, the latter adding an appealing dairy flavor to the sauce.
• A squeeze of lemon juice balances out the sauce.

You’ll find this recipe in our book, A Very Chinese Cookbook, along with 100 more dishes that were rigorously tested and developed. Watch the video below to see us demonstrate Honey-Walnut Shrimp.