henever I went out to dinner with my Chinese extended family, I’d always beg them to order one of my favorite dishes: honey walnut shrimp. As soon as it hit the lazy Susan on the table, I’d spin it around to grab some crunchy, plump shrimp in the sweet creamy sauce and a few candied walnuts flecked with sesame seeds. This modern Cantonese dish, invented in Hong Kong in the ’70s or ’80s, may seem like a strange combination of ingredients, but it somehow just works. My daughter has inherited my love for this dish; she asks for it at least twice a month if we’re eating out or getting takeout.

I’d never tried making this at home until recently, and was absolutely thrilled to find out that it actually isn’t that hard to pull off. There are three components: the shrimp, the sauce, and the walnuts. Honey comes into play to coat walnut haves that are quickly candied on the stovetop until crisp and glazed. The shrimp are dusted in cornstarch and quickly shallow-fried to have a light, crispy exterior (some places like Panda Express use a thicker tempura-like batter, which I’m not a fan of). The sauce is a mixture of lemon juice, mayonnaise, and sweetened condensed milk. The condensed milk might seem like an odd choice, but it’s actually a staple in iconic Hong Kong dishes like milk tea and French toast, and it adds the perfect amount of sweetness and creaminess here. 

While honey walnut shrimp can sometimes be paired with steamed broccoli, I rarely saw it served that way. Instead, it was often served on a bed of shredded iceberg lettuce, sometimes with some fried rice noodle threads. I don’t bother with any of these garnishes at home because I love just having the shrimp and walnuts as the stars. The whole dish requires fewer than 10 ingredients and 30 minutes in the kitchen, so it’s doable even on a weeknight!

• It’s restaurant-quality. Every part of this dish, from the candied walnuts to the crispy shrimp and creamy sauce, tastes just like what you’d be served at a Cantonese restaurant.
• Surprisingly easy to make. This dish will only take about 30 minutes from start to finish. Because the shrimp are shallow-fried, it’s not as messy and doesn’t need as much oil as deep-frying.

• Shrimp: For the most ease in preparation, buy already-peeled shrimp or EZ-peel shrimp if you can. The best shrimp to use in this dish are sized 21 to 25 per pound or larger.
• Walnuts: Use walnut halves (not pieces). I tried baking the walnuts, but making it on the stovetop was much quicker. And you can use raw nuts, as they’ll toast on the stovetop as they are candied.
• Sweetened condensed milk: It might seem counterintuitive to use this dessert ingredient in a savory dish, but it adds both creaminess and just the right amount of sweetness. It’s a staple in Hong Kong milk tea, and it keeps Rice Krispies treats soft if you want to use up the rest of the can. (I’m also a fan of peanut butter and sweetened condensed milk sandwiches.)
• Cornstarch: I first tried frying the shrimp in a batter, but it was too tempura-like. Just tossing the shrimp with a light coating of cornstarch yielded a thin-yet-crispy coating on the outside of the shrimp that the sauce can cling to.

1. Make the candied walnuts. Heat honey, oil, sesame seeds, and salt in a nonstick frying pan until bubbling, then stir in the walnuts and cook until they’re coated with a thick glaze and toasted. If the pan mixture starts to smoke, immediately reduce the heat. Transfer to parchment paper to cool.
2. Make the sauce. Stir mayonnaise, sweetened condensed milk, and lemon juice together to make the sauce.
3. Coat and fry the shrimp. Slice all the way down the back of each shrimp halfway through to help the shrimp form their signature flowery curls during frying. Toss with some kosher salt and cornstarch. Shallow-fry in two batches until crisp on the outside and just cooked through (they will not be browned much).
4. Coat the shrimp and serve. Toss the fried shrimp with the sauce. Place the walnuts on a plate, breaking them up with your hands if they’re stuck together. Top with the shrimp and sprinkle with some more white sesame seeds.

• If you’re not a fan of walnuts, swap in pecan halves instead.
• If you want to use larger shrimp, they will just need a little extra frying time.
• Rice vinegar can be used in place of the lemon juice.

• The walnuts can be candied up to 1 day ahead, cooled, and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
• The sauce can be made up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Let come to room temperature and stir if needed to recombine before using.