If you have ever been to Bonefish Grill and tried their Bang Bang Shrimp, you will agree – They are the best appetizer in the world. Ok, maybe not the world, but they are certainly the best in my town. I am not the biggest fan of shrimp but I still love them. But, at the local price of almost $10 bucks per appetizer, we rarely go there too eat. Wednesdays is another story, as they have Bang Bang Wednesday, and the dish is only $5 bucks!
Anyway, the family and I were craving the tasty shrimp the other day, so I did a bit of research on the internet, trying to find the perfect “copy cat” recipe for them. I found a WIDE array of recipes, and some were just so far off, they were honestly just posting a recipe from their box, and calling it Bang Bang – not even close. Some of the others looked like they would be pretty close, but it had been a while since we had the real deal, so we hit Bonefish last Wednesday to get the flavor fresh in our minds. After that, I reviewed the number of “close” recipes and developed my own. I actually do this kind of thing often, and it usually takes me a few tries to “tweak” the recipe until it is just right. Not this time. I nailed it on the first go! And now, I share this with you.
Bang Bang Shrimp
1 pound shrimp (peeled and deveined)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons Sweet Thai Chili Sauce
2 tablespoons Sriracha Sauce
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup Panko Bread Crumbs
oil for frying
chopped scallion
Peel and devein shrimp, then soak in a bowl of milk – set aside. Combine mayonnaise, chili sauce and Sriracha sauce – set aside. Combine cornstarch and bread crumbs – set aside. Heat oil in a deep fryer until 375. Take shrimp from milk and coat with cornstarch mixture and drop into fryer. Try to do them in batches, so that they cook at an even pace. After 3 to 5 minutes (or until light golden brown) remove from oil and allow to dry on a paper towel. Once all shrimp have been cooked and dried, toss in a bowl with the wet sauce. Top with chopped scallions and serve.
Now, a few of the recipes called for a dip into the corn starch, back into the milk and then into the bread crumbs. I have done that sort of breading many times, and I personally hate getting all breaded up myself. I tried to mix the two dry ingredients and I think it worked out great. Try what works best for you.
Also, the amount of “heat” to add is very subjective. I first started with 3 teaspoons of the Sriracha but ended up adding another 3 because it did not have the hotness we all like. Use your own judgement.
Enjoy!
And, for what it’s worth, the image here is not mine. I found it on the internet that has been shared on numerous pages. I’d give credit where it is due, but I am not sure where it originated.