Ingredients:

  • 120 g (1/2 cup) Mayonnaise (preferably Kewpie)
  • 60 ml (1/4 cup) Sweet Thai Chilli Sauce
  • 2 Tbsp Sriracha or equivalent hot sauce
  • 1 Tbsp Honey or Maple Syrup
  • 1 tsp Rice Vinegar (optional, for balance)
  • 450 g (1 lb) Large Prawns (Shrimp), peeled, deveined, tails removed
  • 60 ml (1/4 cup) Buttermilk or regular milk
  • 1 large Egg
  • 120 g (1 cup) Cornstarch or Potato Starch
  • 60 g (1/2 cup) All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 tsp Fine Sea Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 750 ml (about 3 cups) Neutral Oil (e.g., canola, peanut, or vegetable oil)
  • Chopped spring onions (scallions) or fresh coriander (cilantro), for garnish

Instructions:

  1. In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sweet chilli sauce, Sriracha, honey, and rice vinegar (if using). Whisk until perfectly smooth and homogeneous. Cover and refrigerate while you prepare the shrimp.
  2. Pat the shrimp very dry. In a shallow bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg together. Place the shrimp in this wet mixture and set aside for 5 minutes.
  3. In a second shallow dish, thoroughly combine the cornstarch, flour, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
  4. Pour the neutral oil into your heavy pot or deep-fryer to a depth of about 2 inches (5 cm). Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 375°F (190°C). Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature constantly.
  5. Working quickly, remove the shrimp from the wet mixture (let excess liquid drip off) and place them directly into the dry starch mixture. Ensure each piece is fully coated, pressing the dry mixture onto the shrimp for maximum adherence.
  6. Carefully drop the coated shrimp into the hot oil, ensuring you do not overcrowd the pot. Fry for approximately 2–3 minutes per batch, turning once, until the shrimp is deeply golden brown and perfectly crisp.
  7. Remove the cooked shrimp with tongs or a spider and place them immediately onto a wire rack lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
  8. In a large mixing bowl, place the drained, crispy shrimp. Spoon the prepared Bang Bang sauce over the shrimp (use about 3/4 of the sauce initially). Gently toss until every piece is coated, but ensure the coating remains intact.
  9. Transfer the coated shrimp to a serving dish, ideally over a bed of shredded iceberg or green leaf lettuce. Drizzle with the remaining sauce and garnish generously with chopped spring onions or coriander. Serve immediately while hot and crunchy.