Ingredients
Method
- In a small mixing bowl, add sriracha sauce, Thai sweet chili sauce, and mayo. Mix to combine. Store the sauce in the refrigerator until needed.
- In another small bowl, mix together buttermilk, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Marinate the shrimp in the buttermilk mixture.
- In a shallow dish, add the cornstarch. Remove the shrimp from the marinade and coat them in the cornstarch. Remove any excess and transfer to a plate. Repeat with the rest of the shrimp.
- In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat 2 inches of canola oil over medium-high heat until the temperature reaches 375°F. Fry the shrimp in batches, for about 3 minutes or until golden brown and crispy, flipping them over halfway through the cooking process.
- Transfer the cooked shrimp to a plate lined with paper towels.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked shrimp and coat them with half of the bang bang sauce. Toss with a spatula until evenly coated.
- Serve as an appetizer or make tacos. To make bang bang shrimp tacos, heat up a few corn tortillas, add sliced purple cabbage, cooked bang bang shrimp, diced tomatoes, more bang bang sauce, and garnish with fresh cilantro.
Nutrition
Notes
Pro Tips:
Buy shrimp that's been frozen and thawed rather than 'fresh' – counterintuitive, but most 'fresh' shrimp has been sitting longer than properly frozen ones because it removes excess moisture that would make your cornstarch coating soggy and weak. After years of making this, I learned to add just a pinch of baking powder to the cornstarch mixture because it creates tiny air bubbles that make the coating shatter-crispy instead of just crunchy – the difference is night and day. Toss the shrimp in sauce immediately after frying while they're still crackling hot because the residual heat actually activates the garlic and ginger oils in the bang bang sauce, making the flavors bloom instead of just sitting on top. Use a Dominican technique called 'el golpe' – give your mixing bowl three sharp taps on the counter after coating the shrimp because it removes excess cornstarch that would otherwise burn and turn bitter in the oil. Storage & Meal Prep:
The bang bang sauce can last in the refrigerator for up to one week. You can make it ahead of time and store until needed.
Buy shrimp that's been frozen and thawed rather than 'fresh' – counterintuitive, but most 'fresh' shrimp has been sitting longer than properly frozen ones because it removes excess moisture that would make your cornstarch coating soggy and weak. After years of making this, I learned to add just a pinch of baking powder to the cornstarch mixture because it creates tiny air bubbles that make the coating shatter-crispy instead of just crunchy – the difference is night and day. Toss the shrimp in sauce immediately after frying while they're still crackling hot because the residual heat actually activates the garlic and ginger oils in the bang bang sauce, making the flavors bloom instead of just sitting on top. Use a Dominican technique called 'el golpe' – give your mixing bowl three sharp taps on the counter after coating the shrimp because it removes excess cornstarch that would otherwise burn and turn bitter in the oil. Storage & Meal Prep:
The bang bang sauce can last in the refrigerator for up to one week. You can make it ahead of time and store until needed.