panko | Cooking is Fun … Really!!

I’ve made Bang Bang Shrimp before but simply sauteed the raw shrimp in a garlic butter and then coated them in the sauce. This time however, I went for the more challenging version and tempura battered the raw shrimp and then deep fried them. I was disappointed with the pale look of the shrimp even after several minutes of frying so, for the rest of the batch, I dipped the battered shrimp into Panko bread crumbs.

Oops!!

I had forgotten that Panko browns … very quickly. I reduced the cooking temperature and time and ended up with much prettier shrimp.

At this point, you can do anything you want with your shrimp, including just eating them with a seafood sauce. I decided to serve the Bang Bang sauce (equal parts sweet Thai chili paste and mayo, with some Sriracha for heat) on the side. The poor pale ‘tester’ tempura shrimp were tossed with the sauce and sprinkled with sliced green onions for a nicer presentation.

Bang Bang Shrimp tossed with sauce

I had extra tempura batter so I diced up a chicken cutlet and made the chicken version of the dish. If you wish to serve this as a shared dish, provide a container of toothpicks and let your friends spear their own.

Bang Bang Chicken drizzled with sauce and garnished with green onion

For the tempura batter, I used a Bonefish Grill copycat recipe. There are several out there.

Bang Bang Shrimp version 2
(Bonefish Grill Copycat recipe)

1/2-1 lb of large shrimp

Sprinkle shrimp with about 1/2 tsp of salt. Let sit for 12 minutes in a large bowl.

Tempura Batter

1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup milk or water (add 2 tbsp of water and then more as needed)
1 large egg

2-3 cups vegetable oil for deep frying
2 cups Panko (optional)
1 tbsp sliced green onion for garnish

Pre-heat oil to 350 deg F in a medium sized pot.

In a second bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, milk and egg. Whisk together until smooth. Add additional milk or water if needed until it is thin enough that it will coat the shrimp.

Drain off excess batter and fry, 3-4 at a time, depending on size of container, for 3 minutes, turning so both sides get browned.

Fried shrimp … a little pale looking for my taste

For a crunchy crust, drain off excess batter, place the battered shrimp into a large shallow bowl with the Panko, turning over to coat both sides.

Fry for 2-3 minutes or until the coating is browned and the shrimp are curled up. Place onto a tray lined with paper towels to drain off the excess fat and let cool.

Bang Bang Sauce – makes about 1/2 cup of sauce

1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup sweet Thai chili sauce
Sriracha to taste

Mix together well and either toss with the shrimp before serving or serve on the side. Garnish with green onion.

I’ve copied and pasted my LJ post here as a test. If it’s easier for bloggers who read my LJ to read it here and comment, I may continue doing duplicate posts. Thank you FrugalHausfrau for the suggestion.

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One of the breasts from my last turkey was sliced into 1/4 inch cutlets and then dipped in a Sriracha based mixture for some of the spiciest oven baked cutlets/tenders I’ve ever had. They were not as crispy as if I’d deep fried them, but I traded a healthier recipe for crunchy texture.

Spicy Sriracha Panko Turkey Cutlets – serves 4

3 tbsp Sriracha sauce**
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp sesame oil, regular or toasted
1/2 tsp pressed garlic or 1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 pound boneless turkey breast, cut into 1/4 inch cutlets (tenders or fingers are also a possible serving choice)
1 1/4 – 1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs

** I reduced the amount of Sriracha sauce in this recipe because, even though I LIKE spicy food, I found the cutlets a bit TOO spicy to eat straight. I didn’t make a dipping sauce (ie Sweet Chili Mayo) for them, which the original recipe suggests. If you find the results not spicy enough for your taste, increase the amount of Sriracha sauce to 1/3 cup.

Pre-heat the oven to 425 deg F.

Line a large baking sheet or shallow baking pan with foil and spray with nonstick cooking or baking spray. Or, use parchment paper, in which case you don’t have to use the spray.

Combine the Sriracha sauce, honey, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger in a wide bowl.

Pour the Panko crumbs in a second wide, shallow bowl.

Dip the cutlets in the Sriracha sauce mixture to coat thoroughly, then press the cutlets into the Panko crumbs flipping over to cover both sides. Shake off the excess. Arrange the cutlets in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.