Bang Bang Shrimp with Ginger Tahini Slaw

Have you ever had the bang bang shrimp at Bonefish Grill? I had it years ago and was forever changed! It was the perfect blend of sweet and spicy. The texture of it was amazing as well. The shrimp were cooked tender with the most amazing crunch to the outside without being over-fried. Once I had that dish, I longed for it. We don't have a Bonefish Grill near us, but we do have the ocean! I have worked on making it over the years here at home. It's not an exact copycat, but I think it's pretty close! All four of my boys get excited for bang bang shrimp. Even my husband loves it and he is not particularly "in love" with shrimp.

I love a good ginger sesame dressing. I paired the bang bang shrimp with jasmine rice and an Asian inspired salad. The whole meal was so colorful and the flavors melded together perfectly.

This entire meal was actually gluten free. I didn't do that on purpose, as I am not gluten free, nor is anyone in my home. Since I know many of you are gluten free out there, here is a great meal to add to your repertoire. Because the salad is more like a slaw, with cabbage as the base, I prepared the salad first and dressed it so the ginger dressing could soften the texture of the cabbage a bit. This salad is loaded with red cabbage, green cabbage, matchstick carrots, cucumbers, green onions, cilantro, edamame and bean sprouts. It has a delightful crunch and I love all the colors in there. I grew up hearing, "eat the rainbow" and this salad, alone, gives you the rainbow.

Next up, I prepped the shrimp. I used frozen, uncooked, peeled and deveined shrimp. It's a huge time saver, but you can certainly use fresh, then peel and devein yourself! If using frozen, place your shrimp in a bowl and fill with cool water to thaw. As the shrimp thaws, let the jasmine rice cook. Once your shrimp is ready, strain the water and pat with paper towels to absorb any excess water. Set up a large skillet with about a half inch of grape seed oil (or another high temp oil for frying) and set to medium high heat. Canola is often a go-to for frying but grape seed is my favorite. Whisk together the cornstarch, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder and cayenne.

I like to let the shrimp soak in milk for about 10 minutes, then dredge in the cornstarch mixture and add to the fryer. Cook about 3 minutes, then flip your shrimp and cook another three. It should look beautifully crisp. Move shrimp to a paper towel-lined cooling rack to absorb excess oil and then toss in the bang bang sauce until evenly coated. Serve over rice and ginger tahini slaw.

I fully admit, I was not good at documenting all the steps visually, but I have the end result. It had been a day and I just needed to dive into the kitchen and get dinner going. I hope you make it. Every bite is bursting with flavor!

Full bang bang shrimp recipe.

Full ginger tahini slaw salad recipe.