The BEST Dynamite Shrimp - Crispy, fried shrimp (prawns) coated in a delicious sweet and spicy mayonnaise dressing! This starter is a popular restaurant menu item in many restaurants all over the world. It is ready to eat in 20 minutes. Inspired by the famous PF Chang appetiser, these mouth watering shrimp smothered in dynamite/bang bang sauce are a popular dinner party favourite. If you prefer to make it with Chicken, why not try this Dynamite Chicken Recipe?
THE BEST Dynamite Shrimp
In this recipe crispy fried shrimp (prawns) are drenched in some sweet, slightly spicy and savoury bang bang sauce.
This is a popular starter made up of battered shrimp dressed in a sriracha mayo sauce. Made famous by PF Chang, this popular menu item is now served in restaurants all over the world.
If like me, you love Dynamite Shrimp then you will love this recipe.
Ingredients and Substitutions for Dynamite Shrimp
Prawns - Peeled and deveined.
Buttermilk - To soak the Prawns in.
Salt and Pepper
Garlic Granules, Paprika, Lemon and Soy Sauce - Adds flavour to the Shrimp/Prawns.
Plain Flour, Corn Flour, Salt and Pepper - for crispy Shrimp/Prawns.
Mayonnaise - For a creamy dressing.
Sriracha Sauce - Any hot sauce will work but I would suggest using at least 1.5 tbsp.
Honey - This adds balance to the sauce.
Sweet Chilli Sauce - Add a little and taste the sauce as you go and adjust it according to your taste.
Vegetable Oil - To deep fry.
Toppings - Spring Onions, Chives and Sesame Seeds.
Salad - Lettuce or any other greens to serve.
How to make Dynamite Shrimp
PF Chang's use a tempura batter in their recipe. In this recipe:
Wash the Shrimp.
Soak in buttermilk for 1 - 4 hours and and let excess buttermilk drain away. (Optional).
Make the batter - Whisk Egg, Salt and Pepper, Garlic, Soy Sauce, Paprika in a bowl.
Whisk ingredients for flour in a bowl - Plain Flour, Corn Flour, Salt and Pepper.
Add Shrimp to Egg Batter then add to Flour.
Mix well until coated.
Deep fry the Shrimp a few at a time for 2-3 minutes until golden brown.
Transfer to a wire rack placed over a plate lined with tissue paper. Or you can drain on kitchen paper.
Meanwhile make a Sweet spicy Mayo using Mayo, Sriracha, Sweet Chilli and Honey.
Arrange a leafy salad.
Toss the shrimp with the sauce until evenly coated and serve on top of Salad.
FAQ's to make the BEST Dynamite Shrimp
What is the difference between Dynamite Shrimp and Bang Bang Shrimp?
There is very little difference between Bang Bang Shrimp and Dynamite shrimp.
Dynamite Shrimp just has more of a kick though.
How to make Dynamite Shrimp Sauce
This sweet and tangy sauce is made with few ingredients.
It’s a simple sauce to make by just mixing mayonnaise, sweet chilli sauce, siracha and honey.
Who created Dynamite Shrimp?
PF Chang's an American casual dining restaurant chain came up with the famous recipe. They serve Asian fusion cuisine.
PF Chang's say:
“Neither my mother or I had this on our menu. I went on a trip to Hong Kong and went to a restaurant with British influences – dishes used mayo, which isn’t seen in Chinese cooking. So we tried it and one of our chefs threw in some spices and created the dressing, not knowing it would be such a hit.”
How to make the BEST Dynamite Shrimp in an Air Fryer
After the Shrimp are coated in batter place in the Air Fryer basket.
Air fry for 5 minutes 190 °C and then coat with the dynamite sauce.
Is Dynamite Shrimp healthy?
Because the Shrimp is deep fried and then coated in sauces, this is not a healthy recipe. To cut back on calories, you can air fry the Shrimp.
Is Dynamite Shrimp Keto Friendly?
No it is not. Dynamite Shrimp is coated in Plain Flour and Corn Flour and smothered in sauces as well as Honey.
How to reheat Dynamite Shrimp?
When you reheat Shrimp, it must be done quickly to avoid over cooking it. This results in rubbery dry prawns.
As the Shrimp is tossed in sauce after being deep fried, it is best to crisp them in an air fryer or oven.
In this case, I would recommend making more sauce
Can you freeze Dynamite Shrimp?
I would not recommend freezing Dynamite Shrimp.
It is best to make it fresh to avoid rubbery shrimp.
You can prep ahead by making all the various elements ahead of time and storing in air tight containers.
Then simply, dredge the shrimp in the flour, fry and top with the sauce.
Top Tips to make Dynamite Shrimp
Overcrowding - Do no overcrowd the oil when frying the shrimp. This lowers the temperature of the oil so you end up steaming the batter whoch then becomes soggy.
Leftover Sauce - Any sauce can be used as a dressing for salads.
Buttermilk - This is an optional step which tenderises the Shrimp and removes any fishy smell. You can do this for 1 - 4 hours.
Ketchup - I have an aversion to Ketchup but you can add a tbsp to the dressing if you like.
Chicken - To make with Chicken, follow all the steps but you will need to deep fry for longer. 5 - 10 minutes.
Tongs - Use rubber tongs to handle the Shrimp so the batter doesn't come away.
Shrimp - Get peeled and deveined shrimp for ease. Costco also do Shrimp that is coated in Panko breadcrumb. You could try using that like I did here.
Frying - Shrimp overcooks quickly so 2 - 3 minutes is more then enough time for it to cook through.
Make Ahead - The sauce can be made ahead and it keeps well in the fridge for 3 days just mix it well before serving.
Can you make it in advance?
As mentioned above, the sauce can be made 3 days in advance.
The Shrimp however has to be fried and eaten immediately so is best made fresh.
They lose crunch if stored overnight.
You can prep ahead by making all the various elements ahead of time and storing in air tight containers.
Then simply, dredge the shrimp in the flour, fry and top with the sauce.
How to serve Dynamite Shrimp
Alongside the leafy salad, Dynamite Shrimp can be served with a number of Noodle or Rice Recipes such as Fried Rice or:
It can also be served on a bus of lettuce or as a topping to salads:
Vegetable and Herby Citrus Quinoa Salad
The sauce can be used as a dressing and in sandwiches.
TRY THE CHICKEN VERSION!
More Easy Starter Recipes:
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The BEST Dynamite Shrimp
The BEST Dynamite Shrimp - Crispy, fried shrimp (prawns) coated in a delicious sweet and spicy mayonnaise dressing! This starter is a popular restaurant menu item in many restaurants all over the world. It is ready to eat in 20 minutes. Inspired by the famous PF Chang appetiser, these mouth watering shrimp smothered in dynamite/bang bang sauce are a popular dinner party favourite.
Ingredients
Buttermilk (Optional)
- 125 g Buttermilk
- 400 g Prawns Shelled and deveined
Egg Soak
- 1 large Egg
- 1 tbsp Garlic granules
- 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp Paprika
- Pinch Salt and Pepper
Flour Dredge
- 85 g Plain Flour
- 85 g Cornflour
- 1/2 tsp Salt
Frying
- Vegetable OIl To deep fry
Sauce
- 100 g Mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp Sriracha
- 2 tbsp Sweet Chilli Sauce
- 1 tbsp Honey Optional
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice
- ½ tsp Paprika
Toppings and Salad
- Lettuce or other Greens
- Chives
- Spring Onions
- Sesame Seeds
Instructions
-
Wash the Shrimp.
-
Soak in Buttermilk, then let excess liquid drain.
-
Egg Soak - Whisk Egg, Garlic, Soy Sauce, Paprika, Salt and Pepper, in a bowl. Add the shrimp and mix well until evenly coated.
-
Flour Dredge - Whisk Plain Flour, Corn Flour, Salt and Pepper togeher in a bowl. Dredge Shrimp in Seasoned Flour.
-
Deep fry the Shrimp a few at a time for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack placed over a plate lined with tissue paper. Or you can drain on kitchen paper.
-
Sauce - Meanwhile make a Sweet spicy Mayo by mixing Mayonnaise, Sriracha, Sweet Chilli, Honey, Lemon and Paprika together in a bowl.
-
Arrange a leafy salad in 2 stemmed glasses.
-
Toss the shrimp with the sauce until evenly coated and serve on top of the Salad.
Recipe Notes
FAQ's to make the BEST Dynamite Shrimp
What is the difference between Dynamite Shrimp and Bang Bang Shrimp?
There is very little difference between Bang Bang Shrimp and Dynamite shrimp.
Dynamite Shrimp just has more of a kick though.
How to make Dynamite Shrimp Sauce
This sweet and tangy sauce is made with few ingredients.
It’s a simple sauce to make by just mixing mayonnaise, sweet chilli sauce, siracha and honey.
Who created Dynamite Shrimp?
PF Chang's an American casual dining restaurant chain came up with the famous recipe. They serve Asian fusion cuisine.
PF Chang's say:
“Neither my mother or I had this on our menu. I went on a trip to Hong Kong and went to a restaurant with British influences – dishes used mayo, which isn’t seen in Chinese cooking. So we tried it and one of our chefs threw in some spices and created the dressing, not knowing it would be such a hit.”
How to make the BEST Dynamite Shrimp in an Air Fryer
After the Shrimp are coated in batter place in the Air Fryer basket.
Air fry for 5 minutes 190 °C and then coat with the dynamite sauce.
Is Dynamite Shrimp healthy?
Because the Shrimp is deep fried and then coated in sauces, this is not a healthy recipe. To cut back on calories, you can air fry the Shrimp.
Is Dynamite Shrimp Keto Friendly?
No it is not. Dynamite Shrimp is coated in Plain Flour and Corn Flour and smothered in sauces as well as Honey.
How to reheat Dynamite Shrimp?
When you reheat Shrimp, it must be done quickly to avoid over cooking it. This results in rubbery dry prawns.
As the Shrimp is tossed in sauce after being deep fried, it is best to crisp them in an air fryer or oven.
In this case, I would recommend making more sauce
Can you freeze Dynamite Shrimp?
I would not recommend freezing Dynamite Shrimp.
It is best to make it fresh to avoid rubbery shrimp.
You can prep ahead by making all the various elements ahead of time and storing in air tight containers.
Then simply, dredge the shrimp in the flour, fry and top with the sauce.
Top Tips to make Dynamite Shrimp
Overcrowding - Do no overcrowd the oil when frying the shrimp. This lowers the temperature of the oil so you end up steaming the batter whoch then becomes soggy.
Leftover Sauce - Any sauce can be used as a dressing for salads.
Buttermilk - This is an optional step which tenderises the Shrimp and removes any fishy smell. You can do this for 1 - 4 hours.
Ketchup - I have an aversion to Ketchup but you can add a tbsp to the dressing if you like.
Chicken - To make with Chicken, follow all the steps but you will need to deep fry for longer. 5 - 10 minutes.
Tongs - Use rubber tongs to handle the Shrimp so the batter doesn't come away.
Shrimp - Get peeled and deveined shrimp for ease. Costco also do Shrimp that is coated in Panko breadcrumb. You could try using that like I did here.
Frying - Shrimp overcooks quickly so 2 - 3 minutes is more then enough time for it to cook through.
Make Ahead - The sauce can be made ahead and it keeps well in the fridge for 3 days just mix it well before serving.
Can you make it in advance?
As mentioned above, the sauce can be made 3 days in advance.
The Shrimp however has to be fried and eaten immediately so is best made fresh.
They lose crunch if stored overnight.
You can prep ahead by making all the various elements ahead of time and storing in air tight containers.
Then simply, dredge the shrimp in the flour, fry and top with the sauce.
How to serve Dynamite Shrimp
Alongside the leafy salad, Dynamite Shrimp can be served with a number of Noodle or Rice Recipes such as Fried Rice or:
It can also be served on a bus of lettuce or as a topping to salads:
Vegetable and Herby Citrus Quinoa Salad
The sauce can be used as a dressing and in sandwiches.
Ahj says
Hi, can I use the same recipe to make dynamite chicken? Unfortunately I have a mild allergy to some sea food so I try to avoid.
TIA!
Safira says
Hi Aisha,
Yes you can, you will just need to fry the Chicken for longer.
x