P.F. Chang's Dynamite Shrimp
P.F. Chang's most popular appetizer: crispy double-fried shrimp tossed in the restaurant's actual three-step dynamite sauce made from seasoned Hellman's mayo. Served on shredded cabbage with crispy rice sticks.
Servings 1 servings
Calories 700kcal
Equipment
- 1 Made-In Carbon Steel Wok for deep-frying shrimp and rice sticks
- 1 Whisk for batter and sauce
- 1 Wire Cooling Rack for draining fried shrimp
- 1 Wok Spider/Strainer for removing shrimp and rice sticks from oil
- 1 Colander for straining shrimp from marinade
- 1 Infrared Thermometer for monitoring oil temperature
Ingredients
Alkaline Soy Marinade
- 1 cup water
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
The Shrimp
- 10 shrimp 71/90 count, peeled and deveined, frozen or fresh
- potato starch or dredging; cornstarch may be substituted
Dynamite Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise Hellman's or any Western-style mayo
- 1 3/4 tsp soy sauce
- 2 1/4 tsp unseasoned rice vinegar total across both sauce steps
- 1/8 tsp celery salt
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/16 tsp turmeric
- 2 tbsp sriracha
- 1 tsp green onion tops finely sliced
- 1/2 tsp fresh garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp chipotle powder
- 1 tsp honey
Fry Batter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 2 tbsp
- 3/4 cup cornstarch plus 2.5 tbsp
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup water ice cold
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
Cabbage Mix
- 4 parts green cabbage finely shredded
- 4 parts red cabbage finely shredded
- 1 part carrots finely shredded
Crispy Rice Sticks
- rice vermicelli 3 Ladies Brand medium size recommended; also labeled rice sticks or mei fun
- vegetable oil or any high smoke point oil; heated to 425-450°F
For Serving
- green onion tops finely sliced, for garnish
Instructions
Prepare the Alkaline Soy Marinade
- Add water, soy sauce, and baking soda to a large bowl and whisk until the baking soda is dissolved.
- Pour the marinade over the frozen shrimp. Make sure all shrimp are submerged. Double the marinade recipe if using a 12-ounce bag.
- Let the shrimp thaw completely in the marinade, about 1 hour at room temperature or several hours in the fridge.
- When thawed, strain the shrimp from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Discard the marinade.
Make the Dynamite Sauce
- Add mayonnaise, soy sauce, rice vinegar, celery salt, salt, and turmeric to a bowl. Whisk until all spices are evenly distributed. This is the Japanese-style mayo.
- Add sriracha, an additional 1/2 teaspoon of rice vinegar, sliced green onion tops, and minced garlic. Whisk until combined. This is the Crispy Green Bean sauce.
- Add chipotle powder and honey. Whisk until combined. This is the finished dynamite sauce.
- Refrigerate for several hours before using for the best flavor. Makes enough for 2-3 orders.
Make the Fry Batter
- Add flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and baking powder to a large bowl. Whisk until combined.
- Add ice cold water, egg, and oil. Whisk until smooth with no visible streaks of egg or oil.
- Refrigerate until ready to use. Keep the batter as cold as possible.
Fry the Rice Sticks
- Heat oil to 425-450°F in a large pot or wok.
- Pull apart rice noodle bunches and tear into roughly 1-inch pieces.
- Drop a small handful of rice noodle pieces into the hot oil. They should puff up within a few seconds.
- Remove immediately and drain on a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining noodles in small batches.
Prep the Cabbage Mix
- Combine finely shredded green cabbage, red cabbage, and carrots in a large bowl at a 4:4:1 ratio. Toss until mixed.
Fry the Shrimp
- Heat oil to 350°F in a large pot or wok.
- Toss 10 marinated shrimp in potato starch until completely coated. Shake off excess starch.
- Dip each shrimp into the cold fry batter, allow excess to drip off, and slowly lower into the hot oil.
- Fry for 2-3 minutes until cooked through, agitating so both sides fry evenly. Remove to a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
- Raise the oil temperature to 375°F.
- Fry the shrimp a second time for 1-2 minutes to expel moisture and recrisp the coating. Remove to the wire rack.
Sauce and Serve
- Place about 2 ounces of the cabbage mix on a plate.
- Add the fried shrimp to a bowl and toss with several tablespoons of the dynamite sauce until completely coated.
- Arrange the sauced shrimp over the cabbage mix.
- Garnish with fried rice sticks and thinly sliced green onion tops.
Video
Notes
Shrimp Size: 71/90 count means 71-90 shrimp per pound. Look for this number on the bag or price tag. These are small shrimp, roughly the same size you'd get at the restaurant.
Marinade Scaling: For a full 16 oz bag of shrimp, double or triple the alkaline soy marinade recipe so all the shrimp are submerged.
Celery Salt vs. Celery Seed: These are different products. Make sure you're getting celery salt, not celery seed.
Potato Starch vs. Potato Flour: These are different products. Potato starch creates a lighter coating. If you can't find potato starch, cornstarch works as a substitute.
Cold Batter: Keep the fry batter in the fridge until you're ready to use it. Cold batter produces a crispier coating.
Double Fry Technique: The second fry at 375°F expels moisture from the batter, keeping the coating crispy even after it's sauced. This is the same technique P.F. Chang's uses at the restaurant.
Frozen Shrimp Shortcut: You can use frozen pre-fried shrimp (popcorn or tempura) and just toss them in the dynamite sauce for a quick version that gets you about 75% of the way there.
Storage: Dynamite sauce keeps 1 week in the fridge. Fried rice sticks store 2-3 days at room temperature in a covered container (don't refrigerate). Marinated shrimp store 1-2 days in the fridge.
Nutrition
Calories: 700kcal