Sugar Shrimp Bao with Pickled Cucumbers & Ginger Lime Sauce

Sugar Shrimp

• 1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Pickled Cucumbers

• 2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon chili crisp oil

Ginger Lime Sauce

• 1/4 cup mayo
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• Juice of 1 lime (1 1/2 tablespoons)
• Zest of 1 lime
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• Pinch of salt

To Serve

• Steamed bao buns
• Chopped chives

Directions

• Sugar shrimp: Preheat oven to 475F and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment. Mix the brown sugar, panko, flour, garlic powder, white pepper, ground ginger, and cayenne in a bowl. Pat the shrimp dry, dip each in the melted butter, then coat in the sugar-spice mixture. Bake 6-8 minutes until pink and the coating is bubbling and caramelized. Broil 1-2 minutes for more crisp if desired (watch closely, it burns fast).
• Pickled cucumbers: Mix the rice vinegar, sugar, salt, and chili crisp in a bowl. Toss in the cucumbers and let sit 20-30 minutes.
• Ginger lime sauce: Whisk all the sauce ingredients together until smooth. Chill until ready to use.
• Assemble: Steam the bao buns and gently open. Add a few pickled cucumbers, tuck in 2-3 crispy shrimp, drizzle generously with the ginger lime sauce, and garnish with chopped chives.

From Amelia Sewell on Instagram (ameliaisnotachef.com). Her bao recipe is on her page.