Bang Bang Shrimp Tacos

Ingredients

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup chili garlic sauce
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce, optional
• 1 1/2 pounds extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 6 cups vegetable oil for frying
• 10 taco-sized flour tortillas, warmed
• 8 ounces shredded cabbage, about 3 cups
• Thinly sliced radishes
• Thinly sliced jalapeño peppers
• Sliced green onions
• Chopped cilantro

Directions

1. For the bang bang sauce, whisk the mayonnaise, chili garlic sauce, and sriracha in a bowl until smooth and fully combined. Refrigerate it for up to two days before using.
2. For the shrimp, place them in a separate bowl with the buttermilk and let them sit for 20 minutes.
3. For the breading, stir together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.
4. Place a cooling rack over a sheet pan so the coated shrimp have a spot to rest before they go into the oil; that pause helps the outside turn crisp.
5. Set up a draining area too: cover another sheet pan with a thick layer of paper towels, or use another cooling rack over the pan if you have one.
6. Heat the oven to 200 degrees F.
7. While the oil is coming up to temperature, pour off the buttermilk from the shrimp. Working in batches, coat the shrimp in the flour mixture, tap away extra flour, and set them on the rack so the surface can settle a bit while the oil heats.
8. Put a thermometer into a wide, deep pot, such as a Dutch oven, then pour in the oil. Warm it over medium-high heat until it registers 350 degrees F, which will take about 20 minutes.
9. Add a handful of shrimp to the hot oil. After a minute, gently move them around with a slotted spoon so they separate instead of clumping together. Cook for 4 to 4 1/2 minutes, until the shrimp are golden brown.
10. Lift the shrimp out with a slotted spoon and transfer them to the draining rack or pan. Move the cooked shrimp to the warm oven while you fry the rest.
11. Continue cooking the remaining shrimp in batches, making sure the oil returns to 350 degrees F before each new batch goes in.
12. 8 Sauce the shrimp by placing all the fried shrimp in a bowl and tossing them with 1 cup of the sauce. Set aside the remaining sauce to spoon over the tacos.
13. 9 Assemble the tacos by adding a handful of shredded cabbage to the warmed tortillas, then piling on the shrimp and adding more sauce if you like. Finish with sliced radishes, jalapeños, green onions, and chopped cilantro, then serve. These tacos are best eaten right away.