Y'all bang bang sauce changed my life last week. Like I could put this ish on anything, and you should too!
Why is it called bang bang? (shrug) but.... bang bang chicken refers to a popular Chinese dish of tenderized chicken that was considered a luxury because of the labor it took to make. You can read more about it here.
Now bang bang shrimp is a popular dish of crispy fried shrimp tossed with a spicy, sweet & creamy sauce popular at the Bonefish Grill Chain (we don't have any in Cali) but let me know how this compares if you've tried it!
It's day 97602464 of quarantine and this is exactly what you need to break up that pasta life I know you've been living. Seriously though, make this and thank me later. You could probably even put this sauce on pasta, I haven't tried that *yet* but if you do let me know. haha
Substitutions: Grocery stores are weird AF right now and so make this work with what you have. I've included like 52048674 different substitutions and suggestions. Don't skip on the sauce and yes you really do need something creamy in there.
You can use only cauliflower for a vegetarian version, all shrimp or even chicken. Crumbled tofu would probably work too! The breading is also optional. If you are gluten free you can try subbing rice flour, as I imagine that would work well, but almond or coconut might not be your best bet. I'd just grill or roast the veggies/shrimp personally and do it that way.
Tortillas: corn or flour are great. No tortillas? try this over salad mix or even on top of rice. Romaine lettuce hearts make great shells for a lower carb version.
Substitutions, quick & healthy dinners and saving money on groceries are my SPECIALTY! Which is why I created my Step by Step Flexible Nutrition during a Pandemic guide to help you feed the picky eaters in your family & save on groceries by using things you have in your pantry.
SO if you’re struggling with:
Limited options & wiped out grocery stores
Price gouging on your favorite “healthy” products
Limited budget because of furloughs, unemployment or layoffs
Boredom or stress snacking
What to do with 195 packages of pasta and dried beans
I created a step by step guide to flexible nutrition that will teach you how to
Create healthy meals with simple ingredients in a flash
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Pre-Order your copy here & then lets make some tacos! There's a lot of steps, but it's easier than it sounds.
Bang Bang Cauli & Shrimp Taco Recipe
Bang Bang Sauce
1/2 cup greek yogurt, sour cream, mayo or any combo
4 tbsp sweet chili sauce
3 tsp sambal oelek or any chili garlic paste (less if you don't want it too spicy)
a few drops of sriracha or hot sauce to taste if you want it a little spicier!
***you could probably just use sriracha or hot sauce in place of sambal oelek but I haven't tested.
Whisk ingredients together and taste. Season with additional hot sauce, salt & pepper if desired. Stick in fridge until ready to serve.
Slaw
1 cup chopped cabbage, coleslaw mix or broccoli slaw (any variety)
juice of 1 lime or 1-2 tbsp of rice, apple cider or white vinegar
2-3 tbsp cup chopped cilantro (chives or green onions work too)
Combine cabbage, cilantro and lime juice/vinegar in large bowl. Toss to combine. let rest in fridge while you cook cauliflower.
Breading
1/2 cup all purpose flour
pinch of paprika
salt & pepper
1/2 cup club soda or unflavored sparkling water or light beer
To cook
1 pound cauliflower florets (chopped evenly) or 1 pound shrimp, tail off (defrosted if frozen and patted dry) or combination of the two
several tbsp of vegetable oil or coconut oil
8 small taco sized tortillas
Heat enough oil to cover the bottom of a large, wide and deep skillet (I used cast iron) on medium heat. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Cover a large baking sheet with paper towels. Whisk together flour, paprika, salt, pepper, and soda or beer, until a thick batter forms. You want it thick enough to coat the cauliflower/shrimp but not so thick its pancake batter.
Working in batches, toss several florets or shrimp in the batter and carefully drop into the hot oil. cook 3-4 minutes until lightly browned before turning. Continue cooking for 1-2 minutes more until crisp and golden brown. Transfer to paper towel lined cookie sheet and move to oven to keep warm.
Continue until all the cauliflower/shrimp has been battered and cooked.
Warm tortillas if desired.
To Serve: Divide cauliflower/shrimp between taco shells, top with slaw and drizzle with bang bang sauce. You can serve with additional lime wedges, cilantro or green onions if desired.
Enjoy! don't forget to tag me if you make this! Questions? I got you! send me a message on IG @brianaottinger or shoot me an email hello@brianaottinger.com!
Don't forget to PRE-ORDER your Step by Step Guide to Flexible Nutrition for more great recipes like this & all the best tips & tricks to get through this pandemic with your sanity & grocery budget in check. With everything from ingredient swaps for ANY recipe to making the most out of a limited budget this food guide is everything you need pandemic or not! order now & save over 50%.
