Ebi Mayo (Japanese Creamy Shrimp, 45g Protein)

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Ebi mayo is the crispy fried shrimp tossed in a creamy, tangy mayo sauce that you find on Japanese and Chinese restaurant menus, and this version lands at 45g of protein per serving. The trick to making it fit a protein goal is cutting the classic mayo with plain Greek yogurt, which keeps the sauce rich but drops a lot of the fat and adds a little more protein on top.

Shrimp is one of the best value proteins you can cook with. A pound splits into two big servings, each one carrying most of that 45g, and the whole thing comes together in about 25 minutes on the stove. No deep fryer, just a thin cornstarch coat and a hot pan.

This is the kind of dish that reads as a treat but works on a Tuesday. Serve it over shredded lettuce for a lighter plate, or spoon it onto rice if you want to push the meal past 50g of protein.

Why this works

Two things make ebi mayo good instead of soggy. First, the shrimp have to be bone dry before they hit the cornstarch, otherwise the coating turns gummy and never crisps. Second, you toss the shrimp in the sauce off the heat. Warm shrimp plus a quick fold means the coating stays intact for a few minutes and the sauce does not break into an oily puddle. The egg white in the dredge is a small move that helps the thin cornstarch layer grip the shrimp so it fries into a real crust rather than flaking off.

Ingredient notes

Kewpie mayo is worth seeking out here. It is made with egg yolks and rice vinegar, so it is tangier and richer than American mayo. If you only have regular mayo, add a pinch of sugar and a few drops of rice vinegar to fake the profile. The Greek yogurt should be plain and unsweetened, and nonfat works fine since the mayo already brings the richness. Honey stands in for the sweetened condensed milk used in the classic recipe, if you have condensed milk, use a tablespoon of that instead for a more authentic finish. For the shrimp, large or extra-large (around 21 to 25 per pound) hold up best and stay juicy.

If you like shrimp cooked fast and hot, this slots in next to my kung pao shrimp and chili garlic shrimp stir fry as an easy weeknight protein. For something spicier and Southeast Asian, the sambal prawns use the same dry-then-sear approach.

Ebi Mayo (Japanese Creamy Shrimp)

Crispy pan-fried shrimp tossed in a lighter creamy mayo sauce cut with Greek yogurt. Restaurant-style ebi mayo with 45g of protein per serving, done in 25 minutes.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings: 2 servings

Calories: 500

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined about 454g, tails off, patted very dry
• 3 tbsp cornstarch for the light dredge
• 1 large egg white helps the cornstarch stick
• 0.25 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp neutral oil for pan-frying
• 3 tbsp Kewpie mayo or regular mayo plus a pinch of sugar and a few drops of rice vinegar
• 3 tbsp plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp honey or sweetened condensed milk for the classic version
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp sriracha up to 2 tsp if you like it hotter
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced to garnish
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds to garnish
• 2 cups shredded lettuce optional, for serving underneath

Method

 

1. Pat the shrimp completely dry with paper towels. Wet shrimp will steam instead of crisp, so this step matters more than it looks.
2. In a bowl, toss the shrimp with the egg white and salt, then add the cornstarch and toss again until each piece has a thin, even coat. It should look barely dusted, not clumpy.
3. Whisk the mayo, Greek yogurt, honey, lemon juice, and sriracha in a large bowl. Taste and adjust. It should be tangy and just slightly sweet.
4. Heat the oil in a large nonstick or carbon steel pan over medium-high until it shimmers. Add the shrimp in a single layer, working in two batches if your pan is crowded.
5. Cook 2 to 3 minutes per side until the coating is golden and the shrimp are just opaque through. Do not overcook, shrimp go rubbery fast. Drain briefly on a rack or paper towel.
6. Add the hot shrimp to the bowl of sauce and fold gently until coated. Do this off the heat so the sauce stays creamy and does not split.
7. Pile onto shredded lettuce if using, then scatter with scallions and sesame seeds. Serve right away while the coating still has some crunch.

Tips and storage

Ebi mayo is best eaten fresh, when the shrimp still have crunch. That said, it holds for meal prep better than you would expect if you store the components separately. Keep the fried shrimp in one container and the sauce in another, both refrigerated for up to 3 days, then toss together just before eating. Reheat the shrimp in an air fryer at 375F for 3 to 4 minutes to bring back some crisp, or eat them cold, the sauce is good either way. I would not freeze this one, thawed shrimp go watery and the coating gives up. If you are feeding a crowd, double the shrimp but keep the sauce ratio the same, you rarely need as much sauce as you think.