Philadelphia, PA - Coconut shrimp is a crunchy, juicy, delicious dish to serve as an appetizer. It's pretty simple to make; your guests will ask for more. This article gives instructions on how to make coconut shrimp on the stove or in the oven. If you love coconut shrimp, here are three delicious recipes to try.
Coconut Beer Batter Fried Shrimp with Pineapple Salsa
Two eggs
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup beer
One tablespoon of baking powder
Two lb. medium shrimp peeled and deveined coconut oil
3 cups grated coconut
Seasoning mix:
One tablespoon of cayenne pepper
2-1/4 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1-1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1-1/4 teaspoons garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
Thoroughly combine the ingredients for the seasoning mix in a small bowl and set aside.
Mix 1-1/4 cups of the flour, two teaspoons of the seasoning mix, baking powder, eggs, and beer in a bowl, breaking up all lumps until smooth.
Combine the remaining flour with 1-1/2 teaspoons of the seasoning mix and set aside. Place the coconut in a separate bowl.
Sprinkle both sides of the shrimp with the remaining seasoning mix. Then, hold each shrimp by the tail, dredge in the flour mixture, shake off excess, dip in batter, and allow excess to drip off. Coat each shrimp with the coconut and place on a baking sheet.
Heat deep fryer to 350°F. Drop each shrimp into the hot oil and cook until golden brown, approximately 1/2 to 1 minute on each side. Do not crowd the fryer. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.
Lay shrimp on large lettuce leaves and serve with Pineapple Salsa dip. Garnish with lemon, orange, or lime wedges.
Pineapple Salsa
1 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple
1/3 cup chopped red onion, 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup pineapple preserves (or apricot-pineapple preserves)
One tablespoon finely chopped seeded fresh jalapeno chili
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Combine ingredients and gently toss.
Coconut Shrimp Kabobs with Island Coconut Salsa
One lb. shell-on shrimp, uncooked
1/3 cup coconut milk, canned and sweetened
Two tablespoons of lime juice
One garlic clove, crushed
One teaspoon red chili peppers, seeded and minced
One teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
12 to 18 fresh pineapple chunks
Island Coconut Salsa
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup chopped green onion
Two tablespoons fresh lime juice
Two tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 to 2 teaspoons minced garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup olive oil or macadamia nut oil
Peel and devein shrimp retaining tails; set aside. Combine coconut milk, lime juice, garlic, red peppers, cumin, coriander, and pepper; pour over shrimp. Marinate no more than 1 hour. Thread shrimp and pineapple chunks on skewers. Broil or grill, 3 minutes per side, or until shrimp are done. Arrange coconut shrimp on large lettuce leaves. Serve with Island Coconut Salsa on the side.
Caribbean Shrimp Run Down
1 lb shell-on shrimp, uncooked
Three tablespoons lime or lemon juice
3 cups of coconut milk
One large onion
Three cloves garlic
Finely chopped hot pepper to taste
One lb. tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 Tbsp. vinegar
1 t. fresh chopped thyme
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Peel and devein shrimp retaining tails. Pour the lime juice over the shrimp and set aside. Cook the coconut milk in a heavy frying pan until it is oily. Add the onion and garlic, and cook until the onion is tender. Add the hot pepper, tomatoes, salt and pepper, thyme, and vinegar. Stir and cook very gently for 10 minutes.
Drain the shrimp, add the other ingredients, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Serve hot over rice. Preparation time: 30 minutes.
