Jumbo shrimp coated in sweetened batter with delicious flaky coconut, fried golden brown and served with a sweet/spicy dipping marmalade!
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Total Time30 minutesmins
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Coconut Shrimp, Fried shrimp
Servings: 5
Calories: 747kcal
Author: Kellie
Cost: $15
Equipment
1 deep skillet
Ingredients
1pound21/25 shrimppeeled and deveined (I prefer the tails removed)
15ouncecan of cream of coconut (brand used in this recipe Coco Lopez) (found commonly in the alcohol/beverage aisle of the grocery store as this is a thick condensed coconut milk used in pina coladas)
1cupAP flour
For the Batter
½cupAP flour
½cupcornstarch
½tspgarlic powder
½tsponion powder
½tsppaprika
1tspkosher salt
½tspblack pepper
½cupwater
½cupdrained cream of coconut from soaked shrimp
For the Breading
½cupPanko breadcrumbs
1 ½cupssweetened shredded coconut
Vegetable oil for frying
For the dipping sauce:
½cuporange marmalade
½tbsphorseradish
Instructions
Pour the cream of coconut into a bowl and add the shrimp to soak, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
In a shallow bowl, place 1 cup of flour and set aside.
For the Dipping Sauce:
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the orange marmalade and horseradish. Cover and refrigerate while you bread and fry the shrimp.
Using a pair of tongs, remove the soaking shrimp and shake off any excess coconut cream and place the soaked shrimp into the cup of flour, while reserving ½ cup of the coco Lopez for the batter.
Coat the soaked shrimp in the flour and move the shrimp to a small baking sheet. Prepare a second small baking sheet lined with parchment paper to hold the breaded but not cooked yet shrimp.
While you prepare the shrimp, start heating the oil on medium heat to 350-375 degrees. (Pro tip: Start heating the oil at medium heat and reduce to medium to maintain the temperature. A digital thermometer is a helpful tool in checking the temp, as it changes during the cooking process.) You should have at least 1 ½-2 inches of oil, testing this recipe we used about 9 cups.
For the batter:
In a bowl mix all the batter ingredients together well and set aside.
In a second large / deep mixing bowl, mix the breading ingredients. (Pro tip: It helps to use a large/deep bowl which will allow you to toss the shrimp in batches into the sweetened coconut breading.)
Working in small batches of, holding the tail of the shrimp, dip the shrimp into the batter, making sure it's well coated. Use the sides of the batter bowl to remove any excess. Then, place the shrimp in the breading to coat well on all sides and set aside on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Working in batches, fry the shrimp for about 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. (If the oil is too hot, the coconut breading will toast and cook much quicker; check the shrimp around 2 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain 350-375 degrees.)
Move cooked shrimp to a paper towel lined plate or tray.
Serve immediately with the spicy marmalade.
Notes
Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container and refrigerated for an additional 2 days.
The orange marmalade can be kept in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to an additional 2 weeks.