
When you’re craving one thing crispy, juicy, and just a bit bit tropical, coconut shrimp is the reply. This irresistible appetizer (and even essential dish!) options succulent shrimp coated in a golden, crunchy shell of shredded coconut and panko breadcrumbs. Paired with a tangy-sweet dipping sauce, it’s the form of dish that immediately transports you to a beachside paradise.

Why this recipe
Coconut shrimp is a difficult dish to make. As a result of shredded coconut and shrimp are each clean, it’s fairly laborious to create a coating that really adheres to the shrimp. The coconut coating can also be difficult to prepare dinner. Deep frying creates too many bubbles, as a result of coconut oil will launch from the coating throughout cooking. And baking doesn’t absolutely recreate the additional crispy texture.
This recipe:
- Makes use of a cornstarch and egg combination that helps to coat the shrimp higher.
- It dredges the shrimp within the egg combination and the coconut coating twice, guaranteeing a thick and even coating that yields a crispy crunchy texture as soon as cooked.
- The do-it-yourself sauce makes use of loads of recent aromatics and fewer sugar, to create a balanced and sophisticated taste.
Plus, you may reheat these shrimp within the air fryer or oven and so they’ll stay crispy. They appear spectacular and are a crowd pleaser—good for events, recreation day, or only a Friday evening dinner while you wish to deal with your self.

make coconut shrimp
Combine the sauce
- Cook dinner the water, sugar, garlic, ginger and chicken’s eye chili till boiling. Pour within the lime juice and fish sauce.
- Add the cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce.
You must at all times put together the sauce earlier than cooking the shrimp, so the sauce has time to chill off.

Coat the shrimp
- Add a number of shrimp to the crushed eggs and cornstarch combination.
- Switch the shrimp into the coconut and panko combination, holding the shrimp tail to flip it.
- Switch the shrimp to the egg combination once more.
- Coat the shrimp with coconut combination once more, utilizing your arms to softly press the coating onto the shrimp.

Pan fry the shrimp
You wish to use a beneficiant quantity of oil to pan fry the shrimp, so I at all times favor to make use of a medium-sized pan and fry the shrimp in batches.
When frying the shrimp, it’s vital to maintain the oil temperature on the decrease finish. If the oil temperature is simply too excessive, the sugar from the coconut coating will burn simply. Coconut oil can even seep out from the coating, creating a variety of bubbles if the oil temperature is simply too excessive.
Even when some coating falls off the shrimp while you’re dealing with them, that’s completely high quality! Nearly all of the coating will keep on the shrimp to create a super crispy texture.

Depart shrimp tails on or off?
Leaving the shrimp tails unpeeled makes coating the shrimp simpler, since you need to use your hand to seize the tail when dealing with the shrimp. Nevertheless, it’s additionally completely OK to make use of absolutely peeled shrimp. I personally prefer it this fashion so I don’t have to fret about eradicating the tail when consuming the shrimp later.
Can I bake or air fry coconut shrimp?
Sure you may, though I extremely advocate the pan frying methodology because it produces a nicer texture.
Generously spray the shrimp with oil. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for quarter-hour or air fry at 350°F (176°C) for 10 minutes, flipping midway by way of and spraying once more with oil.

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This coconut shrimp recipe makes use of a double dredge methodology to create a coating that sticks to the shrimp, yielding a crispy consequence. It additionally features a candy and spicy dipping sauce that tastes so significantly better than the store-bought kind. {Gluten-Free Adaptable}
Forestall your display from going darkish
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Marinate the shrimp: Combine the shrimp with the salt and baking soda. Marinate within the fridge whereas getting ready different substances.
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To make the sauce: Mix 1/4 cup of water, sugar, garlic cloves, ginger and chilis in a small saucepan. Cook dinner over medium warmth till dropped at a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the lime juice and fish sauce. Combine the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water to create a slurry, and add to the sauce pot. Stir instantly to thicken the sauce. As soon as thickened, switch the sauce to a small bowl.
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To coat the shrimp: Dry the shrimp completely with paper towels. Toss the desiccated coconut with the panko in a big bowl. Beat the eggs and 4 tablespoons of cornstarch in a separate bowl. Dip the shrimp within the crushed egg combination and coat evenly. Toss within the coconut breadcrumb combine. Repeat this course of once more, to double dredge. This creates a thick, even coating that crisps higher when fried. Repeat with the remaining shrimp.
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Cook dinner the shrimp: Warmth the oil in a medium-sized pan over medium-high warmth till sizzling. Flip to medium warmth. Fry the shrimp in batches with out overlapping, guaranteeing the pan isn’t overloaded. Attempt to keep a medium oil temperature, since coconut oil will begin seeping out of the coating and effervescent. A excessive oil temperature can even burn the coating simply, as a result of sugar content material within the coconut coating. Fry the shrimp for about 1 and a half minutes per aspect, till simply turning golden. Then place the shrimp on a tray lined with paper towels.
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To serve: Serve the shrimp sizzling with the dipping sauce as an appetizer.
Ingredient Substitution Information
- To make this dish gluten-free: use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs.
- To reheat: reheat in a 400°F (200°C) oven or air fry at 350°F (176°C) till heated by way of.
Serving: 1serving, Energy: 293kcal, Carbohydrates: 15.5g, Protein: 20.6g, Fats: 11.8g, Saturated Fats: 8.2g, Ldl cholesterol: 214mg, Sodium: 440mg, Potassium: 208mg, Fiber: 0.9g, Sugar: 6.9g, Calcium: 80mg, Iron: 1mg