Coconut Shrimp with a Sweet Chilli Sauce

This is one of those dishes that makes for the best appetizer for a group,  or even dinner on a busy night.

Shrimp has that way of being accessible and fancy at the same time.  And what I love best about shrimp…it takes no time to cook up!

How to make the perfect Coconut Shrimp:

Coconut Shrimp is such a joy to whip up.  For this easy recipe, the coconut is really going to shine. Instead of some recipes that call for dredging the shrimp in AP flour, I’m saying let’s up the coconut, by using coconut flour.  Instead of an egg dredge for the next step, let’s use some coconut milk (the kind from the can, that has all that thick creamy goodness in it.  And instead of blending panko with the shredded coconut for the final dredge, I’m going all coconut.  There is no way that you won’t know this is Coconut Shrimp!

So yes, this recipe is gluten free, and dairy free, thanks to the coconut flour and milk.

I like to bake them, but you can definitely use an air fryer, a skillet or even a deep fryer.

The best shrimp to use are raw, medium to large shrimp. I like the 16-20 size.  In other words, this is the sizing the fish monger will use to show how many shrimp are in a pound.  The lower the number, the larger the size of the shrimp. If the ones you get require deveining, just run a sharp knife into the back of the shrimp, peel aside the outer meat, and gently pull out the centre ‘vein’ and discard it.

Here’s my tip for prepping the shredded coconut for the dredging, if I am baking them.  I actually spread out the shredded coconut on a baking sheet and toast it at 350F for about 4 or 5 minutes to help give it a headstart in browning.  You can disregard this step if you choose to fry yours.

I use three pie plates for my dredging station, but of course you can use shallow bowls. In the first plate put the coconut flour.  In the second plate add the coconut milk.  And in the third one, add the shredded coconut.  To the first plate with the coconut flour, I season it with 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper, as well as a 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper.  You can omit the cayenne if you desire. You’ll run the shrimp through the flour, shaking off the excess, move it to the coconut milk, allowing the excess to drip back into the plate, and finally a good dredging in the shredded coconut.  Press it on with your fingers. Add them all to a large plate to rest in the fridge to chill.  This will allow the coating to harden and adhere better to the shrimp. This will ensure that you will lose less when you go to to fry or bake them.

When ready, bring the oven up to 425F.  Spray a thin coat of oil on the surface of a baking sheet.  Lay the shrimp on the sheet.  Bake in the centre of the oven for 6-8 minutes, depending on the size of your shrimp.  Then turn the oven onto Broil, but don’t move the baking sheet.  Broil one side till just golden, about 2 minutes, depending on your oven.  Turn the shrimp over and broil the other side.

If you choose to fry them in a skillet, use unrefined coconut oil for even more coconut goodness.  Add about 1/4 inch worth to the pan, and fry at medium heat till golden brown on one side, about 3-5 minutes, depending on the stove. Adjust the heat if the coconut is starting to scorch. Flip and sauté for another 2-3 minutes till golden.

If you are going to use an air fryer, spray the fryer basket with a little oil to prevent sticking. Add the shrimp, leaving space between them, so that the air can move around them. Fry at 350F for about 15 minutes, flipping half way through.  You should be able to tell how long to leave them in after turning them. 

Any leftovers (really?!) can be stored in an air-tight container for a few days in the fridge.  They work great in tacos, or with coconut rice and a slaw for dinner.

No matter how you cook them, a dipping sauce that works perfectly with them is this sweet and spicy dipping sauce I found over at Omnivore Cooks.

Enjoy, whether it is with friends or family as part of an entertaining spread, or as a great weekday meal.  See you next year!!

Love Jen

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Coconut Shrimp with Sweet Chilli Sauce

Perfectly crunchy, and pleasantly sweet, these shrimp will be the hit of any gathering you bring them to. The dipping sauce is a balance of sweet and sour, with just a touch of heat.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Asian

Keyword chilli sauce, coconut, shrimp

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Cooling time 1 hour

Servings 4

Ingredients

Coconut Shrimp

• 1 lb shrimp the larger the better, shelled and deveined
• 1 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut also called desiccated coconut
• 1/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup coconut flour you can use regular flour if you so desire
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp paprika or cayenne pepper as you see fit
• 1 13.5 oz can of coconut milk the full milk kind

Sweet Chilli Sauce

• 1/2 cup rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry for gluten free
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce or tamari for gluten free
• 3 Thai bird’s eye chili peppers seeded and minced (or 2 teaspoons crushed chili pepper flakes)
• 6 cloves garlic minced
• 2 slices ginger minced
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

Instructions

Coconut Shrimp

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Spread out the two types of coconut onto a baking sheet in an even layer. Bake in the centre of the oven for 4 minutes or so, until just turning a light golden brown. Remove to a shallow bowl, allowing it to cool down a bit.
2. Place the coconut flour, salt, pepper and paprika or cayenne pepper if using into a shallow bowl or pie plate. Whisk to blend evenly.

3. Pour half of the coconut milk into a shallow bowl. Whisk it up to make sure the consistency is even. If you find you need more, then add more from the can.

4. Take the shrimp one at a time and dredge first in the coconut flour mixture, shaking off any excess, then dip into the coconut milk, shaking off any excess back into the milk. Move it to the shredded coconut and press firmly on both sides till well coated. Place it onto a large plate. Repeat with the remaining shrimp. Place the plate into the fridge and let the shrimp chill for around 20 minutes. This will help set the coating so that you won't lose too much once you either bake it or fry it.

5. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 425F, and have the rack in the centre of the oven. Spray of thin layer of non-stick spray onto a baking sheet. Place the shrimp on the baking sheet. Spray gently with a thin layer of the non-stick spray, being careful not to spray to closely so as to dislodge the coating.

6. Bake for 6-8 minutes, depending on the size of the shrimp. Turn the oven to Broil, but leave the shrimp in the centre of the oven. Broil until just achieving a golden crust, about 2 minutes or so. Flip the shrimp and broil the other side.

7. For alternative ways of cooking the shrimp, see the blog post

8. Serve with the Sweet Chilli Sauce.

Sweet Chilli Sauce

1. Combine all the ingredients except for the cornstarch in a medium-sized saucepan.
2. Heat over medium-high heat and stir occasionally until it comes to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium and stir for 5 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium-low.
3. Mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water in a small glass or bowl and stir it until it is dissolved. Pour into the sauce. Stir constantly until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, 1 minute or so. Keep in mind that the sauce will further thicken once it cools.
4. Taste the sauce and adjust the taste by adding more sugar if not sweet enough, or more vinegar if not sour enough. If the sauce turns out too thick, mix in a few spoons of water to thin it out while it’s still hot.
5. Pour the sauce into a bowl and let sit until completely cooled. Serve it as a dipping sauce or store it in an airtight jar in the fridge for future use. It will keep in the fridge for about a week or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Recipe Notes

I usually purchase the 16-20 sized shrimp. This gives about 4 large shrimp per person if serving four people.
Any leftover shrimp can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 or 4 days.
These can be served as an appetizer or a dinner with a side of coconut rice, or in tacos, or even to top a pasta dish.
The Sweet Chilli Sauce recipe is from the Omnivore's Cookbook, here.