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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.