Description
No need to go to a restaurant for the BEST coconut shrimp! This easy recipe makes crispy crunchy coconut shrimp that are savory and a little bit sweet. They are totally addictive!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup panko
- 2 pounds shrimp (16/20 per pound) peeled, deveined and with tails on
- 2 cups canola, peanut or avocado oil
- kosher salt
- Thai sweet chili dipping sauce, for dipping
Instructions
- Place a cooling rack in a large rimmed baking sheet. Set aside.
- Assemble the dredging station for the shrimp. Gather 3 shallow bowls. In one bowl combine the flour and Old Bay seasoning. In a second bowl, add the eggs and beat to combine. In a third bowl, combine the coconut and panko.
- Dredge the shrimp in the flour, then the egg, and lastly the coconut/panko. Coat all the shrimp and place on a large platter.
- in a large stock pot over medium heat, add the oil. There should be at least 1/2 inch of oil in the bottom of the pot. Heat the oil to about 350 degrees F.
- Add about 6 shrimp to the pot making sure they do not touch. Fry for about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Watch closely as the coconut burns easily.
- Remove the shrimp from the pot and place them on the cooling rack set inside the baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle with kosher salt. The shrimp are ready when the outside is golden brown and the shrimp is just cooked.
- Continue frying the shrimp in batches until all the shrimp is cooked.
- Serve with Thai sweet chili dipping sauce for dipping.
Notes
- For easy dredging, use shallow bowls or pie plates.
- Coat all the shrimp before starting to fry them.
- Make sure the oil is hot before starting to fry the shrimp. It should be between 350 and 375 degrees F. If the oil isn't hot enough, the coconut coating will soak up the oil and the shrimp will be soggy instead of crispy.
- On the other hand, don't get the oil too hot. If the oil is above 375 degrees F, the coating will cook too quickly and burn. Also, the shrimp will remain raw as the coating cooks too fast.
- Don't crowd the pot when frying the shrimp.
- Drain the fried coconut shrimp on a cooling rack set in a baking sheet. This will ensure the coating is crispy on both sides. Immediately sprinkle with kosher salt too.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: appetizer or entrée
- Method: deep fry
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 604
- Sugar: 1.3 g
- Sodium: 749 mg
- Fat: 26.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 47.4 g
- Fiber: 5.1 g
- Protein: 41.1 g
- Cholesterol: 411 mg