Coconut Shrimp

Coconut Shrimp

If you are looking for a special dish for New Year’s Eve- you might want to make coconut shrimp. Festive and fun.

Coconut shrimp is a favorite of mine, and pretty easy to make.  Cleaned, raw shrimp are dredged in flour, egg wash and a Panko bread crumb-coconut mix, then fried.  I add some homemade curry powder to the eggs for a little extra flavor.

You can serve coconut shrimp as an appetizer or over rice. I serve mine with a sweet chili sauce.

Eating shrimp always feels like a splurge or a special occasion. I think that started in my childhood. We didn’t eat shrimp often when I was a kid. Only a few times a year, always a special occasion.

New Year’s Eve, for sure. My mom would make the classic shrimp cocktail, cold shrimp, served with cocktail sauce, served in pretty stemmed glasses.

As an adult I have learned to enjoy shrimp a lot of different ways. I eat it more often now, but it still feels special.

Here is my recipe for coconut shrimp. You don’t need a special occasion to make it.

Coconut Shrimp

2 cups oil – I like to use peanut oil or avocado oil
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 pound  shrimp, peeled and deveined
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, beaten
1-2 t. curry powder, or to taste
Heat oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat. In a large bowl, combine Panko bread crumbs and shredded coconut; set aside. Combine eggs with curry powder, set aside. Season shrimp with salt and pepper, to taste. Working one at a time, dredge shrimp in the flour, dip into the egg mixture, then dredge in the coconut mixture, pressing to coat. Working in batches, add shrimp to the Dutch oven and fry until evenly golden brown and crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve immediately with sweet chili sauce, if desired. Serves 4.