Why This Recipe Works?
Deveining the shrimp using a toothpick instead of butterflying helps keep the prawns plump and juicy. Trimming the tail with scissors prevents it from exploding when you fry it. Dipping the prawns in a wet batter makes the coconut coating stick, and it’s easier than the flour and egg method. It also ensures a nice, thick coating of crispy coconut. Using an all-coconut coating instead of a panko crumb and coconut mixture ensures the most coconut flavor while giving these a lasting crunch. The three-ingredient orange chili dipping sauce is effortless and perfectly balances sweet and sour tastes with a spicy, garlicky kick and mild heat.
Ingredients for Coconut Shrimp
Shrimp - Any kind will work. I used Brown, but Black Tiger prawns will work just as well. For size, I recommend using jumbo prawns (21/25 count) for this recipe. This is big enough to keep them from getting overcooked but small enough that you eat them in one or two bites. By the way, most shrimp sold in stores has been frozen at one point, so there is no shame in buying frozen shrimp. Salt - I like to wash the prawns with salt water brine to plump them up while seasoning them. If you find the brine not salty enough, you can sprinkle it with some kosher salt when you serve it. Batter - To get the coconut to stick, you need to make edible glue. The most common way to do this is to dust them in a flour mixture before dipping them in egg, but this requires dirtying an extra bowl, and it tends to lead to bald spots on your prawns. Instead, I recommend making a batter with flour, egg, and a little water. This makes the coconut coating stick much easier. You can also impart extra flavor here by adding ingredients like lime zest, curry powder, black pepper, onion powder, or garlic powder to the batter. Shredded dried coconut - For the crispiest coconut shrimp, I recommend using dried coconut shredded into threads; this can be found in the baking aisle of most supermarkets. The tendrils not only look great, but they also tend to stay crisp longer than coconut that’s been shredded finer or coconut flakes. Also, be sure to use unsweetened coconut, or it will burn. I prefer to use an all-coconut breading instead of mixing it with panko breadcrumbs because it creates a more lasting crunch, but if you want something lighter, you can use a mixture of panko crumbs and coconut.
Ingredients for Dipping Sauce
Marmalade - Buy the cheapest kind of marmalade you can find (one that’s mostly orange jelly with just a little peel). Expensive marmalade tends to have more orange peel, which makes the spicy sauce too bitter. Sweet Chili Sauce - Sweet Chili Sauce is a Thai condiment made from chili peppers, garlic, vinegar, and sugar. It’s sweet and mildly spicy, perfect for this sweet dipping sauce. If you can’t find it, sriracha will work, but you’ll want to reduce the amount down to a teaspoon for every tablespoon of marmalade and add some garlic powder. If you find the sauce too mild, you can always add a pinch of red pepper flakes. Lemon Juice - I like adding a little lemon or fresh lime juice to the dipping sauce to add a zing and balance the tartness. Lemon or lime wedges also make a colorful garnish.
How to Make Spicy Dipping Sauce
This is one of my favorite sauces because it’s so easy. Mix equal parts marmalade and Thai sweet chili sauce and squeeze in some lemon juice to taste. It’s that simple!
How to Clean and Devein Shrimp
I have an easy technique for deveining raw shrimp without slicing it open with a knife. The method uses a toothpick to pry the vein out, and you can watch the video below to see how to do it. You can also check out my How to Clean Shrimp post for a more detailed step-by-step tutorial. I also recommend removing the telson (sharp spike in the middle of the tail) and using scissors to cut the tips of the tails off. The tail has a tendency to hold a pocket of water, which turns to steam and causes it to pop. Cutting the tips off the tails lets you dry them off more thoroughly while giving the steam an escape route so the tails don’t explode.
How to Make Coconut Shrimp
You want to start by cleaning the prawns (see above) and then brining them for 10-15 minutes in 2 teaspoons of table salt dissolved in 1 cup of water. This not only seasons them but also firms them up. While you wait for them to brine, make the batter by whisking the egg and water together in a shallow bowl. When the mixture is uniform in color, add the all-purpose flour to the egg mixture and continue whisking until there are no lumps in the flour mixture. Add 1 inch of oil to a heavy-bottomed pot with sides that come up at least 4 inches. Heat the oil to 360° F (180° C). The temperature of the oil is crucial. If it is too low, the delicate prawns will overcook by the time the coconut browns. Too high, and the coconut will burn. Set a wire rack over a baking sheet and line it with two paper towels to drain the prawns. Rinse the brined shrimp under cold running water until it runs clear, and drain them well. Use paper towels to dry them as thoroughly as possible. Pay particular attention to the tails, which tend to trap water. Hold it by the tail and dip it in the batter to coat everything except the tail. Let the excess drip off, then transfer it to the shredded coconut mixture and scoop some of it on top of it. Gently pat the top and sides to get the coconut to adhere, and then transfer it to a tray or small cookie sheet. Repeat with the rest of the prawns. The coated prawns can be prepared a few hours in advance and stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to fry and serve them. Fry the shrimp in batches by lowering them into the oil and frying them until the coconut has crisped and browned, which should take about two to three minutes. The time will vary depending on the size of the prawns. Be sure to flip them once to ensure they brown evenly. Drain them on a paper towel-lined rack and serve them with the chili orange sauce as soon as possible.
Serve it With
My Coconut shrimp recipe is the perfect appetizer for entertaining along with the spicy orange dipping sauce, tartare sauce, or just a simple squeeze of lime juice. It makes a great addition to a spread of Chinese dishes, like my Black Pepper Chicken, Black Pepper Beef, Chinese Green Bean Stir Fry, and Spring Rolls. It can also be served on salads or as a main dish with sides. If you decide to serve it as an entrée, I suggest serving it with some Garlic Rice or Garlic Noodles. It’s also delicious with Japanese Potato Salad or my No-Mayo Coleslaw. They would also go well with a bowl of steamed rice to catch the extra sauce. If you want a more refreshing dipping sauce, I suggest whipping up a batch of Nam Jim Jaew. It’s a spicy and tangy Thai dipping sauce loaded with umami and fiery heat.
📖 Recipe
