Can’t think of a great appetizer to start your party? You can try numerous kinds, such as crackers, cheese, and tiny sandwiches, but if you’re going for something delicious with a tropical twist, then one great option you can try is coconut shrimp. This yummy appetizer will certainly bring a smile to everyone’s faces. Of course, you need to know how to prepare it properly, before you can enjoy it. Here’s a simple recipe you can follow.
What You’ll Need:
coconut shrimps
20 raw shrimps (thawed, peeled and deveined)
3 cups of coconut, shredded
2 cups of flour
¼ cup of cream
3 eggs
2 tablespoons of salt
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
Canola oil
Bowls
Slotted spoon
Paring knife
Large pan for frying
Wax paper
Cookie sheets
Paper towels
Obviously, coconut and shrimp are the two main ingredients for this dish. They require certain preparations before they can be used.
Shredding The Coconut
You can buy shredded coconut from the grocery, or you can shred a fresh one yourself. Here’s how to do it.
Open the coconut. If you don’t know how to do this, here are a few options you can try.
Cut the coconut meat into small, chunks. If there’s a bit of thin brown skin remaining on the white flesh, it’s all right. They’ll break down later anyway.
Put the coconut chunks in a food processor. Don’t fill the container too much. You can do this ins everal batches.
Start processing the coconut, and watch as it starts breaking up into smaller pieces. Every now and then, you’ll need to stop the processor, so you can scrape the coconut from the sides of the processor’s bowl.
When you see that the coconut has a fine consistency, stop the process.
Peeling And Deveining The Shrimp
You can buy shrimp from the grocery, either fresh or already frozen. If you opted to get fresh shrimp, make sure you use them immediately, or keep them on ice to prevent them from being spoilt. Once they’re ready to be used, you can peel and devein them.
Prepare a plastic bag beside you, where you’ll be placing the shells and shrimp heads. This can be a messy task, so make sure you do it in an area where you can easily clean up.
Carefully pull off the head and the legs.
Starting at the part where the head was positioned, pull off the shrimp’s outer shell, then continue going downwards. You can either keep or remove the tail and the last segment of the shell; it depends on how you’re planning to serve the shrimp. Many keep the tail for decorative purposes.
Using a small paring knife, cut along the outer edge of the shrimp back, at least 1/4 inch deep. You should then see the purplish vein.
Use the knife to remove and discard the vein running along the back’s surface. You can also do this with your fingers.
Once deveined, put back the shrimp in the fridge, and take it out only when you’re ready to start cooking.
Now that you have the main ingredients ready, you can now start the cooking process.
Making Coconut Shrimp
coconut shrimps
Ready the coatings. You’ll need to prepare three separate bowls, with three different coats for the shrimps.
In the first bowl, mix the salt, flour and pepper together.
In the second bowl, crack the eggs, and beat them. Mix in the cream.
Fill the third bowl with the coconut you previously shredded.
Prepare the cookie sheet. Line it with waxed paper, and set aside. Afterwards, get a large plate, and line it with a paper towel. You’ll need this after you’ve done frying.
Coat the shrimp. First, dip them in the flour mixture, followed by the egg and cream mix, then finally with the shredded coconut. Holding them by the tail makes it easier. Make sure they’re well-coated and don’t miss any part. Once coated, put the shrimp on the cookie sheet. It’s better if you finish with all of the shrimp before you begin frying them.
Start frying. Put some canola oil in a large pan, making sure there’s enough to submerge and deep fry the shrimp pieces. Turn the stove on to medium high and heat the oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the oil is smoking, drop the shrimp in the oil. Be careful when you do this; you don’t want the oil to splatter all over you.
Leave the shrimp in the oil for two to three minutes, turning each piece over once. The coconut will toast and turn golden-brown. Continue frying the shrimp, doing it in small batches.
Once the shrimps are golden brown, remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon. Transfer on the paper towel, and drain. Be careful not to splatter oil on yourself.
Once the oil has been properly drained from the shrimp, you can serve them with your favorite dip.
You don’t need to go to a fancy restaurant to have your fill of coconut shrimp. This simple recipe will help you make a tasty palate without much trouble. Go ahead and make a delicious appetizer to impress your guests!