American
Crisp Coconut Shrimp with Lime-Chile Dip
Butterflied shrimp wear a craggy panko-and-coconut crust, fried in small batches until crisp and paired with a tart apricot, lime, and chile dipping sauce.
6 servings · 25 minutes prep · 22 minutes cook
Ingredients
Lime-Chile Dip
- 1/2 cup apricot jam
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons sriracha-style hot sauce
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Coconut Shrimp
- 1 1/2 pounds 16/20-count shrimp, about 24 to 30, peeled and deveined, tails on, butterflied
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cups dried unsweetened shredded coconut
- 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 6 cups neutral oil, or enough for 2 inches, for frying
Directions
Make the Dip and Bread the Shrimp
- Whisk the apricot jam, lime juice, sriracha, and salt until smooth; refrigerate while the shrimp are prepared.
- Put the flour and salt in the first shallow dish and the beaten eggs in the second. Crush the coconut lightly between your fingers, then combine it with panko and sugar in the third.
- Dry the butterflied shrimp. Coat each in flour, shake away excess, dip through egg, and press firmly into coconut crumbs. Set on a rack and refrigerate uncovered for 15 minutes.
Fry and Serve
- Heat 2 inches (5 cm) of oil in a deep heavy pot to 350°F (175°C). Fry 4 to 5 shrimp at a time, turning once, until deep golden and 145°F (63°C) at the thickest point, 2 to 3 minutes total. Skim loose crumbs with the spider strainer while the oil returns to 350°F (177°C) between batches.
- Lift to a clean wire rack and let the oil return to 350°F before the next batch. Serve immediately with the cold lime-chile dip; discard the frying oil only after it has cooled completely.
Allergen and Product Check
- Allergen note: contains crustacean shellfish (shrimp), wheat, and egg. The gluten-free variation still contains shrimp and egg; verify panko and sriracha-style sauce labels and control cross-contact.
