Coconut Shrimp

“Anyway, like I was sayin’, shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. Dey’s uh, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There’s pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich. That- that’s about it.”   ~ Bubba, Forrest Gump

Recipe by reader request.  The fruit of the sea… coconut-ed.  So easy.  Try it at home.  Compliments of The Thirsty Turtle, Bananarama Dive’s Eco Friendly Resort – West Bay Beach, Roatan Honduras.  Love the dipping sauce, the added coconut makes it sweet and slightly chewy.  EAT!

Coconut Shrimp Recipe

1 cup flat beer
1 cup self-rising flour
2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
20 jumbo shrimp
coconut oil for frying

Serve with Orange Marmalade Dipping Sauce (see below)

Method:

1.  Combine flour, beer, 1/2 cup coconut flakes, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Mix well with electric mixer, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

2.  Prepare the shrimp by de-veining and peeling off the shell back to the tail.  Leave the last segment of the shell plus the tail as a handle.

3. When the batter is ready, preheat oil in a deep pot or deep fryer to about 350 degrees F. Use enough oil to cover the shrimp completely.

4.  Pour the remainder of the coconut into a shallow bowl.  Be sure the shrimp are dry before battering.  Sprinkle each shrimp lightly with paprika before dipping in batter. Dip one shrimp at a time into the batter, coating generously.  

5.  Drop the battered shrimp into the coconut and roll it around till well covered. Fry four shrimp at a time for 2-3 minutes or until shrimp become golden brown. Flip the shrimp over halfway through. Drain on paper towels.  Serve with Marmalade Sauce (below) on the side.

Orange Marmalade Dipping Sauce

1/2 cup orange marmalade
2 teaspoons stone-ground mustard
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish

2 teaspoons shredded unsweetened coconut
1 dash of salt

Method:

1. Combine in a small bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour.

http://www.bananaramadive.com/