Coconut Shrimp

Back when Forrest Gump came out, I think I would have to recite the Bubba Gump types of shrimp every time I hear the word "shrimp."   Pineapple Shrimp.  Lemon Shrimp.  Coconut Shrimp.  Pepper Shrimp.  Shrimp Soup.  Shrimp Stew.  Etc... I smell what you're cooking, Bubba!  Shrimp is some good stuff!  I have only been making dishes with shrimp for the past month or so, and I just happened to have a lot of it to use up.  Besides, shrimp thaws faster than a whole chicken, and it doesn't have giblets.  Major bonus points. 

This Coconut Shrimp tastes like the stuff from Red Lobster.  It was out of this world.  It had an orange marmalade- honey dipping sauce to go with it.  Word!  Yes, I just said, "word."  Sometimes I think I'm a rapper from the early 90s.

Coconut Shrimp

source:  Taste of Home: The Cookbook

1 1/4 c all-purpose flour

1 1/4 c cornstarch

2 T + 1/2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1/4 t Cajun seasoning (I omitted the salt and added Seasoned salt since I didn't have any ragin' Cajun seasoning)

1 1/2 c cold water

1/2 t vegetable oil

2 1/2 c coconut

oil for frying

1 c orange marmalade

1/4 c honey



Heat the oil until it reaches 325. 

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour, cornstarch, salt, and seasoning).  Stir in the water and stir it up.  It's  pretty thick batter.  I think I'll add a little more water next time.

Place the coconut in another bowl.

 If the shrimp are wet, dab them with a paper towel to dry them off.  Hold the tails and dip them into the batter.

 Dip them into the coconut.  Press the coconut onto the shrimp so it adheres to the sticky batter.

Drop the shrimp into the oil and fry until the coconut is golden brown.  The original recipe said to fry them at 375, but with my trial run, it looked like a black Shaggy dog and shrimp reproduced and had a black-shagged shrimp.  No good. 

To make the dipping sauce, you just combine the orange marmalade and honey.  Grip it.  Dip it.  Grub it.