Coconut Shrimp with Orange Chili Dipping Sauce

This recipe is an Outback Steakhouse copycat, fast, easy, and guaranteed to trump restaurant and take-out versions. Perfectly crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and full of coconut flavour without being heavy or greasy.

Shrimp:
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined with tail on
½ cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
¾ cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 cups Canola, vegetable or coconut oil, for frying

Orange Chili Dipping Sauce:
½ cup orange marmalade
⅓ cup sweet Thai chili sauce
pinch sea salt
pinch cayenne pepper

Make the Shrimp:
Clean the shrimp; set aside.

To a small bowl, add the flour, salt and pepper, stir to combine; set aside.

To a separate small bowl, add the eggs and beat; set aside.

To a separate medium bowl, add the coconut, panko, stir to combine; set aside.

To a Dutch oven or large skillet, add the oil and heat over medium-high heat. While oil heats up, begin the battering process.

Dip 1 shrimp in flour, dunk in egg, and dredge very well in the coconut-Panko mixture pressing it on as needed to ensure shrimp is very well coated (I re-dredge some of the more skimpy-coated shrimp if I have extra coating mixture after they’ve all been coated once); set aside on a platter while you repeat battering process with all remaining shrimp.

After all shrimp have been battered, begin frying. I take the temperature of the oil and between 325-350°F is recommended for best results; wait to fry until your oil is hot enough to ensure a crispy coating.

Add the shrimp in small batches (4-6 at a time) to the hot oil, frying for about 2-4 minutes, flipping as necessary, and frying until as dark and crispy as desired. Frying time will vary based on pan size, size of shrimp, and personal preference. Frying in small batches helps the oil stay at a hotter temperature, which ensures a crispy crust.

After frying, remove from oil, place on paper towels, and continue the frying process until all shrimp have been fried.

Make the Sauce:
To a small bowl, add the marmalade, Thai chili sauce, salt, cayenne pepper, stir to combine, taste, and adjust ratios if desired.

Serve shrimp and sauce immediately. Shrimp are best warm and fresh.

Makes one pound or 12 servings.

Cook's Notes: Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Reheating in a 350F oven is better than microwaving to help coating stay as crispy as possible.