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Coconut Shrimp with Mango and Pineapple Sauce

Photos by Erica Gamboa

Crispy and slightly sweet, coconut and panko-breaded jumbo shrimp, fried until golden brown, airy and delicious. Served with a homemade fresh mango, pineapple, & serrano chile sauce. It’s a perfect balance of crispy, crunchy, sweet, and spicy all in one delicious bite.

Servings: 6, approximately 24 Jumbo Shrimp
PREP TIME: 20 minutes + COOK TIME: 20 minutes = TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

JUMP to RECIPE

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?

I’ve got post-vacation brain fog these days, dreaming of my recent vacation to the Riviera Maya. I can’t seem to get my mind off of it, no matter how hard I try to stay focused on other things. I’m right back on the white sand beach and turquoise crystal-clear waters. I’ve got a tropical drink in hand; the warm, humid breeze is melting my cares away, and I smell coconut sun tan lotion. Ahh, it’s literally paradise; if I close my eyes, I’m right back there, taking in a big breath of ocean air and giving thanks for what God has done for us.

Back to Reality

But I’m back to reality. I’m at home in the Inland Empire of California, where it’s hot but dry and my skin isn’t plump, golden, and hydrated like it was in Cancun. It really is amazing how fresh food and good weather can shift your physical and mental state. I was overall glowing for those glorious 5 days and 6 nights of bliss. It could’ve been the warm, humid air; it could’ve been the food; I don’t know, but it was all good—too good. It was very hard to leave, and I managed to achieve what I had never been able to do before while on vacation—I actually vacated! I vacated my mind from every possible thought, stress, and worry that was plaguing me before I left. It was just me, my husband, and God, and it was the best time of my life.

I’ve been there many times in my young adult years, before I was married with kids. This time I went back 22 years later—a wise 22 years later. Full of life lessons and experiences that made this down time, stress-free time in the most beautiful place, that much more incredible. I actually vacated on vacation! Now that’s really something for a mom of three who left her kids behind. It was like God turned off my mom brain for a week. For those of you moms and dads who know what I’m talking about, it’s pretty darn impossible to do. It was a divine intervention, for sure.

Eager and Inspired to Create and Experiment with Flavors, Spices, and Fruits

The one thing I didn’t stop thinking about was cooking, and I came back eager and inspired to create and experiment with flavors, spices, and fruits that I fell in love with there. Foods that are lush and delicious, like mango, for example! I had the best mangoes I’ve ever had in my life there in Cancun. Every morning I’d finish my breakfast with a bowl of fresh mango; it was so amazingly sweet and juicy, like it was kissed by the sun. It was a tropical vacation in a bowl, and I knew, coming home, I wanted to create a recipe with it!

What better way to use mango aside from eating it fresh than in a delicious sauce that goes so perfectly with coconut shrimp?! This sauce is the star of the show, in my opinion; it is perfectly balanced in sweetness and spice, it is layered, and it has depth of flavor. It’s complex, yet easy to identify the flavors. It’s just perfect! I can’t describe it any other way. It’s a match made in paradise.

These coconut shrimp come together quickly; the process is simple yet impressive for gatherings or summer parties. It makes a wonderful summer appetizer—something different and out of the norm. Most of us have these as appetizers at a restaurant, but they are so easy and delicious to make at home. Especially for entertaining this summer because you can prep these ahead of time, which makes it easy.

Not a Fan of Shrimp

If you’re not a fan of shrimp, you can easily make the adjustment and instead make chicken nugget bites! Chicken tenders breaded in panko and coconut sound just as good as coconut shrimp to me!

Summer Cooking

Summer cooking is about making dishes that are light and easy to prepare. Dishes that are full of seasonal ingredients will enhance the flavors of your recipes and maximize your eating experience without all the heaviness and laborious effort. So whether you’re making these coconut shrimp or something else, use what’s in season, enhance your recipes with fresh seasonal ingredients, and you’ll see how fun and delicious summer cooking can be!

Happy summer, eating from my kitchen to yours!

The Ideal Recipe for Prepping Ahead

This recipe is ideal for entertaining because all of the messy prep can be done ahead of time. Leaving you free from the clean-up. By the time your guests arrive, you’ll have them all prepped and ready to quickly fry. The sauce can also be made hours in advance, if not the day before. Simply reheat it for a few minutes right before serving and let it cool slightly to room temperature. It’s that easy. Bread the shrimp and place them on a baking sheet covered with plastic wrap if prepared the night before, or simply place the breaded shrimp in the refrigerator for a few hours until ready to fry.

Coconut Shrimp with Mango and Pineapple Sauce

BY ERICA GAMBOA

Coconut-Shrimp-Mango-Pineapple-Sauce-8 — ^{Photo: Erica Gamboa}

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Servings: 6 | Difficulty: Easy

PREP TIME: 20 minutes + COOK TIME: 20 minutes = TOTAL TIME: 40 minutes

Tools you will need:

1 small sauce pan
1 large frying pan
potato masher
metal tongs
2 to 3 baking sheets
Vegetable oil for frying

Ingredients:

2 lb. jumbo raw shrimp (approximately 24 ct. shrimp) washed, peeled, deveined, and patted dried.
2 cups panko bread crumbs
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 tbsp all purpose flour
1 tsp old bay seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp smoked paprika or regular paprika
2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup water
1 orange; use the juice only
1 large mango, peeled, cored, and diced
1/4 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored, and diced
2 small serrano chiles, minced
1 tbsp dijon mustard, corse ground, or regular
1/4 cup apricot or orange preserves

SHOP RECIPE INGREDIENTS YOU NEED FOR HOME DELIVERY

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Directions:

For the Sauce:

In a small sauce pan, simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes the mango, pineapple, serrano chile, apricot preserves, Dijon mustard, the orange juice, and 1 tsp of salt. The fruit will begin to release its natural juices and thicken as it simmers.
Stir occasionally; once it is thickened and reduced, turn off the heat.
Take a potato masher or spoon and macerate the fruit, breaking up any large pieces.
Set it aside and let it cool to room temperature.

For the shrimp:

Immediate Frying: In a large frying pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until it comes to frying temperature (about 350 degrees).
Prepare ingredients for the shrimp:
In a shallow baking dish, add the panko bread crumbs and shredded coconut and combine until well incorporated; set aside.
In a bowl, add eggs, flour, water, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, old bay, and the remaining tsp of salt, and whisk until very well combined.
Place the shrimp in the egg batter bowl and mix well until the shrimp are well coated.
Take a few shrimp at a time, shaking off the excess batter, and add them to the baking dish with the breading.
Coat the shrimp on both sides evenly until the shrimp are covered in the dredge.
Set the shrimp on a clean baking sheet, and repeat until all the shrimp are coated.
Preparing ahead: If you’re going to cook the shrimp later, cover and store them in the fridge.
When the oil is ready, place a few shrimp, about 10, to fry at a time in the pan; be mindful not to overcrowd, as that will drop the temperature of the oil.
Fry the shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cooked through. You can tell when the shrimp are ready based on their opaque color.
Place them on a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain, and repeat until all the shrimp are done.
Place the mango and pineapple sauce in a serving dish or bowl and the shrimp on a serving platter, and enjoy immediately.

Notes & Suggestions:

Tips
For an even coating of the panko and coconut, make sure that the shrimp are thoroughly washed and dried. Lay the shrimp on a paper towel-lined baking sheet and pat them dry with a paper towel to ensure all the moisture is removed. If the shrimp are too wet, the batter and breading will not adhere to the shrimp properly.

Notes

To keep the shrimp warm to enjoy later, place them on a baking sheet in the oven at 250 to keep warm.
To reheat, place them in the oven at 400 for about 10 to 15 minutes. For the best result, use an air fryer at 400 for 5 minutes; it keeps them extra crispy.

If you have any coconut shrimp leftover, cover and place in the refrigerator for 3 days.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving

Calories per serving: 656

Servings: 6