Gluten Free Coconut Shrimp
Authentic Louisiana Cajun restaurants were rare in Philadelphia back in the 1980s. We only had Cafe Nola on South Street and Magnolia Cafe on Locust Street. But for me, it was Magnolia Cafe that ignited my love affair with coconut shrimp. Since most coconut shrimp recipes aren’t gluten free (boo! hiss!), I had to create my own…a Gluten Free Coconut Shrimp recipe that I’d love to share with y’all.
Ingredients
Organize the ingredients…peeled large shrimp (8-12 per pound), gluten free panko breadcrumbs, shredded coconut (unsweetened or sweetened), coconut milk, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, cornstarch, neutral oil such as vegetable or canola. For the dipping sauce, you’ll need orange marmalade, Chili Crisp, gluten free soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil.
Dipping Sauce
Place 1/4 cup orange marmalade, 3/4 tablespoons Chili Crisp, 1/2 tablespoon gluten free soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar , and 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil in a medium sized bowl. Mix until combined. Set aside until ready to use. NOTE: Dipping Sauce can be made one day ahead and refrigerated until ready to use.
Heating the Oil
Place 4 cups of oil in a medium-sized but deep saucepan, attach a candy or deep-fry thermometer, and heat over medium-high until 365ºF. Line a baking sheet with foil, place paper towels on top of foil and then a wire rack on top of the paper towels.
Coating the Shrimp
While the oil is heating, you’re going to dip, dredge and coat as you would do when making any battered dish. To start whisk 1/2 cup cornstarch and 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon in a shallow bowl until combined. Place coconut milk in a second bowl. And lastly, combine 1/2 cup gluten free panko and 1 cup finely shredded coconut in a shallow bowl. You can do one shrimp at a time or up to 3-4 together. Start with the cornstarch mixture and coat shrimp completely. Shake off any excess cornstarch, then dip shrimp into the coconut milk and lastly place shrimp in the coconut/panko mixture, pressing the flakes and crumb onto the shrimp to adhere as best you can. Transfer coated shrimp to a plate or platter.
Cooking the Shrimp
Working in batches, add 3-4 shrimp at a time to the oil and cook shrimp, flipping as needed so they brown evenly, until deep golden-brown, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer shrimp to the baking sheet to drain. Bring oil back to 365 degrees before adding the next round of shrimp. Repeat for the remaining batches.
Gluten Free Coconut Shrimp
Arrange shrimp on a platter with the dipping sauce and serve immediately.
Gluten Free Coconut Shrimp
Equipment
- Candy or Deep-Fry Thermometer
Ingredients
- 1 pound large shrimp (8-12 per pound) cleaned, peeled, with tail-on
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs gluten free
- 1 cup finely shredded coconut I used unsweetened but sweetened can also be used
- 1/2 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk approximately 3/4 cup, save extra coconut milk for another use
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups neutral oil (vegetable or canola oil) for deep frying
Orange Chili Crisp Dipping Sauce
- 1/4 cup orange marmalade
- 3/4 tablespoons chili crisp (also know as chili crunch) available at most markets including Trader Joe’s
- 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce gluten free, I use San-J
- 1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions
Orange Chili Crisp Dipping Sauce
- Place 1/4 cup orange marmalade, 3/4 tablespoons Chili Crisp, 1/2 tablespoon gluten free soy sauce, 1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar , and 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil in a medium sized bowl. Mix until combined. Set aside until ready to use. NOTE: Dipping Sauce can be made one day ahead and refrigerated until ready to use.
Coating the Shrimp
- Whisk 1/2 cup cornstarch and 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon in a shallow bowl until combined. Place coconut milk in a second bowl. And lastly, combine 1/2 cup gluten free panko and 1 cup finely shredded coconut in a shallow bowl.
- Pat shrimp dry with paper towels.
- Place 4 cups of oil in a medium-sized but deep saucepan, attach a candy or deep-fry thermometer, and heat over medium-high until 365ºF. Line a baking sheet with foil, place paper towels on top of foil and then a wire rack on top of the paper towels.
- While the oil is heating, you’re going to dip, dredge and coat as you would do when making any battered dish. You can do one shrimp at a time or up to 3-4 together. Start with the cornstarch mixture and coat shrimp completely. Shake off any excess cornstarch, then dip shrimp into the coconut milk and lastly place shrimp in the coconut/panko mixture, pressing the flakes and crumbs onto the shrimp to adhere as best you can. Transfer coated shrimp to a plate or platter.
Cooking the Shrimp
- Working in batches, add 3-4 shrimp at a time to the oil and cook shrimp, flipping as needed so they brown evenly, until deep golden-brown, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer shrimp to the baking sheet to drain. Bring oil back to 365 degrees before adding the next round of shrimp. Then repeat for the remaining batches.
- Place shrimp on a platter with the dipping sauce and serve immediately.
Notes
Recipe by me.
If you like this recipe, you may also like these other GFchow recipes. Fried Calamari with Zingy Aioli, Horseradish and Panko Crusted Salmon, and Pan-Fried Rice Paper Shrimp Dumplings.
GLUTEN FREE DISCLAIMER
The recipes you find here are considered by me to be gluten free. However, it is up to you to make sure the ingredients you use are gluten free. Whenever possible, I will list specific brands of ingredients that I use, but always be sure to check the labels yourself to verify the item is gluten free.
