Spiced Coconut Shrimp

Partnering with Spice Tribe, I decided to share my take on a classic appetizer dish by spicing up some fried coconut shrimp with their Long-Tail Sunset spice blend. I was super excited to try out their blends and this was the first bottle that caught my eye in the box. First of all, the packaging? It’s gorgeous, am I right? After trying it, I realized just how balanced it was with the lingering heat of spicy Thai chile, a kick of tangy tamarind, and the fruity coconut? I was honestly blown away and I knew that this would be perfect with seafood.

This recipe works fairly quickly, so it’s going to be important to have all of your mise en place and oil preheated since the shrimp don’t take long at all to cook through. I made sure to separate the recipe by each aspect of prep for an easier method. If you prefer to bake or air fry the shrimp, that’s definitely an option as well. I’d suggest 425ºF and baking for 10 minutes or until the coating is nice and golden. Either way, it’s going to be spicy and delicious! Let’s get cooking.

Spiced Coconut Shrimp

Serves: 2-4

Cook Time: 30 minutes

1lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp baking soda 

Vegetable or canola oil, for frying

Egg Wash

2 large eggs, beaten

Large pinch of Long-Tail Sunset spice blend

Splash of coconut milk (or any kind of milk on hand)

Dredge

1 cup all-purpose flour 

1 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp Long-Tail Sunset spice blend

Coconut-Panko Breading

2 cups plain panko breadcrumbs 

1.5 cups sweetened shredded coconut 

1 tsp Long-Tail Sunset spice blend

1/2 tsp kosher salt

In a large frying pan, add enough vegetable or canola oil to shallow fry, roughly about 1-2” of oil. Over medium heat, preheat the pan to get the oil hot.

Next, sprinkle the kosher salt and baking soda over the shrimp and gently toss. Baking soda helps keep the shrimp crisp yet tender while cooking and adds an amazing snap when you bite into it. Once I learned about this trick from Serious Eats, I never went back to prepping any of my shrimp without doing this first. Set aside for 15 minutes.

While the shrimp are hanging out and the oil is preheating, get your breading station set up. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs with a generous dash of the Long-Tail Sunset blend and a splash of milk. I used coconut milk because I wanted to reinforce the coconut flavor and I already had some open from making smoothies. Please don’t buy an entire can of coconut milk just to splash it in the eggs if you aren’t going to use it for anything else! Any milk will do. Set the egg wash aside.

Then, in a large plastic storage bag or bowl, add the flour, kosher salt, and Long-Tail Sunset Blend and mix well. I prefer using a bag for easier cleanup. Set that aside. Then, in a baking dish or large plate, combine the panko breadcrumbs, shredded coconut, Long-Tail Sunset blend, and kosher salt. Gently stir around with a fork and set aside. Your breading station should be set up in this order: flour dredge, egg wash, coconut-panko breading, and a baking rack or plate for resting the coated shrimp.

Once the 15 minutes have passed for the shrimp, take them and working in batches, dredge them in the flour mixture. Shaking off any excess, dunk them in the egg wash and then press them down into the coconut-panko breading, ensuring that the entire shrimp is coated. Set the coated shrimp aside on the baking rack or plate to allow the coating to set, roughly for 5 minutes. Repeat this process until all of the shrimp are coated.

Next, gently add the shrimp to the hot oil and fry for about 2 minutes on each side or until the shrimp are a deep, golden brown color. Drain excess oil on a paper-towel lined plate and sprinkle with some more Long-Tail Sunset blend and some kosher salt.

Serve immediately with your favorite rice and veggie, or enjoy solo as a snack! I enjoyed mine with a jazzed up version of my arroz con gandules that I added roughly 2 tbsp of the Long-Tail Sunset spice blend along with some coconut milk (for half of the water ratio used) and a quick cabbage slaw (that recipe is saved on my “Story Eats” Instagram highlight).

¡Buen provecho!