The Best Coconut Shrimp
This is a bold statement, but I truly believe these Coconut Shrimp with Mango Habanero Aioli are some of the best coconut shrimp I’ve had. Often times I find that store-bought coconut shrimp, and even coconut shrimp at restaurants, have way too much breading. The shrimp gets lost and you can’t even taste the coconut flavor. That’s why I love this recipe for Coconut Shrimp with Mango Habanero Aioli. The shrimp is so fresh, the flavors are bright, and you’re sure to get a crispy bite since you’re making these at home. Juicy shrimp are coated with a crispy coconut breading and served with a sweet and spicy mango habanero aioli. The tropical flavors from the coconut and mango are the perfect combination to switch you right over to island time.
Sweet Heat
We’ll start with making the mango habanero aioli. It has a lot of flavor and a number of ingredients but is so easy to make. It’s as simple as adding all of the ingredients into a food processor. Blend it until smooth then taste for seasoning. If you want the aioli to be spicier, blend in more habanero peppers. Set the aioli aside in the fridge until ready to use.
Moving onto the coconut shrimp, pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. In a bowl, add in the eggs, flour, baking powder, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and water. Mix with a whisk until the batter is well combined. Then add the sweetened coconut flakes and panko into a shallow dish. Gently toss the ingredients together until evenly distributed.
Dip the shrimp into the batter. Allow any excess batter to drip off. Then lay the shrimp into the coconut and panko mixture. Press the breading onto both sides of the shrimp until everything except for the tail is coated. Place the shrimp onto a baking sheet. Repeat this process to bread the remaining shrimp. Once all the shrimp are coated, cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap. Freeze the shrimp for at least 20 minutes. This will help the coating adhere to the shrimp when it fries.
Taste of the Island
Fill a medium sized pot with 2-3 inches of vegetable oil. Heat it over medium high heat until the oil reaches 350˚F. Working in batches, fry the shrimp for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove them from the oil and drain them on a cooling rack lined with paper towels. Sprinkle flaky salt on top as the shrimp come of the fryer. Top the shrimp with cilantro leaves. Serve them with lime wedges and the mango habanero aioli on the side.
These Coconut Shrimp with Mango Habanero Aioli are the best bite — especially if you love tropical flavors. The shrimp are juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside. Then coconut in the breading adds a layer of sweet, nutty flavor. It’s all perfectly balanced with the mango habanero aioli. The fresh ingredients cut through the fried breading and add a pop of brightness with a little bit of heat. Together, these are a match made in heaven! The mango habanero aioli is so unique I would definitely pair it with other dishes as well. So the next time you’re craving coconut shrimp, try this recipe out!
Coconut Shrimp with Mango Habanero Aioli
Ingredients
For the Mango Habanero Aioli:
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- ½ cup Fresh Mango Chunks
- 1 Garlic Clove (roughly chopped)
- ½ tsp Grated Ginger
- ½ Habanero Chile Pepper (deseeded and chopped)
- ¼ cup Chopped Cilantro
- Zest from ½ a Lime
- 1 ½ tbsp Lime Juice
- 1 tsp Agave or Maple Syrup
- ¼ tsp Smoked Paprika
- ¼ tsp Curry Powder
- ½ tsp Kosher Salt such as hickory
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper
For the Coconut Shrimp:
- 1 lbs Extra Large Shrimp peeled and deveined
- 2 Large Eggs
- ½ cup All Purpose Flour
- 1 ¼ tsp Baking Powder
- Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
- ½ tsp Garlic Powder
- ½ tsp Kosher Salt
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper
- ½ cup Water
- 1 cup Sweetened Coconut Flakes
- ⅔ cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- As Needed Vegetable Oil (for frying)
- Flaky Salt (for serving)
- Lime Wedges (for serving)
- Cilantro Leaves (for serving)
Instructions
For the Mango Habanero Aioli:
- Add all of the ingredients into a food processor. Blend until smooth. Taste for seasoning. If you want it spicier, blend in more habanero pepper. Set the aioli aside in the fridge until ready to use.
For the Coconut Shrimp:
- Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels.
- In a bowl, add in the eggs, flour, baking powder, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and water. Mix with a whisk until the batter is well combined. Then add the sweetened coconut flakes and panko into a shallow dish. Gently toss the ingredients together until evenly distributed.
- Dip the shrimp into the batter. Allow any excess batter to drip off. Then lay the shrimp into the coconut and panko mixture. Press the breading onto both sides of the shrimp until everything except for the tail is coated. Place the shrimp onto a baking sheet. Repeat this process to bread the remaining shrimp. Once all the shrimp are coated, cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap. Freeze the shrimp for at least 20 minutes.
- Fill a medium sized pot with 2-3 inches of vegetable oil. Heat it over medium high heat until the oil reaches 350˚F. Working in batches, fry the shrimp for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove them from the oil and drain them on a cooling rack lined with paper towels. Sprinkle flaky salt on top as the shrimp come of from frying.
- Top the shrimp with cilantro leaves. Serve them with lime wedges on the side and the mango habanero aioli. Enjoy!
