Description
These crispy coconut prawns with tomato aioli are one of my absolute favorite appetizers. They are simple to make but taste restaurant quality and are SO GOOD.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the coconut prawn:
- 1 lb large prawn or prawns – peeled, deveined, and butterflied
- 1/4 cup of flour
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup coconut shreds
- 1/3 cup coconut oil (for frying)
- Chives or scallions, for garnish
For the tomato aioli:
- 1 clove garlic, very finely minced
- 2 tablespoons ketchup (I love the sir kensingtons or primal kitchen brand)
- 1/3 cup avocado oil mayo
- Kosher salt
- Squeeze of Lemon juice
Instructions
For the tomato aioli:
- Mince the garlic and add this into a medium sized bowl.
- To the bowl with the minced garlic, add the avocado mayo, ketchup, and kosher salt. Give everything a mix, then add the lemon juice. Taste, adjust seasoning as desired, and set aside.
For the coconut prawns:
- Prepare the prawns – peel, devein, and butterfly each prawn, or you can purchase already prepped prawns or shrimp. Pat the prawns dry with a paper towel. Removing the excess moisture is important to ensure the perfect crispy texture.
- Setup 3 shallow bowls for breading the prawn – one for the flour, one for the egg, and one for the panko and shredded coconut. Into each bowl, add a pinch of salt into each and give each bowl a mix. Beat the egg mixture for 20 seconds, or until it looks homogeneous.
- Season with kosher salt and black pepper, then dip each prawn into the 3 bowls following this order: flour, then egg, then the coconut panko mixture. Dust off the excess flour before dipping it into the egg mixture, and allow the excess egg mixture to drip off before dipping into the coconut panko mixture. Make sure the prawn is fully covered with the coconut panko mixture by patting the coating all over the prawn. Once the prawn is coated, add this to a plate or parchment lined sheet tray. Repeat for all remaining prawn.
- In a cast iron pan or heavy bottomed pan, add ⅓ cup of coconut oil. Heat on medium high heat, until 375F, or bubbles begin to form around a wooden spatula or chopstick.
- One by one, add the breaded coconut prawn to the oil and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown. If the prawn is browning too quickly (under 1 minute), reduce the heat. After 1-2 minutes, flip the prawn and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Once the prawn is cooked, remove this from the oil and set onto a paper towel lined plate. Repeat for all remaining prawn.
- Serve immediately, and enjoy!
Equipment
Notes
You can store the uncooked coconut shrimp in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Easy gourmet, entertaining made easy
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American