FEATURED RECIPE

Pancake-Battered Coconut Shrimp

📷

Ayesha Curry

Episode 106

featured in

Episode 106

Excerpted with permission from:

The Full Plate: Flavor-Filled, Easy Recipes for Families with No Time and a Lot to Do

When Stephen and I were dating, there was nothing he loved more than a Red Baron pizza and going to the local Outback Steakhouse. I remember his order like it was yesterday: Caesar Salad, 6-ounce Victoria’s Filet Mignon, Aussie Cheese Fries, and the occasional No Rules Parmesan Pasta. I, on the other hand, always opted for the Coconut Shrimp, which I have always had a soft spot for in my heart.

This is my version of that nostalgic bite. I use pancake mix for the batter, then stir in some coconut. The shrimp, dipped in the batter and fried until golden brown, are even better than the ones that inspired this recipe. If you’d like, you can make a dipping sauce by stirring together a bit of maple syrup (pancakes and syrup—get it?) and some sriracha.

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INGREDIENTS

Canola oil, for frying
1 cup Krusteaz pancake mix
1½ cups sweetened shredded coconut
½ cup dark ale‍
1 large egg‍
Kosher salt
1 pound extra-large shrimp (about 20), peeled and deveined with tails still intact

Directions

Pour a 1-inch depth of canola oil into a medium heavy-bottomed pot and heat over medium-high heat until it registers 360°F on a deep- frying thermometer. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set aside.
WHILE THE OIL HEATS, PREPARE THE BATTER SET-UP: In one large bowl, put ¼ cup of the pancake mix. In another large bowl, combine the remaining ¾ cup pancake mix, ½ cup of the coconut, the ale, egg, and ½ teaspoon salt and stir until well combined. Place the remaining 1 cup coconut in a medium bowl or rimmed plate.
Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels, add to the bowl with the dry pancake mix, and toss to coat. One at a time, holding each shrimp by its tail, dip it into the batter, letting any excess drip off, then dredge in the coconut, pressing and rolling gently to coat well. Transfer to a plate.
In a few batches, fry the coated shrimp in the hot oil, turning once, until golden brown, about 2 minutes total. With a slotted spoon or spider, transfer the fried shrimp to the paper towel–lined baking sheet and season right away with a little salt. Skim the oil to remove any bits of batter, and repeat with the remaining shrimp until they have all been fried. Serve hot.

Excerpted with permission from The Full Plate, Voracious, 2020.