Carly's Crispy Coconut Shrimp

It's that strange time of year in between Christmas and the New Year where no one really knows what day it is and we just kind of graze at all hours. Why not have a meal that is filling, fun and gluten-free? Whether you share this at your next party or enjoy a weekend in, kick your feet up and enjoy this holiday treat. 

Crispy is my thang...but I don't like to over-cook my food, especially proteins.  Over-cooked foods are full of carcinogens (cancer-causing) compounds.  I rely on my air-fryer because I can get my coconut shrimp crispy but not burned.  I used to love to go order popcorn shrimp at the cheap seafood restaurant.  I never felt good after eating them, but they sure tasted good. But once I went gluten-free that was a (bad) memory of the past.  I tried many versions, cook times, and finally settled on this recipe as my perfect (and healthy) reproduction.  

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 pound raw shrimp

2 eggs

1 cup tapioca starch

2 cups shredded coconut

1 teaspoon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup coconut milk

1 teaspoon lime juice

1 jalapeno (thinly minced)

2-3 teaspoons raw honey 

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees

Line a pan with a wire rack

Add the tapioca starch to a bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper

Place the eggs in a second bowl and the shredded coconut in a third. Line all the bowls up on your countertop in order (tapioca starch, eggs, then coconut)

One shrimp at a time, dredge in tapioca starch, then eggs then coconut. Place on the wire rack.

Once all the coconut-covered shrimp are on the wire rack, place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes on each side (20 minutes total)

If you are using an air fryer, use the same temperature and cook for 10 minutes on each side

While the shrimp are cooking, combine the lime juice, jalapeno, coconut milk and honey in a blender.

Blend the mixture until it is a smooth sauce. 

Enjoy the coconut shrimp and sauce. 

Cheers to the new year!