Description
A sweet, creamy, and crispy Chinese buffet-style coconut shrimp dish featuring lightly breaded shrimp tossed in a luscious coconut-cream sauce enriched with a touch of mayonnaise for extra silkiness.
Ingredients
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 large egg white
- 2 tablespoons water (or Chinese rice wine)
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- ¾ cup full-fat coconut milk
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1½ teaspoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated or minced
- 1 cup cornstarch (for breading)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Oil, for frying
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine shrimp, egg white, water (or rice wine), and salt. Mix well and let marinate for 10 minutes to 4 hours in the fridge.
- In a small bowl, whisk together coconut milk, sugar, mayonnaise, vinegar, cornstarch, salt, and 2 tablespoons water.
- Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and sauté until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Stir in the sauce mixture and cook until it just bubbles. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix cornstarch and baking powder. Add ¼ cup of this mixture to the marinated shrimp and coat lightly. Dredge each shrimp in the remaining dry mix and lay on a baking sheet.
- Heat oil in a deep skillet or wok to 350°F (175–180°C). Fry shrimp in batches until golden brown, about 1–2 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack to drain excess oil.
- Reheat the coconut sauce if necessary. Toss fried shrimp in the sauce until evenly coated. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use jumbo shrimp for a juicier texture and more impressive presentation.
- Add shredded coconut to the breading for extra coconut flavor.
- Air-fry option: 400°F, 4 minutes per side, lightly spraying with oil.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days and reheat gently with a splash of water.
- Ensure baking powder and mayonnaise are gluten-free if making this gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe (about 6-7 shrimp)
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 860mg
- Fat: 21g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 23g
- Cholesterol: 190mg
