Coconut Shrimp: Live, Love, & Eat in Sayulita

In my last column I promised you Coconut Shrimp! This is a very delicious dish that you can make for company or for that very special someone in Sayulita. We have a great swimming pool here in Sayulita and my husband worked very hard all day in the hot sun replacing some broken tiles. I thought that he deserved a yummy dinner, so since coconut shrimp is one of his favorites, coconut shrimp it was! 

You can buy shrimp at the seafood tienda in Sayulita, but I prefer to take the 15 minute jungle drive to La Cruz where the seafood marina sells wild ocean shrimp (a la mar). At one time we had to buy whatever was available, but now with farmed shrimp being the most common shrimp for sale, I choose to take the drive. Be sure to ask for “camerones de la mar” because even at the marina they sell both farmed and ocean.

INGREDIENTS:

-Fresh Shrimp - peel and devein them.Take a small, sharp knife and carefully cut down the middle of the shrimp’s back, head to tail, cutting halfway through the shrimp (less if you can see the vein and it is more shallow ). Remove and discard the vein. This vein is the intestinal tract. Sometimes it can be thick and greenish in color or thin and black.

-Flour seasoned with a bit of salt, pepper, and cayenne* 

-1-3 Eggs - whisked together*

-Sweetened Coconut* 

*I haven't given you proportions here for the flour, eggs, or coconut because the amounts are completely dependent on how many shrimp you have to coat.

-Oil for quick frying.

TIP - for the lightest most flavorful coconut shrimp, I like to use organic coconut oil, which can be bought at Alas Blancas in Sayulita. I used to use extra virgin olive oil, but have since changed to only using coconut oil. I found that coconut oil is nicer to use, it's better for you and definitely more flavorful! 

-Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce. Don Rodolfo's across from Tacos El Ivan in Sayulita sells this. 

METHOD:

-Heat oil until you can see it shimmer

-Coat shrimp in seasoned flour; then egg; then coconut. The flour and egg help the coconut stick well to the shrimp

When all the shrimp are coated, quickly and carefully drop a few into the hot oil. Be sure to have a slotted spoon and a paper towel lined platter ready because the shrimp will be done very quickly.

-As soon as shrimp are a deep golden color (they will take between 30-60 seconds), quickly remove to platter with your slotted spoon

-Serve with the sweet chili dipping sauce on the side

Oh, so yummy! 

I served the shrimp tonight with a delicious caesar salad and raw carrots with a most delicious, and as a bonus, very healthy dip. My next column will feature both the caesar salad and the vegetable dip recipes. You will be delighted to tune in. I promise you