Coconut Shrimp with Sweet Chili Dip, Christmas Recipe

Coconut shrimp have long been a popular cocktail snack, but this version has a few refinements that bring it into the twenty-first century. A dash of curry powder adds another layer of flavor, and Asian sweet chili sauce is the perfect dip. You’ll find the latter in Asian markets and many supermarkets—it comes in tall bottles and looks a bit like apricot preserves with flecks of red chiles. As these are best served right after frying, set up the ingredients and necessary equipment beforehand so the cooking goes smoothly.

Makes 24 shrimp; 6 to 8 servings

Make Ahead: The dip can be prepared up to 1 day ahead.

Ingredients For DIP:
3⁄4 cup Asian sweet chili sauce (see Note)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 and 1⁄2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Ingredients For BATTER:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 and 1⁄4 teaspoons Madras-style curry powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons club soda

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
1 and 1⁄4 cups unsweetened desiccated coconut
24 large shrimp, peeled and deveined, with tail segment left attached

Preparation:
1. To make the dip, mix together the chili sauce, cilantro, and lime juice in a small bowl. Cover and let stand until ready to serve. (If preparing the dip ahead, cover and refrigerate.)

2. To make the batter, whisk all of the batter ingredients together in a medium bowl until just combined; the batter should remain slightly lumpy. Set aside for 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, pour enough oil into a large, heavy saucepan to come halfway up the sides of the pan. Heat over high heat until the oil temperature reads 375°F on a deep-frying thermometer.

4. Spread the coconut on a plate. One at a time, hold a shrimp by the tail and dip into the batter, letting excess batter drip into the bowl. Roll the shrimp in the coconut to coat and place on a waxed paper–lined baking sheet.

5. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set near the stove. Just before serving, deep-fry the shrimp in batches until golden brown, about 2 and 1⁄2 minutes each. Using a mesh skimmer, transfer the shrimp to the paper towels to drain briefly. Serve hot, with the chili dip.

Note: If you can’t find Asian sweet chili sauce, heat 3⁄4 cup apricot preserves until melted. Strain through a wire sieve into a bowl and stir in 1 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper and 2 garlic cloves, crushed through a press.

This recipe was published in 'Christmas 101 - p18'.