Deep Fried Coconut Prawns

By á-4427

excellent with spicy ginger pineapple plum sauce

Ingredients

• Dressing:
• 34 prawns (about 2 lbs)
• 1 lemon
• Rice wine vinegar
• Olive oil
• 3/4 cup tempura
• 1 1/4 cup panko
• 1 cup sweetened baker’s coconut
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (to YOUR taste)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs, whisked
• Vegetable oil for frying
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 3 tbsp Asian plum sauce
• 5 tbsp crushed pineapple
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3/8 tsp dried ginger
• 1/4 tsp salt

Preparation

Step 1

Put together the ginger pineapple plum dressing by combining the ingredients in a small mixing bowl and stirring it all up. Now taste it. Does it need anything? Well, add it then, and when you are satisfied with the flavor, place it in the fridge to chill.

Rinse and peal the Prawns. Butterfly them by cutting them part way through from under the “curve side” with a sharp knife. You can cut them all the way through about 3/4” from the end if you want. Now place them in a small mixing bowl.

Squeeze the juice from your lemon half over the prawns and then drizzle in a little olive oil and some Rice Wine Vinegar on top. Let your prawns marinade for at least ½ hour, preferably longer. In addition to adding flavor, the marinade will tenderize them.

Once the prawns have marinated, put the vegetable oil in a large, deep, heavy skillet on medium heat. The oil should be about 1-½” deep, so adjust your oil quantity for your skillet.

In separate bowls, put your flour, the whisked eggs, and your bread crumbs/coconut mixture. Season the flour with the salt and cayenne pepper to your taste. I like lots of cayenne, and just a little salt.

Run the marinated prawns through the flour, then the eggs, then the bread crumb/coconut mixture to coat evenly on all sides and place them on a plate to the side.

Once your oil is hot (but not too hot) place the battered prawns, three at a time, into the oil. Cook three to four minutes, no longer. DON’T OVERCOOK YOUR PRAWNS. Now pull the first batch of prawns out of the grease with a slotted spoon and place them to the side on paper towels to drain. Add the next three, cooking again for three to five minutes until golden brown. Now remove them from the grease and reunite them with the other three on the paper towels.