Coconut Shrimp with Spicy Mango Peach Salsa

Before I first made shrimp, it always scared me a little. For some reason - at the time, I had next to no experience to base my fears on - I had gotten it into my head that seafood was difficult to make. Difficult to make, and difficult to get right. Irrational as it was, that fear stopped me from making shrimp dishes for years - until one day, I realised there was hardly anything to it. That it is probably harder to get it wrong, than it is to get it right. Try this simple coconut shrimp dish, and see for yourself. :)

Ingredients (serves 2):

Coconut Shrimp

250g shrimp, peeled and deveined (if you’re buying them fresh, get them with the tail left on. If you’re using frozen shrimp they may not have tails - that’s ok. Make sure they’re thawed.)

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs (these are lighter and crunchier than regular bread crumbs)

1/2 cup flour (tapioca flour or all purpose flour - both will do)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-2 eggs (start with 1, you may not need more)

vegetable oil for frying

Mango Peach Salsa

1/2 mango, roughly chopped

1 peach, roughly chopped

1 teaspoon fresh cilantro, chopped

1 teaspoon fresh mint, chopped

juice of 1/2 lime

1/2 fresh habanero chili, chopped

1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (or other white vinegar)

1 teaspoon honey

pinch of salt

Instructions:

1. First, make the salsa. Take all the salsa ingredients and toss them in a food processor or blend using a hand blender till they reach a consistency you’re happy with. Refrigerate while you continue with the shrimp.

2. Take three plates. Cover the first plate with the flour and salt. Mix the panko bread crumbs with the shredded coconut, and pour this on the second plate. Set the third plate next to these, but leave it empty.

3. Whisk the egg in a small bowl. One by one, take a shrimp, coat it lightly in flour, then dip it in the egg mixture to coat it with egg, and then pour the coconut bread crumb mixture over it, making sure the shrimp is fully coated with it. Set aside on the third plate, and repeat with the next shrimp.

4. Fill a deep frying pan with oil, about 3-4 cm deep. Heat the oil and test if it’s ready by tossing in a couple of panko grains. If the oil is hot enough, the grains will start to fizzle. Then, add the shrimp - I did about 5-6 of them at a time, you want enough space for them in the pan. Fry them for 2-3 minutes, until a nice golden brown. Remove and place on a paper towel-covered plate. Repeat until you’ve done all the shrimp.

5. Serve immediately, together with the mango salsa. Yuuuummmm!!