Crispy Coconut Tempura Shrimp with Lime Rice and Tropical Slaw

There’s something magical about the light, airy crunch of tempura-battered shrimp. This recipe takes it up a notch by adding toasted coconut to the batter for a sweet, nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with juicy shrimp.

Serve these golden shrimp over fluffy lime rice, alongside a creamy tropical slaw studded with pineapple and crunchy cashews. Drizzle everything with a sweet-spicy-tangy sauce for a finish that’s simply irresistible.

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Ingredients

0.75 cup Jasmine RiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce PineappleView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce Shredded Red CabbageView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 ounce CashewsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon MayonnaiseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 tablespoon Apricot JamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon SrirachaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Shredded CoconutView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

10 ounce ShrimpView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

82 g Tempura MixView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon SugarView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Vegetable OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. In a medium pot, combine rice, 1¼ cups water (2¼ cups for 4 servings) and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.
2. Meanwhile, wash and dry all produce. Roughly chop cilantro leaves and stems. Zest and halve lime (halve both limes for 4). Drain pineapple over a small bowl, reserving juice. In a medium bowl, toss together cabbage, cilantro, pineapple, mayonnaise, juice from half the lime, half the reserved pineapple juice and ½ tsp sugar (1 tsp for 4). Season with salt and pepper. Add cashews.
3. To the bowl with reserved pineapple juice, stir in apricot jam, a squeeze of lime juice and sriracha to taste. Set aside. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pan (preferably nonstick) over medium heat. Add shredded coconut and ½ tsp sugar (1 tsp for 4 servings); cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat; transfer to a second small bowl. Wipe out pan.
4. Rinse shrimp under cold water, then pat very dry with paper towels. Season with salt. In a large bowl, combine tempura mix, half the toasted coconut, ½ tsp salt (1 tsp for 4 servings) and ⅓ cup cold water (⅔ cup for 4). Heat a ¼-inch layer of oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Stir shrimp into batter until fully coated. Line a plate with paper towels.
5. Once oil is hot enough that a drop of batter sizzles when added, add coated shrimp in a single layer. Cook in batches until golden brown and cooked through, 2-3 minutes on the first side and 1-2 minutes on the second side. (Add more oil as needed between batches, allowing it to heat back up.) Using a slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to paper-towel-lined plate. Immediately season with salt and pepper.
6. Fluff rice with a fork and stir in 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) and lime zest to taste; season with salt. Divide rice, shrimp and tropical slaw between plates. Sprinkle shrimp and rice with remaining toasted coconut. Drizzle shrimp with sauce (or serve on the side for dipping).

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use frozen shrimp?

Yes, just thaw them completely and pat very dry before seasoning and battering.

What can I substitute for tempura mix?

You can use a mix of all-purpose flour and cornstarch (about 3:1 ratio) with a pinch of baking powder.

How do I store leftovers?

Store shrimp, rice and slaw separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat shrimp in an oven or air fryer to regain crispiness.