Crispy Coconut Tempura Shrimp with Tropical Slaw and Lime Rice

There’s something magical about tempura-that light, airy crunch that transforms ordinary ingredients into something extraordinary. This recipe takes it up a notch by coating juicy shrimp in a toasted coconut-flecked batter, creating a sweet and savory sensation that’s hard to resist.

Pile the crispy shrimp over steamy lime rice and serve with a creamy tropical slaw studded with pineapple and cashews. A drizzle of sweet-spicy-tangy sauce ties it all together. Get ready for a flavor adventure!

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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

0.5 ounce CashewsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon MayonnaiseView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

3 unit 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

Cooking 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 produce. Roughly chop cilantro. Drain pineapple over a small bowl, reserving juice. Zest and halve lime (for 4 servings, zest one lime and halve both). In a medium bowl, toss together cabbage, cilantro, pineapple, mayonnaise, juice from half the lime, half the pineapple juice and ½ tsp sugar (1 tsp for 4). Season with salt and pepper. Add cashews.
3. To bowl with reserved pineapple juice, stir in jam, a squeeze of lime juice and Sriracha to taste. Set aside. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed (preferably nonstick) pan over medium heat. Add 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 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 1/3 cup cold water (2/3 cup for 4). (TIP: If mixture is too thick, add more water 1 TBSP at a time until it reaches a pancake-batter-like consistency.) Heat a ¼-inch layer of oil in pan used for coconut over medium-high heat. Stir shrimp into batter until fully coated. Line a plate with paper towels and set aside.
5. Once oil is hot enough that a drop of batter sizzles when added to the pan, 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. (TIP: Add more oil as needed between batches, allowing it time to heat back up before frying more shrimp.) Using a slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to paper-towel-lined plate. Immediately season with salt and pepper.
6. Fluff rice with a fork; stir in 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings) and lime zest to taste. Season with salt. Divide rice, shrimp and 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 dry before seasoning and coating.

What can I substitute for tempura mix?

You can use all-purpose flour mixed with a little cornstarch and baking powder for a similar light texture.

How do I make the sauce less spicy?

Reduce the amount of Sriracha or omit it altogether for a milder sweet-tangy sauce.