Larry Crowe/Associated Press By avoiding the deep fryer, these coconut shrimp with dipping sauce have far fewer calories and grams of fat. Through baking instead of frying and the use of lower fat ingredients like egg whites and light coconut milk, the crunchy, tasty shrimp can be enjoyed without the guilt.
Don't you love those succulent shrimp with the crunchy, golden coconut coating? You know, the ones they have at all the big chain restaurants.
Did you know that a serving of four will set you back almost 600 calories and over 18 grams of fat? That's a third of most people's recommended daily fat and calorie intake.
No surprise, the main culprit in this dietary disaster is the deep fat fryer.
Coconut shrimp with dipping sauce from the March issue of Light & Tasty magazine employs a simple "oven frying" technique to rescue this dish from its oil-soaked origins. A serving of 10 shrimp with sauce has only 324 calories and 11 grams of fat.
On top of a flavor-boosting marinade, the secret to this recipe is a classic breading technique that uses flour, eggs, and Japanese breadcrumbs blended with shredded coconut. The shrimp are then baked instead of deep-fried, but still get that nice crunch.
To toast shredded coconut, spread it on a baking sheet and place it in an oven preheated to 350 F for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned.
Shrimp themselves are a healthy protein choice. A 3-ounce serving of uncooked shrimp has only about 90 calories and 1.5 grams of fat, very little of it saturated. Shrimp also provide iron, potassium, selenium, vitamin E and vitamin D. They even contain some omega-3 (heart-healthy) fat.
It's true that shrimp are high in cholesterol, but that's not a great concern, said D. Milton Stokes, a nutrition counselor in southern Connecticut, and spokesman for the American Dietetics Association. "Eating dietary cholesterol doesn't raise blood cholesterol as much as other constituents of the diet. Instead, consumers should watch out for trans fat and saturated fat - both are much more vicious than dietary cholesterol alone."
Coconut Shrimp with Dipping Sauce
(Start to finish: 1 hour 30 minutes, 15 minutes active)
• 1 14-ounce can light coconut milk, divided
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1Ú4 cup minced fresh cilantro
• 11Ú4 pounds uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined, tails left on
• 3Ú4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 egg whites
• 3Ú4 cup panko (Japanese) bread crumbs
• 3Ú4 cup flaked coconut, lightly toasted
• 1Ú3 cup reduced sugar apricot preserves
• 1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
Preheat oven to 400 F.
Prepare a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray
In a small bowl, place 2 tablespoons of the coconut milk; cover and refrigerate. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine remaining coconut milk, jalapeno, cilantro, and shrimp. Seal the bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Place flour in a shallow bowl. In another bowl, lightly beat the egg whites. In a third bowl, combine breadcrumbs and coconut. Drain shrimp and discard marinade. Dip shrimp in flour and egg whites, then roll in crumb mixture.
Place shrimp on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned.
Meanwhile, for dipping sauce, combine preserves and mustard with the reserved coconut milk. Serve with shrimp.
Serves 5.
Nutrition information per serving: 324 calories, 23g protein, 11g total fat (8 g saturated), 30g carbohydrates, 168 mg cholesterol, 316 mg sodium, 1g fiber.
(Recipe adapted from Light & Tasty, March 2007)