Coconut Shrimp with the volume turned way up! Fruity Pebbles make the breading extra colorful and give just the right citrus flavor. Paired with a sweet and spicy dipping sauce, Fruity Pebble Coconut Shrimp are a fun party snack or family dinner.
Course Appetizer, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine American
Prep Time 20 minutesminutes
Cook Time 10 minutesminutes
Servings 20shrimp (approx)
Ingredients
Shrimp
1lbshrimpeasy peel, 16-20 size*
1CFruity Pebble cereal
1Cpanko breadcrumbs
1Cshredded sweetened coconut
½tspsalt
¼tsppepper
¼Ccorn starch
0.5ozcan evaporated milk
Vegetable oil
Sauce
½Capricot preserves
2Tblow sodium soy sauce
1Tbrice vinegar
1tspsriracha hot sauce
Instructions
To make the dipping sauce, combine all of the ingredients and whisk well to combine. Set aside until shrimp are ready.
To prepare the shrimp, remove the entire shell for the each shrimp, leaving the tail on. Devein each shrimp thoroughly. Last, butterfly the shrimp by slicing all the way down the back of the shrimp so that the two sides lay flat. Check out this video for a visual how-to.
To prepare the breading, crush the cereal until it resembles coarse crumbs (don't completely crush into dust). Then add the panko and coconut and mix to combine. Set aside.
Bread the shrimp by setting a 3-step station. First, toss the prepared shrimp with corn starch, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Next, set up the next two stations by pouring the evaporated milk into a small bowl, and then adding the breading to a large shallow bowl or a gallon size plastic bag (see my notes above on more details on the two methods).
After coating the shrimp in corn starch, dip each shrimp twice, one at a time, into the evaporated milk. Allow the excess milk to drip off before adding the breading. Coat each shrimp thoroughly in breading, pressing the crumbs into the shrimp.
Once all the shrimp are breaded and ready, place a large pan over medium heat. Pour enough vegetable oil into the pan for about 1-inch depth. To check if the oil is hot, add a few crumbs from the breading to the oil. If they rise to the top immediately and start to sizzle, you're ready to fry. If they turn black, remove the pan from the heat for 30 seconds and test again.
These shrimp cook quickly! I find there are three sides to cook since we are pan frying, the bottom of the shrimp and the two sides. Cook each side for 30-60 seconds, depending on the size of your shrimp. Keep an eye on them. The coconut and Fruity Pebbles can burn quickly if left too long.
Once the shrimp are golden brown and cooked through, remove to a wire rack or paper towels on a baking sheet to allow the excess oil to shake off. Serve with dipping sauce.
Notes
* 16-20 size simply means there are approximately 16-20 shrimp per pound. They are typically labeled as such, but if you can't find them, you're looking for medium-sized shrimp. I like the easy peel, but you can also buy them with the shell fully intact. I like to leave the tail on so completely peeled aren't my favorite for this recipe, but if you're adverse to the idea of peeling them yourself, they will work.