Chinese Coconut Shrimp: Crispy Buffet-Style Shrimp With Creamy Coconut Sauce
By Liam Carter
Prep
25 min
Cook
10 min
Total
35 min
Servings
4
Level
Easy
Hot oil at 350°F prevents cornstarch from falling off shrimp during cooking and produces shrimp that are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Coconut shrimp at Chinese buffet restaurants are breaded with cornstarch and served with a sweet, creamy sauce that includes white vinegar and ginger.
Shrimp are marinated in egg white, water, or Chinese rice wine, and kosher salt. Egg white is used instead of eggs in the marinade to give the shrimp a crispy texture. A sauce is made in a small bowl using full-fat coconut milk, sugar, mayonnaise, vinegar, cornstarch, salt, ginger, and additional water. Sugar adds sweetness to the sauce. Mayonnaise adds richness, and cornstarch helps thicken the sauce when cooked.
After heating the ginger for 45 seconds, bring the sauce mixture to a boil and remove from the heat. Add 1/4 cup of cornstarch mixture to the shrimp in the breading dish. Coat each shrimp with cornstarch mixture. Check for a golden-brown color on the breaded shrimp. Frying too many shrimp at once can lower the oil temperature and prevent a light, crispy breading.
Reheat the sauce on medium heat before serving with fried shrimp. Serve immediately to maintain the crispness of the breading. The recipe recommends using a nonstick skillet and adding 1 tablespoon of water to reheated sauce if the sauce has tightened. Larger shrimp, such as jumbo shrimp, may cook more quickly than the breading does.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Frying at temperatures of 350 degrees Fahrenheit allows the coating on the shrimp to brown without overcooking the shrimp, giving the dish a crunchy coating and juicy shrimp.
- A cornstarch coating results in a thinner, crispier crust than other breading methods, allowing the shrimp to remain crispy when served with sauce.
- Baking powder creates bubbles in the breading that turn crisp when fried to give the breading a crispy texture instead of a sticky one.
- Adding egg whites to the marinade helps the cornstarch adhere better to the shrimp and provides the crispy texture the recipe calls for.
- Sautéing ginger before adding the sauce allows the flavors to be absorbed by the coconut milk and gives the sauce a stronger, more fragrant ginger flavor to complement the sweet, creamy milk.
- Adding warmed sauce to the shrimp at serving time flavors all the shrimp without overwetting the breadcrumb coating for extended periods.
Ingredients
- •1 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- •1 large egg white
- •2 tbsp water (or Chinese rice wine; plus 2 tbsp water for the sauce)
- •1 tsp coarse kosher salt (for marinade)
- •¾ cup full-fat coconut milk
- •¼ cup sugar
- •1 tbsp mayonnaise
- •1 tsp white vinegar
- •1 ½ tsp cornstarch (for sauce)
- •¼ tsp coarse kosher salt (for sauce)
- •1 tsp neutral oil (plus about 1 inch of oil for frying)
- •1 tsp ginger (grated or minced)
- •1 cup cornstarch (for breading)
- •1 tsp baking powder
Instructions
- 1
Combine the shrimp, egg white, water or Chinese rice wine, and salt in a medium bowl and mix well. Marinate for 10 minutes and up to 4 hours.
- 2
Combine the coconut milk, sugar, mayonnaise, vinegar, cornstarch, salt, and 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl.
- 3
Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the ginger and sauté for 45 seconds.
- 4
Add the sauce mixture to the skillet and heat until it bubbles. Set aside.
- 5
Combine 1 cup cornstarch and baking powder in a large bowl. Add 1/4 cup of the cornstarch mixture to the shrimp marinade and mix well.
- 6
Individually coat each shrimp in the cornstarch mixture and transfer to a baking sheet.
- 7
Heat about 1 inch of oil to 350°F. Fry the breaded shrimp in batches until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to drain.
- 8
Reheat the coconut sauce over medium heat. Add the cooked shrimp, toss until coated, and serve immediately.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
360
Protein
25g
Fat
13g
Carbs
37g
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