Coconut Shrimp

This dish is worth reposting. I used the recipe this past weekend for a dinner party I was having. I thought it would be fun to post the dishes I made… next time you want to have a dinner party and cook Indian food- you may want to use this menu…I changed it up a bit by adding sliced onions- made it super delicious…

This dish is truly delicious! I made it the other day- concocted it in my head the day before I was supposed to cook and take it to my friend’s house.

She was having a get together and wanted to know where to get a few meat snacks for a cocktail party. I suggested we cook at home instead. It is so hard to find a place that makes and delivers yummy food. Also, by the time they bring the food over, it’s cooked and cold and doesn’t taste the same reheated. We decided I will cook the shrimp and take to her house. I decided to do a stir fry style dish which will taste good room temperature as shrimp is not so tasty reheated.

There used to be a South Indian restaurant in Edison, NJ that served delicious seafood. We would go once in a while and make it a point to order a shrimp stir fry for appetizer. It was yum! It had cumin and fennel seeds amongst other ingredients. I started to think of that dish and got inspired to make the coconut shrimp.

I roasted the cumin and fennel seeds and powdered them in a spice grinder. I also had fresh frozen shredded coconut which I roasted as well- just to give it more of a crunch in the dish. Store bought, packaged coconut can be substituted for the dish.

The overall flavor was enhanced by the marinade- which was simply lemon juice, garlic, salt and olive oil. I sauteed the marinated shrimp with the spice mix and added the coconut. Very simple, yet very tasty.

It was a big hit at the party. This dish will definitely be part of my repertoire going forward. Give it a try- you won’t be disappointed!

• 1 pound large shrimp, cleaned and shelled
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Juice of one lemon
• 2 teaspoons salt

Mix the garlic, salt and lemon juice in a large bowl. Drizzle the olive oil and mix well. Add the shrimp and marinate for 3-4 hours.

 Spice Mix

•  1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds

Roast the seeds in a heavy frying pan on a medium heat until aromatic, about 4-5 minutes. Cool and grind in a spice grinder till a powder is formed. Keep aside.

•  ½ cup shredded coconut, roasted
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• Juice of one lemon
• Salt
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped

In a wok like pan, heat the olive oil. Add the spice mix and sauté for 15 seconds. Add the shrimp and sauté until just done, about 2-3 minutes. Add the crushed red pepper, coconut, lemon juice and salt. Mix well and taste for seasonings. Add the cilantro and serve hot or room temperature.