Waffle Batter Coconut Shrimp
The Starving Chef is supported by Hungry People like you. When you make a purchase through an affiliate link on my site, I may earn a little bit of cash on the side (at no extra cost to you) to help keep my kitchen running. Read our disclosures here.
Every so often I stumble across a combination that my boyfriend can’t stop talking about (and therefore requesting pretty frequently). The other night I wanted to test out a waffle batter shrimp – but since the weekly challenge’s theme was Pacific Islands, I wanted to add a twist to bring the flavors of the island life into my kitchen – so instead of dairy milk, I whipped up a waffle batter with coconut milk.
The first few attempts failed (at least in my eyes – my boyfriend still loved them), so I added some corn meal to the batter to help thicken and give it some texture. The result was a delightfully hush puppy-esque battered shrimp that had a wonderfully mellow coconut flavor.
And honestly, I don’t even like coconut that much and even I couldn’t stop eating them! The best part about this dish, aside from the rave reviews from my boyfriend, is that it only took about fifteen minutes from start to finish. Quick AND easy!
Hushpuppy Coconut Shrimp
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 oz shrimp peeled
- 2 cups favorite dry waffle mix
- 1 cup corn meal
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
- salt & pepper to taste
- Thai ginger sauce for dipping
Instructions
- Pour two cups of vegetable oil into a large pot over high heat. Preheat the oil until it reaches 350 F.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the waffle mix, corn meal, coconut milk and salt and pepper until a smooth batter has formed. Chill while the oil preheats.
- Peel and devein the shrimp. Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel then dip into the waffle batter. Let the excess drip off then transfer to the hot oil. Fry the shrimp in batches of 2-4 at a time, letting the oil reheat between batches.
- Serve the shrimp hot with a side of Thai ginger dipping sauce. Enjoy!
