Coconut Shrimp with Mango Dipping Sauce

When I lived in Los Angeles, I got to spend a lot more time with my youngest brother.

He and his roommates would come over once a month for a big family dinner. We would eat and drink and tell stories of college parties, undie runs and sporting events. For a couple of hours, Lish and I would feel like we were back in college.

Then we would wake up hung over and have to go to work.

Even though he’s only an hour away now, the time we get to spend together is minimal. Even worse, I almost NEVER get to see his close friends. The people that I broke bread with on a regular basis and came to know and love.

Josh’s old roommates and his good high school friend were staying with us for a couple days and it was a rare treat.

And his friend Sticks wanted to make sure he got his face time on the blog now that he goes to Berkley.

Apparently he didn’t trust me to just write about him.

Because after I went to sleep, he decided to have a little food photo shoot of his own.

I guess my delicious shrimp wasn’t enough for him.

Maybe it will be enough for you.

You will need…

For the Shrimp:

2 cups shredded sweetened coconut

2 cups bread crumbs

2 cups all purpose flour

3 eggs, beaten

24 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Salt and pepper to taste

Vegetable oil for frying (about 6 cups depending on how large your pot is)

For the Dipping Sauce

½ cup light colored jam (a marmalade or jelly would work)

1 mango, diced

2 tablespoons dark rum

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by combing the mango and the rum in a small sauce pan and cooking it over high heat until the alcohol has cooked out. About 2 minutes.

Add in the jam or jelly and reduce the heat to medium.

Cook the dipping sauce until all the jelly has completely melted into a sauce. About ten minutes.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and removed it to a serving bowl. Cover with aluminum foil and let it cool.

Then, in a large bowl, combine the coconut and bread crumbs.

Then place the eggs, flour and coconut and bread crumb mixture on 3 different plates.

Add some salt and pepper to the flour and combine well.

Dredge (dunk) the shrimp into the flour mixture and shake off the excess.

Then dip the shrimp in the egg so that it is lightly coated.

Dip the shrimp thoroughly with the bread crumb coconut mixture and la the shrimp out so that they don't touch until it's time to fry.

When all the shrimp are coated, heat several inches of oil in a large pot or dutch oven. Heat the oil until it is at 350 degrees F. I put my burner on medium high heat but every stove is different.

Fry the shrimp in batches (do not crowd the pot) until the shrimp is golden brown and cooked through. About 3 to 4 minutes.