Coconut Shrimp with Fresh Ginger Sauce Recipe

Coconut shrimp is popular throughout Oʻahu — from restaurants to roadside food trucks. Some of the most famous shrimp trucks are found just north of Kahuku, where visitors often debate who makes the best version. Lines can be long, so arrive early!

Here at the Polynesian Cultural Center, we are no strangers to coconut shrimp. Below is our tried-and-true recipe — easy to make and full of flavor.

Click the video above to watch our Taste of Polynesia recipe video.

Coconut Shrimp Recipe

Ingredients

• 12 large shrimp (21/30), peeled and deveined (optional: butterfly depending on size)
• 1 cup shredded coconut (fresh preferred, sweetened or unsweetened)
• 1 cup panko or whole-wheat breadcrumbs
• 1.5 cups coconut milk
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp fresh minced garlic or garlic salt

Directions

1. Mix shredded coconut and panko; set aside.
2. Blend remaining ingredients to create a batter.
3. Dip shrimp in batter, then roll in the coconut-panko mixture.
4. Prepare a pan lined with paper towels, and keep it near (not on) the stovetop.
5. In a large skillet, heat about 1.5 inches of coconut or vegetable oil (grapeseed oil works well). Fry shrimp 1–1.5 minutes per side or until golden brown.

Note: Watch oil temperature closely. Test with a few drops of batter — it should brown in about one minute. If oil smokes, it is too hot; if batter stays sticky, slightly increase the heat.

Serve over rice with fresh ginger sauce (recipe below). Optionally, add sautéed vegetables such as onions, green peppers, pineapple, carrots, mushrooms, or spinach.

Fresh Ginger Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown sugar (not packed)
• 1/3 cup vinegar
• 1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 3/4 cup pineapple juice or water
• 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water

Directions

1. Boil pineapple juice or water with vinegar for 1 minute.
2. Stir in brown sugar and ginger; simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Mix cornstarch with water, then slowly stir it into the simmering sauce.
4. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Sauce continues to thicken as it cools.

Refrigerate until serving; reheat and pour over shrimp.