Baked Coconut Shrimp with Spicy Sweet Chili Sauce

 
Baked Coconut Shrimp with Spicy Sweet Chili Sauce

1 lb large shrimp, peeled keeping the tail, deveined, patted dry
1/2 cup gluten free flour
pinch cayenne pepper
½ tsp salt
½ tsp sweet paprika
1-2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup gluten free breadcrumbs
1 cup sweetened or unsweetened coconut flakes
avocado or olive oil for baking pan

Spicy Sweet Chili Sauce

2 cups water
1 cup white sugar
1 red bell pepper chopped fine
1 red thai chili (optional)
1/2 onion chopped fine
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 to 1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp salt
3 cloves of garlic micro-minced
2 tbs corn starch
2 tbs water

Make your chili sauce ahead of time. Add water and sugar to sauce pan and heat till sugar is dissolved. Next add all other ingredients except corn starch, and the 2 tbs water. Cook on a low simmer till mixtures starts to evaporate the water in the mixture. This will take some time and allows all the flavors to meld together. Wait till almost the end to add the corn starch mixed with the same amount of water. Do not add corn starch without mixing with water otherwise you will get a big blob of corn starch that will not melt. After adding the corn starch slurry, cook for at least 5 to 10 more minutes to allow mixture to thicken. The sauce made about 1-1/4 cups so there is some for another meal. Sauce will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Careful not to contaminate sauce with anything you have dipped in there, it won't keep otherwise.

Now it's time to prepare your shrimp. Peel the shrimp but keep the last segment and tail on. Devein the shrimp. Pat the shrimp dry. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Set up a dredging station. The first station place the flour, cayenne pepper, paprika and salt in a baggie and add the shrimp. Close the bag and gently shake the shrimp to get them all coated. Shake off excess flour from each shrimp and place on a platter. Next you'll dip the shrimp into the egg mixture. Hold the shrimp by the tail and press the underside which curves inwards first into the beaten egg. Next coat both sides of the shrimp. On a plate have the coconut flakes and bread crumbs mixed and dip each shrimp into the mixture on both sides. Press gently to get the mixture to adhere to the shrimp.

Put each shrimp on the baking tray coated with oil. When all shrimp are coated, place baking sheet in the oven and bake for 8 minutes on one side, then turn all shrimp over and bake for another 8 minutes on the other side. If you have using smaller shrimp than these, cut down the baking time. I used large sized shrimp because in my estimation it is too difficult to use smaller shrimp and get them coated properly. If you are having company, you can prepare the chili sauce and get shrimp ready to coat beforehand. If you put the shrimp and sauce in the fridge just heat up the sauce again and let the shrimp get to room temperature before baking. Enjoy !