Coconut shrimp is one of those menu items that I always considered to be a luxury. For the longest time, I thought that I could only get them when I go out to a restaurant and whenever I ordered them I would be treating myself. I thought that there was no way I could ever make them as good myself at home. But, boy was I wrong! When I first made these at home myself, I quickly realized that they are SO easy! Which made me even happier. Then, I realized that the quality was honestly, even better than the restaurant. I know the exact ingredients going into them and I know exactly how they are being cooked. But first, see my step by step photos on making these gorgeous golden nuggets.

I wanted to experiment making them 2 ways for you guys to test the quality, flavor, color and textures between the two. We all know that baking them is the healthier version as opposed to frying them in vegetable oil over the stove. However, some people have it in their minds that they are “not as good”, which could be true depending on how you look at it. So, I am going to go in-depth with my experience between the two and providIng my feedback. Then, when making them yourself at home you can decide! Or you can be like me and do them both ways in order to please everyone you are serving.

Cooking process: Baking vs. Fried. They both have their pros and cons. But, one thing that I want to make sure you know, is that they are absolutely delicious when they are made either way. You truly cannot go wrong. But, they do have their differences which is why I wanted to lay them out for you, so when making these you can decide.

Baking Them:

• You still get the crunch and crispy-ness, however the coconut flakes tend to burn a bit more as you can see some black flakes in the photos. But, do not let that steer you away as it does not affect the taste. There is no burnt taste. I did notice though that compared to the fried version you do not get that full coconut flavor. The coconut flavor is more potent when fried. This version has more of just a breaded taste with a hint of coconut.
• This version of cooking is absolutely healthier and clean eating without the oil being involved. Definitely a plus!
• The color is lighters as you can tell from the photos, you do not necessarily get that complete golden color. It stays more of a golden white color.

Frying them:

• They definitely are crispier. More crunch and more flavor overall. The coconut flakes soak and cook into the oil, so the oil itself becomes more coconut forward and with each piece you fry it builds up the flavor. So, I did notice more crisp and more coconut flavor over all. It truly provides the definition of coconut shrimp.
• They are not as healthy as we all could have guessed, but they are worth doing it this way because in my opinion as well as others they were much better this way. I mean, aren’t things always better when fried!?
• The color is a true golden color and looks exactly like restaurant style and quality. It will not disappoint. So, if you are looking to impress your family or friends with your cooking skills, this is the way to go!

‍NOTE: One thing I wanted to note about the sauce, is that it is SO good between the mix of tropical sweet flavors and chili flakes. But, don’t let the sauce take away from the main star (the coconut shrimp), a little sauce can go a long way. I found that overdipping and drowning my shrimp in the sauce took away from the coconut shrimp itself. So, the sauce is an absolutely necessity to have, but don’t over do it unless your main goal is to really get saucy and try to try and soak everything in all at once.

Did you make this? If so, make sure to tag and follow @prettyplatebymichelle on instagram or leave a comment below and let me know what you thought! I would love to see your Pretty Plate and hear from you!