Nauru's coconut
The national dish of Nauru, the world's third smallest country, is coconut fish. With only 81 square miles of land, Nauru is rich in fish, shellfish, and coconuts. Except for fish and coconut, which have become national culinary icons for Nauruan cuisine, the majority of the food items are imported. White fish fillets marinated in lime juice, salt, and pepper are used to make coconut crusted fish, which is a popular meal. The fillets are floured, dipped in eggs, and rolled in grated coconut before being cooked till the coconut crust forms.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour (spoon & leveled), 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 2 large eggs, beaten, 3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs, 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, 1 pound raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails attached, 3–4 Tablespoons vegetable, oil or coconut oil*, optional for topping: 1 Tablespoon finely chopped cilantro, Serving Sauce (Optional), 3 Tablespoons Thai chili sauce, 6 Tablespoons orange, peach, or apricot jam or preserves
Instructions
- Start with 3 medium bowls. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in one. Beat the eggs in the second bowl. CombinePanko and coconut in the third bowl.
- Dip the shrimp into the flour, then the eggs, and then dredge the shrimp into the coconut mixture, pressing gently to adhere. You want a lot of coconut on each shrimp. Set the coated shrimp aside on a plate as you coat the remaining shrimp.
- Add enough oil to cover the bottom of a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the coconut shrimp in batches such as 7-8 shrimp at a time– do not crowd them in the pan. Flip after 2 minutes and fry the other side for 2 minutes or until golden brown. We prefer ours a little darker, so I fry each side for about 2:30-3 minutes.
- Place the finished coconut shrimp on a plate lined with a paper towel as you fry the rest. Sprinkle with finely chopped cilantro. Mix dipping sauce ingredients together and serve with shrimp.
- Cover and store leftover shrimp in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
