Cilantro Mojito Shrimp & Rice
Ingredients:
- 1 cup White Rum
- ½ cup chopped cilantro, including stems (¼ cup for rice, some reserved for garnish)
- 1 sprig mint, picked and chopped
- 2 limes, juiced and zested (2 Tbsp reserved for rice)
- 1 cup white rum
- 1½ cups shredded coconut
- 1½ cups panko breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup flour
- 2 dozen or 1 lb raw peeled shrimp
- 1 cup white rice
- 2 cans low-fat coconut milk
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- salt to taste
- coconut oil or canola oil for frying
Directions:
Serves 8-10
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Preparation:
In a medium saucepan, sauté the chopped shallot in a drizzle of oil until golden. If using a rice cooker, add the sautéed shallots, rice, coconut milk, half the cilantro, and ¼ tsp salt, and set to cook. If not using a rice cooker, add the coconut milk to the pan with the shallot and bring to a boil, then add rice with half the cilantro and turn heat to low. Simmer the rice for 20 minutes.
While rice cooks, mix together remaining cilantro with mint, the juice and zest of two limes, and white rum in a large mixing bowl. Once mixed, reserve half. Add the shrimp to bowl with one half of the rum mixture. While the shrimp is marinating, set up your dredging bowls: put the flour and eggs into two separate bowls, and mix the breadcrumbs, coconut, and a dash of salt together in a third bowl.
Add enough coconut oil or canola oil for frying to a large pan and heat on high, until a breadcrumb tossed in sizzles. While oil heats, dredge the shrimp with flour first, then egg, then the breadcrumb mixture. Add shrimp to hot oil in batches (you want at least a ½-inch between shrimp in the pan) and cook about 3 minutes, or until the shrimp floats to the top. Remove and place on a paper towel-lined plate, salt lightly.
Once the rice is done, add the remaining 2 Tbsp lime juice and fluff with a fork. Add the rice to the serving plate, top with a serving of shrimp, and drizzle with the reserved mojito mixture. Garnish with an actual mojito on the side.
