"Shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it … "

This famous ode to shrimp given by Bubba, the loveable friend of Forrest Gump, gave people a hundred ideas for what to do with their prawns. But really, like most things, the tastiest way to serve up your fruit of the sea is fried. (Note to Jessica Simpson: we’re talking about fish, not chicken.)

A sweet and salty combo, coconut sae-u yori works as a filling meal or a deliciously greasy appetizer. And when topped with cherries, nothing could be more visually pleasing. Bubba would be proud.

INGREDIENTS

o 1 pound fresh medium shrimp, shelled
o 1/2 cup cornstarch
o 1 cup tempura batter flour*
o 1-1/2 cups cold water
o 3 cups oil for frying
o 10 maraschino cherries, as garnish

Sauce:

o 1/4 cup ginger water (see Note)
o 1/4 cup corn syrup
o 1/4 cup coconut milk*
o 1/2 teaspoon salt
o 1/4 cup lemon juice
o 1 tablespoon cornstarch
o 2 tablespoons sesame oil

DIRECTIONS

Reserve 1 tablespoon sesame oil, then mix remaining sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Keep sauce warm. Pat shrimp with paper towel and dredge in cornstarch. Mix tempura batter flour and water and dip each shrimp to lightly coat. Heat oil. Fry shrimp in small batches. Toss shrimp with sauce and 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Garnish with maraschino cherries.

Note:
Boil 5 slices of ginger in 1/2 cup water for 8 minutes on medium heat, strain to yield 1/4 cup ginger water.

*Available in Asian groceries.