Sweet Thai chili saucefor dipping, or any desired sauce*
Sliced chives or scallions for garnish
Instructions
Toss shrimp with paprika, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste.
Next prepare your breading station.
Add flour to a shallow bowl. Place eggs in another shallow bowl and whisk.
Mix panko and coconut in another shallow bowl.
Dredge shrimp in flour, then egg, then panko mixture, making sure to evenly coat the shrimp in each step. Repeat with remaining shrimp. Place on a sheet tray and set aside while you heat the oil. (this rest time will allow the breading to adhere to the shrimp.)
In a large skillet, add enough vegetable oil to come up about a 1/2 inch. Heat until hot, around 325-350ºF. (You can check by adding a bit of breading to see if it sizzles).
Carefully add some of the shrimp to the pan and cook until golden, about 3-4 minutes (depending on shrimp size).
Remove shrimp to a sheet tray lined with paper towel (and a rack if you have it!). Sprinkle with a touch of salt. Repeat the frying process until you have fried all the shrimp.
Serve immediately topped with chives and your dipping sauce of choice on the side.
Notes
*I had this chili crisp syrup on hand so I used that, but sweet thai chili sauce would be my first go to for this :)