Shrimp & Wilted Slaw Tacos w/ chili-lime sauce
Sometimes when you are that type of person that is easily bored with the same ole meals, trying to figure out what to make for dinner is torture...and sometimes I just want to come home from work and find a gourmet food truck sitting in my driveway!! Since, I have yet to see one of those around here, I figured it would just be easier to jazz up our evening meal myself...these shrimp tacos are not only delicious but if you wrap them up in parchment paper, close your eyes and say "Calgon take me away", you can pretend that you have a food truck right outside your door!
To make these tacos you will need: one bag (about 30-40) large, raw (peeled and deveined) shrimp, all purpose flour, Panko crumbs, 2 beaten eggs (I used 4 beaten egg whites...not pictured because I forgot!!), about 8 small flour tortillas, a small head of cabbage, 1-2 carrots, green onions, fresh cilantro, plain Greek yogurt, 1 lime, 1 avocado, 1 mango, chili powder, ground cumin, grape seed oil, rice wine vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.
First, make your chili lime sauce: In a small bowl, add 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt,
...the juice of 1 small lime or half of a large one and about 2 tsp.'s of lime zest...
...and 2 tsp.'s. of chili powder, 1/4 tsp. of salt, a pinch of black pepper (or white pepper if you have it) and a 1/2 tsp. of ground cumin. (This photo shows that I am using a Tbsp. but I adjusted the chili powder in this recipe...cause it was too damn hot and I'm getting weak in my old age!)
Stir together then set aside in the fridge until ready to use.
For the wilted slaw, finely slice or shred half of a small head of cabbage...
...thinly slice about 2-3 green onions.
...then, finely shred 1-2 small, peeled carrots ( I used a sprializer to shred my carrots...and I know you're thinking "well, la-dee-da...you have a spiralizer!!"...but coming up soon, I will be giving one away...so, there!!)
Next, add about 1 tbsp. of grape seed oil to a skillet and set heat to medium...
...toss in your shredded vegetables and add 1 tsp. of rice wine vinegar and season with salt and pepper. (I used rice wine vinegar because I like the hint of sweetness that it gives the vegetables but you can use any kind you want...the world is your vinegar oyster!)
Using tongs, turn to coat evenly with oil and vinegar then saute shredded vegetables for about 5 minutes or until slightly wilted...you still want a bit of a crunch to your slaw ( I don't like the word "slaw"..sounds like I'm trying too hard here!)
Remove from heat and scrape into a bowl...set aside until ready to use (don't worry about keeping the "slaw" warm while you cook the shrimp...it tastes great at room temperature on your tacos).
Next, chop a handful of fresh cilantro (about a 1/2 cup, slice your avocado and mango and set aside ( you will use these as toppings for your tacos).
In a large stock pot, add in grape seed oil and turn the heat to medium...use a deep fat frying thermometer and let oil heat until the thermometer reads 325-350 degrees..then your oil is ready to fry. (you will need about an inch or two of oil in your pot...I chose a large pot with high sides to fry my shrimp...high sides = less splatter, less splatter = less mess for me to clean up!).
While the oil is heating up, rinse raw shrimp, drain and blot with paper towels to absorb any moisture...moisture when frying is NOT good...it will cause your hot oil to splatter, so dry off that shrimp!
You will need 3 medium bowls for this next part:
1. In the first bowl, whisk your eggs (or egg whites in my case)
2. In the second bowl, add 1 cup of all purpose flour, 2 tsp.'s of chili powder, 2 tsp.'s of ground cumin and salt and pepper to taste
3. In the third bowl, add about 2 cups of panko crumbs ( I forgot to take photos of that part...I was too excited to eat shrimp tacos!!)
To coat the shrimp for frying, take the shrimp and dip them into the flour/spice mixture...
...then dredge the flour dipped shrimp into the beaten egg (or egg whites), then immediately dip them into the panko crumbs, tossing to evenly coat (you guessed it, no photo of the panko crumb dip...sorry, I'm really slipping!)
When the oil has reached temperature, fry shrimp in small batches, turning once until golden brown and the shrimp inside is opaque...about 1 to 1-1/2 minutes each side. (This was my test shot, that's why there is only one shrimp in this pot...you were thinking "man, that is a small batch!")
When the shrimp is fried, drain on paper towels then transfer to a wire rack until you are done frying all the shrimp (I like to do this step as it keeps them crispy).
Heat the flour tortillas in the oven or toss on a grill pan for a few seconds, each side...
...then assemble tacos!
Layer wilted slaw, fried shrimp, avocado and mango slices then drizzle on the chili lime sauce and sprinkle chopped cilantro over top!
...and there ya have it...Shrimp Tacos with Wilted Slaw and Chili Lime Sauce! A nice break from the average dinner meal...it would be even more of a break if "someone" else made it though! (I'm hoping James reads this!!)
Shrimp Tacos w/ Wilted Slaw & Chili Lime Sauce
Chili Lime Sauce
1 cup of plain Greek yogurt
2 tsp.'s of chili powder
1/2 tsp. of ground cumin
1/4 tsp. of salt
a pinch of black pepper (or white pepper if you have it)
2 tsp. of lime zest
the juice of 1 small lime or half of a large one
In a small bowl, stir ingredients together and set aside in the fridge until ready to use.
Wilted Slaw
1 small head of cabbage, finely shredded (you will use half...I used savoy cabbage)
1-2 carrots, peeled and shredded
2-3 green onion, sliced thin
1 tbsp. grape seed oil
1 tsp. rice wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1. In a skillet, heat oil on medium and toss in vegetables and add rice wine vinegar and salt and pepper...toss to evenly coat and saute until wilted...about 5 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and scrape into a bowl and set aside.
To fry the shrimp:
1 bag of raw, peeled and de-veined shrimp (about 30-40 shrimp)
2 beaten eggs (or 4 beaten egg whites)
1 cup of all purpose flour
2 tsp. of chili powder
2 tsp. of ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups of panko crumbs
grape seed oil for frying
paper towels to drain shrimp
1. Rinse and drain shrimp...blot shrimp with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
2. In a large stock pot (set over medium heat) add about 1-2 inches of grape seed oil and heat oil to about 325-350 degrees (use a deep fat frying thermometer for this).
3. In a medium bowl, add beaten eggs (or whites), in another bowl, add flour and spices and in a third bowl and panko crumbs.
4. Dip shrimp in flour mixture, then dredge in beaten egg, then dip in panko crumbs, tossing to evenly coat.
5. Fry shrimp in small batches in oil for about 1 to 1-1/2 minutes on each side or until golden brown and shrimp are opaque inside.
6. Drain shrimp on paper towels.
To assemble tacos
8 small flour tortillas, heated or grilled for a few seconds each side
about a 1/2 cup of chopped, fresh cilantro
1 avocado, sliced
1 mango, sliced
..On each tortilla, layer wilted slaw, about 3-4 shrimp, mango & avocado slices...next, drizzle on chili lime sauce and sprinkle chopped cilantro over top...fold tortilla over and chow down! Enjoy!
* Makes 8 tacos