Let’s just get right to the elephant in the room. Aloe. Yes, the stuff you put on a sunburn you can eat and drink. Last week I saw huge Aloe leaves for sale in the produce section of our local grocery store. What?! I picked one up for about $2.50 and headed home to google.
Aloe has two parts; the outside dark green skin which is inedible (be sure to peel completely) and the clear gel inside which can be added to smoothies or cooked. The aloe gel is incredibly slimy, think raw egg whites meets Slimer from Ghostbusters. It is bitter but has a light, grassy taste to it. I decided to cook it down so that it released the juice and took on a watery consistency in place of the slime. With a little sugar and lime juice it became the perfect dipping sauce for these crunchy, sweet, bites of shrimp. 
Baked Coconut Shrimp with Aloe Dipping Sauce
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Description
Crunchy baked coconut shrimp paired with a unique aloe dipping sauce that balances sweetness with a hint of lime.
Ingredients
Coconut Shrimp
- 1/2 lb (225 g) 21-25 count Shrimp, cleaned and peeled
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) Coconut flour
- 2 tsp Garlic powder
- Dash of Cayenne pepper
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1-2 tbsp of Water
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) sweetened Shredded Coconut
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) Panko breadcrumbs
- salt and pepper to taste
Aloe Dipping Sauce
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup Aloe, peeled and cubed
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 4 tbsp (60 ml) Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flake
- 1 Whole Lime, juiced
Instructions
For the Aloe Dipping Sauce
- Cut a portion off the leaf and peel the dark green skin off completely – it’s bitter, and not edible. As mentioned before, aloe is super slimey! Think raw egg whites meets Slimer from Ghostbusters. Cut the peeled section into cubes.
- In a small sauce pan add the aloe, salt and pepper and cook over medium-high heat. As it cooks the aloe will start to release it’s juice, this is what will make the sauce. Add the red pepper flake, lime juice and sugar. Stir well. Continue cooking until the aloe juice is more watery than slimey and the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Strain the liquid to remove the chunks of aloe (or just pick them out) but keep the hot pepper flakes in if you want to. Pour into serving dish and get dunking!
- * I tried this with honey as well, and it was awful. Sugar is just the way to go.
- ** Use immediately after cutting and discard any leftovers. It’s a one time deal with Aloe.
For the Baked Coconut Shrimp
- (Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.)
- The ugly task of peeling and deveining shrimpies. Ugh. I went ahead of took the tails off too, but you can absolutely leave them on. Peel the shells off and then take a small sharp knife and run it down the back of the shrimp where you can see a dark line. Under running water scrape out that icky stuff and you’re done.
- In a bowl whisk the egg and water together and set aside. In another bowl, mix the coconut flour, garlic powder, cayenne, salt and pepper. In yet another bowl mix together the shredded coconut and panko breadcrumbs. Line up in the order of flour, egg, coconut/breadcrumbs.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray evenly with non-stick spray.
- Coat the shrimp with the flour mixture, then dunk it in the egg bath and finally thickly coat the shrimp with the panko/coconut mixture. Lay it on the baking sheet evenly spaced from the others. Repeat until you are done with all the shrimpies.
- Bake for 5-7 minutes, keep your eye on them they will cook fast!
Notes
- Ensure to peel the aloe completely as the skin is inedible.
- The aloe gel is slimy but will become watery when cooked.
- The dipping sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- The shrimp recipe is adapted from A Cozy Kitchen, and aloe preparation is referenced from No Recipes.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 10 grams
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 15 grams
- Carbohydrates: 30 grams
- Fiber: 5 grams
- Protein: 20 grams
- Cholesterol: 150 mg
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Shrimp and Green Coconut Curry
- Spicy Honey Glazed Skillet Shrimp
- Japanese Popcorn Shrimp
- Shrimp Ceviche-Filled Avocados and Vinho Verde Wine
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I find fresh aloe for the dipping sauce, and how do I prepare it?
The article found fresh aloe leaves in the produce section of a regular grocery store for about $2.50 each. Cut a portion off the leaf and peel the dark green skin completely — the skin is inedible and bitter. The clear gel inside is extremely slimy raw, but once cooked in a small saucepan with sugar, lime juice, and red pepper flake over medium-high heat, it releases its juice and becomes watery rather than slimy.
Can I make the aloe sauce ahead and save leftovers?
The recipe explicitly states to use the sauce immediately after cutting and to discard any leftovers — “it’s a one time deal with Aloe.” The notes do say the sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, but the recipe itself recommends using it fresh to avoid off-flavors from cut aloe.
Can I use honey instead of sugar to sweeten the aloe sauce?
No — the recipe specifically warns: “I tried this with honey as well, and it was awful. Sugar is just the way to go.” The sauce calls for 4 tbsp sugar cooked with the aloe, lime juice, salt, pepper, and red pepper flake.
