Caribbean Shrimp Balls with Papaya-Coconut Sauce

My favorite way to enjoy shrimp is to boil it in beer with garlic cloves and whole spices and serve it well chilled with spicy, homemade cocktail sauce. Plain, simple, and delicious.

That said, sometimes it’s more fun to play around with ingredients and accompaniments that highlight a food’s versatility—and lend a little cultural flavor. In this case, Caribbean—a cuisine lush with seafood and tropical flavors. Shrimp is abundant in the region, and coconut and papaya are two of the most popular fruits among the islands.

Papaya in particular is one of those fruits that’s great for making cold concoctions—smoothies, sorbet, ice cream, and such—because its soft texture turns silky smooth when blended. But I wanted a warm drizzle for the shrimp balls, so I added coconut milk to the papaya pulp to give the sauce an even creamier texture, and then gently warmed it over very low heat before using.

Papaya

If you’re not familiar with canned coconut milk, be aware that it may not sound like there's anything in the can when you shake it. That’s because the “milk”—pressed liquid from the coconut flesh—separates when cooled, forming a firm, paste-like coconut cream on top of the watery milk below. (Think chicken fat solids separating from clear broth and congealing on top.)

When you open the can, you’ll see the thick paste first. Simply pierce it with a spoon and gently stir it into the thin milk to blend into a luscious cream.

Coconut Paste on Top of Milk

Stirred Coconut Milk

Serve the shrimp balls and sauce atop of bed of cooked white rice for an easy, fresh, and flavorful seafood dinner with Caribbean flair. Both the shrimp balls and the sauce can be made a day ahead—longer refrigeration helps the balls hold together during frying.

Serves 5

Ingredients

For the Sauce

• 1 very ripe papaya
• 1/2 cup coconut milk, from a 15-oz can
• juice of 1/2 a lime
• 1/2 tsp dried red chile flakes
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• sea salt

For the Shrimp Balls

• 1 lb peeled, deveined shrimp, coarsely chopped
• 1 medium egg
• 1/2 cup panko, or other fine, dry breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup sweetened coconut flakes
• 3 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• sea salt
• 3 tbsp peanut oil
• flour, for dusting
• 2 cups cooked rice

Coarsely Chopped Shrimp

Preparation

For the Sauce

1. Slice the papaya in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Scoop the flesh into a food processor or blender.

Papaya Inside

1. Add the coconut milk, lime juice, chile flakes, and allspice. Blend until smooth and creamy. Remove to a bowl and season with salt. (Can be made one day ahead.) Just before ready to use, gently warm the sauce over low heat in a nonstick skillet.

Papaya-Coconut Sauce

For the Shrimp Balls

1. Place the chopped shrimp in a food processor and finely chop.
2. Combine the shrimp, egg, panko, coconut flakes, cilantro, cumin, and salt in a medium bowl. Form into 1 1/2-inch-diameter balls (about 15 total). Place on a plate, cover, and refrigerate 30 minutes. (Can be refrigerated overnight.)

Finely Processed Shrimp

Shrimp Balls Ready to Chill

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the peanut oil.
2. Dust the shrimp balls with flour and add to the skillet. Fry until cooked through and golden brown on all sides, turning 4 to 5 times, 8-9 minutes.

Shrimp Balls Dusted with Flour

Shrimp Balls Beginning to Fry

To serve, divide the rice among 5 plates. Place 3 shrimp balls on top of the rice on each plate and drizzle with the papaya-coconut sauce. Serve right away.