Coconut Shrimp and Mango Salad

Credit: Catherine Roscoe Barr

Coconut shrimp and mango salad inspired by Vancouver’s C Restaurant

Try out this fresh coconut shrimp and mango salad, inspired by an award-winning restaurant and paired with a refreshing BC wine

I’ve recently had the pleasure of attending a few events, and sampling some of the delicious seafood at C Restaurant, the founding restaurant of the Vancouver Aquarium‘s Ocean Wise program. So when I found out that executive chef Robert Clark and owner Harry Kambolis had colaborated to create a cookbook called C Food, I got my hands on a copy and set out to try making a few of the recipes.

The first recipe I tried was the coconut shrimp with mango salad, and I served it as the next course to the goat cheese, roasted garlic and fig jam appetizer at my Ucluelet family reunion. I will definitely be making this recipe again. It was quite easy to prepare and the perfect summer meal: satisfying yet light, and bursting with fresh flavours.

My brother’s girlfriend picked out the wine, a Gewürztraminer from BC winery Larch Hills. It was delicious, definitely the best Gewürztraminer I’ve ever tried.

I bought the shrimp from 7 Seas seafood store in Kitsilano, and I also picked up some incredibly fresh smoked salmon that we had for another meal with a baguette, cream cheese and thinly sliced red onions (pictured above). 

Mango Salad 

Serves 4

I didn’t exactly follow C’s recipe but I’ve included the original instructions. 

Ingredients

• 1 head iceberg lettuce, chopped (the original recipe doesn’t call for this)
• 1 mango, peeled, pitted and chopped (the original recipe calls for a green mango)
• 1 tsp red chili flakes (the original recipe calls for 2 red chilies, chopped)
• 1 tbsp onion, sliced (the original recipe calls for 1 tbsp shallot, sliced)
• 1 tbsp cilantro, coarsely chopped
• 1 tbsp mint, coarsely chopped 
• 1 tbsp white sugar (the original recipe calls for 1 tbsp palm sugar)
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• Kosher salt

Instructions

• Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl and let stand for 30 minutes to allow the flavours to blend.

Coconut Shrimp

Serves 4

I didn’t exactly follow C’s recipe but I’ve included the original instructions.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp red onion, finely chopped (the original recipe calls for 1 shallot)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced ((the original recipe calls for 1 clove)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp lemongrass, finely chopped
• 1 tsp grated lime zest (the original recipe calls for kaffir lime zest)
• 1 cup canned coconut cream
• 1 pound shrimp

Instructions

1. Using a mortar and pestle, grind the onion, garlic, salt, lemongrass and lime zest to a paste.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, reduce half the coconut milk until it separates and starts to darken.
3. Add the paste to the coconut cream and sweat for 30 seconds.
4. Stir in the remaining coconut cream and bring to a boil.
5. Add the shrimp and remove from the heat, allowing the sauce’s residual heat to finish the cooking process.
6. The original recipe says to set aside the shrimp and let cool but I served them hot.