Lobster Coconut Tempura with Rum Pineapple Salsa and Pina Colada Sauce
This amazing recipe from Ainsley Harriott will transport your tastebuds to the Caribbean! Lobster, rum pineapple salsa and Pina Colada sauce...what's not to love?!
Ingredients
- 4 Lobster tails, about 175g each
- 125g plain flour
- 75g cornflour
- 1 beaten egg
- 200ml soda water, chilled
- 200g desiccated coconut
- Sunflower oil for deep frying
For the rum pineapple salsa:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion, finely diced
- ½ small pineapple, peeled and finely diced
- ½ red scotch bonnet chilli, deseeded and finely diced
- 1 red pepper, finely diced
- 100ml golden rum
- 3 sprigs Thai basil, roughly shredded or leave whole if leaves are small
For the Pina Colada sauce:
- 150ml coconut cream
- 150ml pineapple juice
- 1 small red chilli, split in half
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 2 tbsp double cream (optional)
Method
First make the salsa; heat a large sauté pan over a high heat and add the oil and red onion. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously. Add the red pepper and scotch bonnet and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the pineapple, making sure the pineapple doesn’t catch on the bottom and cook for a further 3-4 minutes continuously stirring and tossing if you’re brave enough. Remove from the heat. Deglaze the pan with golden rum and flambé to burn off the alcohol.
Place the pan back on the heat and reduce until slightly sticky. Remove from the heat. Meanwhile make the pina colada sauce: In a small pan combine all of the ingredients, place on the heat and bring to the simmer. Continue to simmer until slightly reduced and thickened. Remove from the heat ready for serving.
Heat the oil to 180C.
Carefully cut the lobster tails in half lengthways, remove the meat from the shell and set aside.
To make the tempura, mix together the plain flour, cornflour, egg and soda water in a large bowl until lump free. Place the lobster tails into the tempura batter making sure it’s well coated, shake off the excess then roll in the desiccated coconut.
Carefully drop the lobster tails into the hot oil and fry for 3-4 minutes or until golden and crispy. Remove from the oil and drain on kitchen paper.
Stir the Thai basil into the pina colada sauce.
To serve, spoon the pineapple salsa down the length of a long plate, drizzle the pina colada sauce over and around the pineapple. Place the crispy lobster tails on top and enjoy.
Ingredients
- 4 Lobster tails, about 175g each
- 125g plain flour
- 75g cornflour
- 1 beaten egg
- 200ml soda water, chilled
- 200g desiccated coconut
- Sunflower oil for deep frying
For the rum pineapple salsa:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion, finely diced
- ½ small pineapple, peeled and finely diced
- ½ red scotch bonnet chilli, deseeded and finely diced
- 1 red pepper, finely diced
- 100ml golden rum
- 3 sprigs Thai basil, roughly shredded or leave whole if leaves are small
For the Pina Colada sauce:
- 150ml coconut cream
- 150ml pineapple juice
- 1 small red chilli, split in half
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 2 tbsp double cream (optional)
Method
First make the salsa; heat a large sauté pan over a high heat and add the oil and red onion. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously. Add the red pepper and scotch bonnet and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the pineapple, making sure the pineapple doesn’t catch on the bottom and cook for a further 3-4 minutes continuously stirring and tossing if you’re brave enough. Remove from the heat. Deglaze the pan with golden rum and flambé to burn off the alcohol.
Place the pan back on the heat and reduce until slightly sticky. Remove from the heat. Meanwhile make the pina colada sauce: In a small pan combine all of the ingredients, place on the heat and bring to the simmer. Continue to simmer until slightly reduced and thickened. Remove from the heat ready for serving.
Heat the oil to 180C.
Carefully cut the lobster tails in half lengthways, remove the meat from the shell and set aside.
To make the tempura, mix together the plain flour, cornflour, egg and soda water in a large bowl until lump free. Place the lobster tails into the tempura batter making sure it’s well coated, shake off the excess then roll in the desiccated coconut.
Carefully drop the lobster tails into the hot oil and fry for 3-4 minutes or until golden and crispy. Remove from the oil and drain on kitchen paper.
Stir the Thai basil into the pina colada sauce.
To serve, spoon the pineapple salsa down the length of a long plate, drizzle the pina colada sauce over and around the pineapple. Place the crispy lobster tails on top and enjoy.
