Baked Coconut Shrimp with Apricot Curry Sauce

24 jumbo shrimp in shells (cocktail-sized shrimp may be substituted)
2 T cooking oil
1 1/2 c. shredded coconut, toasted*
1/4 c cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
3 slightly beaten egg whites

Sauce:
1 c. mayonnaise or salad dressing
3 T apricot preserves
1 tsp. curry powder

Peel and devein shrimp, leaving tails intact. Rinse and pat dry.

Spread the oil on the bottom of a 15x10x1-inch baking pan; set aside. In a large shallow dish, combine coconut, cornstarch, sugar, and salt. In another small shallow dish, place the egg whites. Dip shrimp in egg whites; coat with coconut mixture, pressing the mixture firmly onto the shrimp. Arrange shrimp in prepared pan. Bake in a 400° oven about 10 minutes or until shrimp are opaque and coconut is golden, turning once. Serve with sauce.

*To toast coconut, spread in a thin layer on a cookie sheet and bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Stir and check frequently to prevent burning. Shredded coconut works best for this recipe, as large pieces tend not to stick to the shrimp. If only flake coconut is available, crush the toasted flakes or run briefly through a food grinder.