Every simple stir-fry needs a hero ingredient to make it shine. In this speedy recipe, it’s a crispy coconut and garlic topping you’ll want to eat by the spoonful. Straining the oil from the toasted, crunchy mixture does double duty: It keeps the topping from going soggy as it cools, and it allows you to reuse the oil—now infused with the flavors of coconut and garlic—to cook your beans and shrimp. Win, win.
Avoid the thinly shredded coconut you’d use to make macaroons here; you want all the crunch and texture you can get! Instead seek out the larger, thicker flakes that crisp up beautifully alongside thinly sliced garlic.