Thai

Thai Sweet, salty and spicy shrimp

Recipes

I made this for Valentine’s Day. So delicious. Based on a recipe from The New York Times.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  •  Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons roasted, salted peanuts, finely chopped
  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced crosswise
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes

PREPARATION

  1. Pat the shrimp very dry and lightly season with salt and pepper.
  2. In a medium (10-inch) nonstick skillet, stir together the sugar, fish sauce and vinegar. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. When the mixture comes to a simmer, add the shrimp and cook until pink on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
  3. Add the peanuts, scallions, lime juice and red-pepper flakes and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Note: I used cooked shrimp so I only had to heat for a few minutes.
I used Rice Wine Vinegar.
I used a bit more nuts than what it calls for.
I used chopped red onion instead of scallions.
I used juice of one whole lime.

I served it with Curry Rice:

  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves crushed
  • 1 tsp crushed ginger
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 2 tsp curry powder / Garam Masala
  • 2 cups Jasmine / Basmati rice
  • 4 cups stock / water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup frozen peas (optional)

Instructions

  • Heat a tablespoon of oil in a medium-sized pot. Add the onion and saute until soft and translucent.
  • Add the garlic, ginger and spices and cook for 30 seconds.
  • Stir in the rice then pour in the water/stock and season with salt.
  • Allow to simmer until most of the water has been absorbed then stir in the peas.
  • Cover with a lid then turn the heat down to its lowest setting.
  • Allow to cook gently for 5 minutes then turn the heat off and allow the rice to steam for 10 minutes.
  • Once cooked, fluff with a fork, season to taste and serve.
  • NOTE: I added some nuts and chopped red onion along with the peas.

Here Susan and I am about to enjoy the special dinner.

Shrimp in Yellow Curry

Color Photography, Documentary Photography, Food Photography, Inspiration, Recipes

Before my son and his girlfriend return to Denver after spending the Christmas Holidays with family here in Western Massachusetts, they always make time to have dinner with Susan and me a few days after Christmas. They also come to our traditional Christmas Eve family get-together but this dinner is just for the four of us. I usually make their favorite, Chicken Piccata, but this year Susan suggested we make something different.

“They love shrimp, Bruce,” Susan said. “And spicy food. Why not make this Shrimp with Yellow Curry recipe from Mark Bittman.”

And I did and we all loved it!

Mark Bittman writes:

“Many Thai dishes are not unlike what we call curries, but although they may contain curry powder, they are more often based on a combination of herbs and aromatic vegetables, rather than dried spices. A typical curry might feature a mixture of garlic, shallots, chiles, lime leaf, sugar and galangal (or ginger). This simplified version leaves out the lime leaf and sugar, but benefits from the addition of a couple spoonfuls of fish sauce at the end of cooking. It is exotic and brightly-flavored, but blessedly easy to toss together on a weeknight.”

Featured in: The Minimalist; The Essence Of Thai Cooking. 

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
  • 1 cup minced onion
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon minced galangal or ginger (I used grated ginger.)
  • 1 teaspoon minced hot chili, or crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste (I used 1 jalapeno, seeded and cut into thin rounds and red pepper flakes.)
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder, or to taste
  • 1 cup fresh or canned coconut milk
  • 1 ½ to 2 pounds medium-to-large shrimp, peeled
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons nam pla (fish sauce), or to taste (I used fish sauce.)
  • ¼ cup minced cilantro or mint leaves (I used cilantro.)
  • 1 package, about 2 cups, pea pods (my addition)

Preparation

  1. Place the oil in a large, deep skillet and turn the heat to medium. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, and chilies, pea pods and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender and the mixture pasty. Add the curry and cook, stirring, another minute.
  2. Add the coconut milk and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is nearly dry. Add the shrimp, a few pinches of salt and a little black pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the shrimp release their liquid (the mixture will become quite moist again) and turn pink.
  3. Add half the nam pla, stir, then taste and add the rest if necessary. Garnish with cilantro and serve with white or sticky rice. (I used brown rice.)

 

If you are looking for beautiful portrait, wedding, nature, or documentary photography, or someone you know is looking for photography that helps to create a more artful and beautiful life, please contact me.  Photography and Prints meant to last a lifetime! For more details about having an amazing and fun photo experience, please contact me.