Shrimp can be paired with strong flavors—in this case, a tangy and sweet tamarind sauce with a touch of heat—and still retain their briny character. The tartness of the tropical pod comes through in the sauce, but it is balanced by the other seasonings, just as it is in a well-prepared Indian tamarind chutney. These shrimp are at home with a bowl of rice for soaking up the sauce, but they also make an interesting cross-cultural hand roll tucked into a warm corn tortilla and eaten like a taco. As long as you have frozen cubes of tamarind liquid on hand, this recipe is quick to prepare.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4 with 2 or 3 other dishes
Ingredients
Flavoring Sauce
Preparation
Step 1
To make the flavoring sauce, in a small bowl, combine the sugar, tamarind liquid, fish sauce, and chile sauce and stir to dissolve the sugar. Because tamarind liquid varies, taste the sauce and adjust the flavors, if necessary. Add extra sugar to reduce tartness, fish sauce for more savory depth, chile sauce for extra heat, or water to dilute.
Step 2
Refresh the shrimp by putting them in a colander and tossing them with a liberal amount of salt. Rinse immediately under lots of cold water and press gently to drain well.
Step 3
In a wok or large skillet, heat the oil over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the shallot and garlic and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the shrimp and stir-fry for about 1 minute, or until they have turned pinkish orange and are half cooked. They will release juice and look shiny.
Step 4
Give the flavoring sauce a stir, pour it over the shrimp, and stir to coat the shrimp. Let the sauce come to a vigorous boil, stirring occasionally to keep the elements moving. The sauce will reduce to a thickish consistency in 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 5
Transfer the shrimp and sauce to a deep plate or shallow bowl. Garnish with the cilantro and serve immediately.
Refreshing Peeled Shrimp
Step 6
Most shrimp sold in the United States are frozen, so whenever I use peeled raw shrimp in a recipe, I like to return a bit of the sea to them. I do this by tossing the shrimp with a liberal amount of salt, and then immediately rinsing them under cold running water. This simple step gives the shrimp a fresher flavor.
