Sticky, Spicy Basil Shrimp
If you are looking for a flavor bomb, look no further than Sticky, Spicy Basil Shrimp from Andy Baraghani’s The Cook You Want To Be. This recipe delivers!
I made this shrimp on the night that my sister Julie arrived for a weeklong visit. Just Julie + Me for one week, something that had never happened before but will certainly now be an annual (semi-annual? quarterly?) occurrence. We laughed, shared memories, updated each other on all the things, enjoyed many dirty martinis and traded dreams. We were identified as sisters everywhere we went and I have to believe that had as much to do with our appearance as our shared mannerisms. There is nothing like a sister.
I knew that Julie would love the Sticky, Spicy Basil Shrimp because she loves shrimp and she wasn’t cooking. Who doesn’t appreciate being served? The original recipe calls for head-on, shell-on shrimp but I peeled my shrimp and left the tails intact. It was still a meal to eat with your fingers but a little less cumbersome. If you are a fan of peel and eat shrimp, then by all means do the right thing and leave your shells on.
I couldn’t find Fresno chiles so I substituted a combination of red Habanero and Jalapeño peppers. The result was fire! Fresno peppers look like red Jalapeños and are just slightly hotter. If you cannot find them, do not follow my lead! Substitute the Fresnos with Serrano peppers, but maybe use 2-3 instead of 4 peppers, or mix of 2 Serranos and 2 Jalapeños. You know your heat tolerance, play with it.
I served these shrimp with the suggested cucumber slices, corn-on-the-cob and some crusty bread to complete the utensil-free meal. It was a winner. Enjoy!
NOTE: I apologize for the weird lighting. I took the photo outside on our deck as the sun was setting and dinner was served. The timing was perfect for everything other than photography.
Sticky, Spicy Basil Shrimp
Ingredients
- 4 Fresno chiles, coarsely chopped see post for alternatives
- 8 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/2 c granulated sugar
- 3 Tbls fish sauce
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 c neutral oil, plus 2 Tbls
- 2 lbs shrimp, peeled or unpeeled whatever you prefer
- 3 c basil leaves
- lime wedges for serving
- sliced cucumbers for serving
Instructions
- In a blender, combine the chiles, garlic, ginger, sugar, fish sauce, salt and 1/4 c neutral oil and blend until very smooth. Pour this marinade into a medium bowl and add the shrimp. Give the shrimp a toss and let them sit in the marinade for 15 minutes.*
- In a large cast-iron of nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 2 Tbls neutral oil. When the oil is hot, use tongs to arrange the shrimp in the skillet (you may have to cook in batches to avoid over crowding). Discard the excess marinade.
- Cook the shrimp until lightly charred around the edges, around 2 minutes. Flip and cook on the second side until the shrimp are pink and cooked through, another 2 minutes. Be careful not to overcook.
- Turn off the heat, add the basil, and toss vigorously until basil is wilted.
- Transfer shrimp to a platter. Arrange lime wedges and cucumber slices around the edge and serve.