Thai Ginger & Sweet Red Chili Shrimp

When Michael and I were newly married and living in the city, we used to go out to dinner almost every night. We worked long hours, had an apartment with a teeny-tiny kitchen (we kept our bicycles in it!) and were a stone’s throw from tons of great restaurants.

 
One dog, two kids and a house in the burbs later, eating out is not as carefree as it used to be. It’s actually much easier – not to mention a lot less expensive – to cook and eat in. And the fact is, you don't have to go out to enjoy great restaurant style meals.



This Ginger & Sweet Red Chili Shrimp, for example, is a very authentic tasting Thai dish, yet it's easy to make and you can find all the ingredients at most supermarkets. The flavor comes from lots of fresh ginger and garlic, and of course, one of the best bottled sauces you can have in your kitchen – Thai Sweet Red Chili Sauce.



The only thing to keep in mind is to have all your ingredients ready by the stove before you start cooking. Shrimp cook incredibly fast so you have to work quickly.

 

Serve with jasmine rice...no babysitter required :)

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Thai Ginger & Sweet Red Chili Shrimp
Printable Recipe

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and de-veined
2 tablespoons dry sherry
¼ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons peanut oil
1 ½ tablespoons fresh ginger, finely grated (see photos below on how to prepare)
3 cloves garlic, minced 
2 tablespoons Thai Sweet Red Chili Sauce
1 tablespoon jalepeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped (see note below)
½ cup water
1 teaspoon soy sauce
4 scallions, green parts only thinly sliced
2 tablespoons red bell pepper, finely chopped
½ teaspoon sesame oil

Directions

1. Place shrimp in bowl with dry sherry and salt and marinate for 30 minutes. Toss every so often.

2. Heat a large wok or 12-inch skillet until very hot. While pan is heating, lay shrimp out on paper towels and pat dry. Add 2 tablespoons peanut oil to pan and heat until sizzling.  Add half of the shrimp to the pan (they should be in a single layer) and stir-fry (cook, stirring continuously) until just pink but not cooked through, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer partially cooked shrimp to a plate, then add remaining two tablespoons of peanut oil to pan and heat until sizzling; add remaining shrimp and stir-fry as you did the first batch. When shrimp are just pink but not cooked through, add reserved shrimp back to pan along with ginger, garlic, sweet red chili sauce and jalepeno peppers; stir-fry about 1 minute more. Add the water, soy sauce, scallion greens and bell pepper and cook until the shrimp are cooked through, about 1-2 minutes. Do not overcook. Use a slotted spoon to transfer shrimp to serving dish. Continue to cook sauce until slightly thickened; turn off heat, stir in sesame oil, then pour sauce over shrimp. Serve with jasmine rice.

When working with jalepeno peppers, be careful to minimize contact with the seeds. Simply cut the flesh off the seeds and stem, then chop the flesh. If you touch the seeds, wash your hands well.

To grate fresh ginger, first peel the skin and then rub along a fine grater. Watch your fingers!!

Comments

[Laurie]

An easy way to peel ginger root is to use a spoon as if it were a vegetable peeler. It works really well!

[Liza Baker]

What a beautiful site! I too was once a chef, and now love my new gig - as a home cook. Good to know there are others out there....

[lisi]

also good to freeze the peeled ginger - and grate. the recipe looks delicious!

[kat]

Made this for dinner last night and was such a huge hit! It had a nice light heat and wonderful flavor. The ginger was a little tricky, but I bet I just need to practice :)

[Carol]

We enjoyed this recipe yesterday! My only complaint is that we didn't have enough for all 14 of us! LOL We loved it, and a friend is trying it out today. :) Thank you! Congratulations on the talk at Bloomingdales. Hope it went well for you. From a fellow Northern Virginian.

[Cheryl]

I made this recipe tonight and we all loved it!! It was so yummy!! It was a big hit with a 10, 12 and 15 year old! Thanks so much Jenn. Keep the recipes coming!
Cheryl

[Jill]

I made this for dinner tonight and it was amazing! It is now my husbands new favorite dish. Thanks!