Recipes
One Pot Thai Shrimps with Coconut Sauce
Recipe: Lara Samawi
A scrumptious fast and easy dish that is colorful for the eyes, an experience with flavors for the mouth and ... well good for the soul I believe. All in one pot of these Thai shrimps with coconut sauce and a hint of lemongrass to give it this irresistible Thai flavor.
Since the start of this new year, I have been working on having healthier food choices. This was not because it is “the trend of this time”, nor because I want to lose weight or get fit. I thought of this because recently, I noticed that with selecting better food choices, I have better digestion and feel good during the day and night. Seriously!! It affects my energy, efficiency and even my mood throughout the day. Trust me! Four years ago, I knew that I was lactose intolerant due to some digestion discomfort, and after running some tests I switched to lactose-free options through which I have seen a huge impact on my daily life and how I function. Seeing the results encouraged me to listen to what my body is trying to tell me.
Long time ago I started listening to audiobooks on my way to work since it makes me tolerate morning and evening traffic better. And I have just finished listening to a book called “Are you fully charged?” by Tom Rath, one of the things in that book that caught my ears made me stop for a bit and think. He said that you should use short-term thinking for better health, in other words, most people won’t stop doing something because it might kill them in the long run. What happens in the short run is what really matters to them and affects them.
Ingredients
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1 KG Jumbo shrimps, tail on
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4 Tbsp. coconut oil, divided (or any cooking oil)
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3 garlic cloves, minced
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3/4 tsp salt
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1/2 red chili flakes (add more for more spiciness)
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1 large onion, diced
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2 Orange bell peppers, sliced
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2 Red bell peppers, sliced
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2 Yellow bell peppers, sliced
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1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
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6-8 Tbsp. fish sauce (to taste)
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4 Tbsp. peanut butter
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1 Tbsp. dried lemongrass (= 1 fresh lemongrass stalk)
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1 large lime/lemon, juiced
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2 Tbsp. brown sugar
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6 Tbsp. fresh ginger, grated (= 4 tsp ground ginger)
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4 Tbsp. fresh basil leaves, chopped (= 4 tsp dried basil)
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4 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
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1 spring onion, chopped
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1 red jalapeño pepper, sliced (optional for extra heat)
Method
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Divine and wash shrimps. In a bowl, combine 1 Tbsp. of coconut oil, garlic cloves, salt, red chili flakes and shrimps. Let it set aside to marinate for 10-15 minutes. In a large skillet, over medium high heat, add 1 Tbsp. of oil then add the onions and peppers. Cook for about 5 minutes or until they soften then set them aside in a bowl.
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Add 1 Tbsp. of oil to the skillet, and sauté the shrimps on both sides, in batches without crowding the skillet.
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In a bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, fish sauce, peanut butter, dried lemon grass, lemon juice, brown sugar and ginger. Whisk until well combined.
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Return cooked peppers and onions to the skillet and pour the coconut milk mixture over it. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes or until the mixture reduces by half. Add the shrimps to the skillet along with the basil leaves and cilantro. Serve hot over jasmine rice, noodles or cauliflower rice and garnish with spring onions, slices red jalapeños and wedge of a lemon. Don't forget to fish out the lemon grass before serving.
Lara Samawi
