Shrimp in Ginger&Lemongrass Coconut Cream
Mmmmm, made dinner tonight and came out great. Having both lemongrass and lime juice in the dish gives it a fresh and complex flavor.
Here's the recipe - with tips (I'm lookin' at you, blackbirdshaq !!)
Ingredients:
- 1/2 lb. shrimp
- 1 can coconut milk (or coconut cream)
- 2 stalks lemongrass, chopped into large pieces
- 6 thick slices of fresh ginger, skin removed
- 1 red bell pepper
- handful of mushrooms
- half a white onion
- 1 clove garlic, chopped fine
- half of a lime or lemon (or more to taste)
- salt
- cayenne pepper
First, put the coconut milk in the fridge while you chop and prep. Note: if you like eating ginger, make thin sticks instead of large slices. I make mine large so I can fish them out later along with the lemongrass.
Pour a bit of oil in a saute pan in medium high heat When it sizzles, toss in lemongrass and ginger. When ginger begins to lightly brown at edges, toss in red bell peppers, onions, and garlic.
Get the can of coconut milk and open very carefully - DO NOT SHAKE THE CAN. Whole point of putting in fridge is to be able to spoon off the thick cream at the top, leaving the water at the bottom 1/4 of the can! Cold temperature causes it to seperate.
Stir in the shrimp into the hot pan with a few spoonfuls of the coconut cream, about half a can worth. If making a huge portion, you may end up using the whole can, but only if you want a LOT of sauce. I prefer a thicker sauce so after the initial half a can, I only add one spoonful at a time as needed. Cook on medium until shrimp is about cooked through. Then, remove shrimp with slotted spoon and put aside.
Keep cooking the veggies, add lime/lemon juice to taste starting with about a teaspoon. Sprinkle in cayenne pepper or add whatever spice you like (chile peppers or jalapeno is fine) to taste. Add salt to taste. Let simmer and reduce for a few minutes until it gets creamy and the flavors permeate the coconut. If it tastes rich, without much tang, add a sprinkle of lime juice until you can taste the freshness of the citrus shine through and combine perfectly with the rich creaminess. At that point, throw in the shrimp and lower heat to low, letting the shrimp heat through and finish cooking with the sauce. Taste sauce one more time to confirm it's awesomeness, then serve hot with a scoop of steamed jasmine rice.