serves 2
INGREDIENTS: ts = teaspoon tbsp = tablespoon
10 shrimp or prawn with shells
4 garlic cloves (minced)
1 handful fresh coriander(or cilantro, generous lightly
chopped)
2 tbsp oil (or other types of vegetable oil for stir-frying)
For the Stir-Fry Sauce
1 1/2 tbsp tamarind paste
1/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup sugar (palm sugar)
1/4 cup fish sauce
1 red chili (fresh, minced, or dried crushed chili, to taste)
optional
PREPARATIONS:
- Place tamarind paste in a cup and pour in the hot water, stirring to dissolve the paste. Add remaining stir-fry sauce ingredients and stir to incorporate.
- Do a taste-test, adjusting the flavors to your liking. Note that this sauce should taste sweet first, followed by sour and spicy, then salty. Add more sugar if it’s still too sour, or a little more tamarind if it’s too sweet. Note that it will taste very strong at this point, but will be delicious once combined with the other ingredients.
- Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add oil and swirl around, then add the garlic
- Add shrimp plus remaining stir-fry sauce. Stir-fry for another 2 to 3 minutes, or just until shrimp begin to curl inward and are pink and plump. Avoid overcooking the shrimp or they will lose their tenderness.
- Remove stir-fry from heat and taste-test it, adding more fish sauce if not flavorful enough. Add more chili for more heat. If it’s too sour, add a little more sugar. Serve immediately topped with fresh coriander and basil, plus plenty of steamed rice on the side.
