Grilled Shrimp with Tamarind Sauce |
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Prep Time: 45 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 45 Minutes Servings: 4 |
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Thai cooking frequently makes use of cilantro roots; their flavor is more pronounced than that of the leaves. Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb jumbo (8 to 12 per lb) shrimp |
3 teaspoons sea salt dissolved in 11/2 cups water |
1 tablespoon tamarind from a pliable block |
1/3 cup water |
1 tablespoon peanut oil |
1 tablespoon chopped cleaned fresh cilantro roots and/or stems, pounded to a paste |
1 tablespoon minced garlic |
1 tablespoon sriracha or other asian hot chile sauce |
1 1/2 tablespoons palm sugar, or to taste |
1 tablespoon asian fish sauce (preferably thai naam pla), or to taste |
garnish: 2 fresh serrano or jalapeño chiles, seeded, halved lengthwise, and finely julienned crosswise; and fresh cilantro sprigs |
Directions:
1. Prepare grill for cooking.
2. Soak shrimp (still in shells) in salt water 5 minutes, then rinse well in a colander.
3. Make sauce: Place tamarind in a bowl with water and rub with your fingers to dissolve pulp. Pour through a sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on solids, and discard solids.
4. Heat oil in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook cilantro paste and garlic, stirring, until fragrant. Stir in hot sauce, 3 tablespoons tamarind juice, palm sugar, and fish sauce. Simmer until thickened to consistency of light syrup, about 3 minutes.
5. Grill shrimp: Snip shells of shrimp with scissors down center of back, from wide end to second-to-last tail section. Butterfly shrimp in their shells, making a deep incision along length of back where shells are cut, and devein.
6. Grill shrimp on their sides on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals until shells are pink and slightly charred and shrimp are just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. (Alternatively, grill shrimp in a hot well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderate heat.)
7. Spoon tamarind sauce over shrimp (still in shells) in a serving dish.
8. Cooks' note: Tamarind sauce can be made 2 hours ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature.
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