Spicy Thai Basil Shrimp
Sharing this extremely simple recipe that takes 20 minutes to make. This recipe is adapted from Bon Appétit and was shared with me by a friend about a year ago. Since then, I’ve been hooked and have made a few modifications.
In my ideal world, I would make this all the time but what keeps me from overindulging in this is the lack of fresh shrimp at regular grocery stores. If possible, I always buy shrimp at Asian markets, shell on and head on. Not only are they cheaper, but are also much fresher! My go-to is 99 Ranch which used to be much more convenient for me when I lived in the San Gabriel Valley. Since moving to West LA, the trips to 99 Ranch have drastically reduced since the closest one is 10+ miles away but I do make the trip out there from time to time. Whenever I do, I always make sure to stock up on shrimp (and brown sugar boba ice cream bars)! I’ve been lucky to score shrimp at 99 Ranch for $3.99/lb sometimes which is a steal for shrimp! I purchase Thai basil from there as well, which has a spicier, licorice note to it compared to Italian sweet basil.
Sometimes I do settle and walk over to my neighborhood store to get pre-peeled shrimp out of pure laziness but every time I would be disappointed. Despite the easier prep, the higher price tag and the decreased freshness is most certainly not worth it. It really does make a huge difference when you’re able to buy fresh shrimp and do the prep work yourself.
Don’t let the head intimidate you! It’s incredibly easy to peel and devein shrimp and only takes a couple more minutes of prep time. I’ll link this Gordon Ramsey video for you here on how to do it. I like keeping the tail on for this but it’s really a matter of personal preference.
When cooking shrimp, it’s important that the pan is sizzling hot when the shrimp touches the pan or you’ll either overcook the shrimp or not develop a crispy outer layer. Shrimp cooks incredibly quickly which makes it an easy weeknight meal.
Spicy Thai Basil Shrimp
Total Time: 20 mins
(Prep: 15 mins / Cook: 5 mins)
Serving Size: 2
Appliances Needed:
- Blender
Ingredients:
- 1 lb head-on, shell-on large shrimp
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (or vegetable or grapeseed oil)
- 1 cup Thai basil leaves
- 1 lime (for serving)
- 1 tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped (for serving)
Marinade:
- 1 Fresno chili, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil (or vegetable or grapeseed oil)
Instructions:
1. Start by prepping the marinade for the shrimp. Chop the Fresno chili and garlic cloves. Put it in a blender along with 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Blend until smooth and pour into a bowl.
2. Remove the head and shell of the shrimp but keep the tail on. Butterfly and devein the shrimp. I typically use toothpicks to remove the veins.
3. Add the shrimp to your marinade and coat thoroughly. Set aside for 10 minutes at room temperature.
4. While the shrimp marinades, prep the ingredients for serving. Slice lime into wedges, remove Thai basil leaves from stem, and finely chop cilantro.
5. Heat a pan that is large enough for the shrimp to fit in a single layer on medium-high heat. If you don’t have a pan that’s large enough, work in batches.
6. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Your pan should be sizzling hot. You can check this by adding a drop of water and see if the oil sizzles.
7. Add shrimp to your pan in a single layer. Cook each side for 45 seconds to 1 minute. The shrimp should develop some char.
8. Turn off heat and stir in Thai basil.
9. Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges. Enjoy!