Easy Chili-Garlic Shrimp Recipe

This wonderful Thai shrimp recipe is easy to make and superb for a party. Medium to jumbo shrimp are tossed in a spicy chili-garlic sauce, then broiled in the oven for just a few minutes. Add toothpicks and serve as a party food, or enjoy with rice as a main entree. This spicy shrimp recipe will be a hit with your friends and family, and it's ready in less than 30 minutes! Includes make-ahead tips for parties.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 6 minutes

Ingredients:

• YIELD: 1 party platter of 10-20 large to jumbo-size shrimp/prawns
• 10-20 medium to jumbo-size prawns, fresh or frozen (thaw if frozen)
• 2 Tbsp. oil (such as coconut or canola)
• 1 + 1/2 Tbsp. coconut milk
• 2 Tbsp. fish sauce (available in tall bottles at Asian/Chinese food stores)
• 1/2 tsp. to 1+1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (1/2 tsp. for mild, or up to 1.5 for medium-spicy)
• 1+1/2 heaping Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. shrimp paste (available by the jar at Asian/Chinese food stores)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• optional: 2 leaflets of kaffir lime leaf, central stem removed
• optional: 1 fresh chili, minced, OR 1/2 tsp. dried chili flakes (if you want your shrimp spicy-hot)

Preparation:

1. Rinse shrimp and remove shells, except for tails. Butterfly the shrimp by cutting down the length of the back (shallow cuts so you don't cut all the way through).
2. Place all other ingredients in a mini-chopper or food processor and process well to form to a chili-garlic sauce.
3. Pour the sauce over the shrimp and gently stir/toss to mix. Allow to marinate 5 minutes while your oven heats up.
4. Turn oven to broil setting ("high" if you have a choice of high or low).
5. Lay shrimp on their side on a baking sheet. Place sheet on the second-to-top rung of your oven. Allow to broil 3-4 minutes, or until shrimp are sizzling and steaming.
6. Remove baking sheet from oven and turn the shrimp to cook the other side. If you have any left-over marinade (in the bottom of the bowl), spoon it over the shrimp. Broil another 3-4 minutes, or until shrimp are plump and succulent.
7. If serving at a party, poke with toothpicks and serve as a party food. If desired, garnish with wedges of lemon or lime. If serving as an entree, slide the shrimp onto a platter and serve with rice. Serving Tip: If I'm having this dish for dinner, I usually make extra sauce to serve on the side - it's excellent with rice!

Make-ahead Tip:

• Prepare the sauce up to a week in advance and keep in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Take out an hour before you'll be cooking.
• If you're using fresh shrimp, you can toss them in the sauce and freeze them. Take them out of the freezer an hour before your party, and then broil when guests arrive.

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