Chili Lime Garlic Shrimp with Coconut Brown Basmati Rice

I can’t believe I haven’t posted a shrimp recipe yet because it is one of my favorite foods in the entire world..probably in my top three.

This is a delicious, simple recipe that has some kick to it. You have to like spicy stuff to like this. Or, you can omit the jalapeño, sriracha, and red pepper flake, and add more honey for sweetness for a milder option.

The coconut rice is a little bit sweet, which counteracts the spiciness of the shrimp. So delicious.

Serves 3-4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes

For the rice:
1 c. light canned coconut milk
1 c. water
1 c. brown basmati rice (I use Trader Joe’s brand, but you can use any rice you like)
1/2 c. unsweetened flaked coconut (I used Bob’s Red Mill brand)
healthy pinch of salt

For the sweet chili sauce:
1/4 c. low sodium soy sauce
1/4 c. water
1 1/2 T. rice wine vinegar
Zest and juice of 1 lime
3 T. hot chili garlic sauce (You can find this in the grocery store with all of the Asian ingredients)
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. sriracha
1 T. honey
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 T. cornstarch

For the shrimp:
1/2 lb. shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed if desired
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 jalapeño, seeds removed, and some of the ribs removed (I like to leave some of the ribs for kick), chopped
2 T. olive oil
1/4 c. chopped cilantro

Begin by making the rice. Bring coconut milk, water, salt, and a drizzle of olive oil to a boil. Once it boils, add rice, stir, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, (don’t peek!) for 30-40 minutes, depending on the type of rice you’re using. (When the rice is finished and still hot, you’ll be adding the coconut flakes).

In the meantime, make the sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, water, rice wine vinegar, lime juice and zest, hot chili garlic sauce, sesame oil, sriracha, honey, red pepper flakes, and cornstarch until combined. Set aside.

Heat olive oil over medium/high heat in a large skillet, and add garlic and jalapeño. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally so that the garlic does not burn. Add shrimp, and saute for an additional 2-3 minutes until shrimp start turning opaque. Add the sauce and let simmer and thicken for 2-3 additional minutes, while stirring. Once finished, stir in half of the cilantro.

When rice is finished, stir in the coconut flakes. Portion rice into bowls, and spoon shrimp and sauce over the rice. Garnish with remaining cilantro and serve!

I seriously love shrimp..and any Asian inspired food. There will be more recipes like this to come!