Recipe: Caramelized Shrimp

Caramelized Shrimp

Tom Rim
Serves 3

Caramelized Shrimp "The wonderful wok! It is easy to use, quick to heat and produces healthier food if it is used properly. Its usefulness is not limited to stir-fries, either. I have braised meat in mine, heated soups, simmered vegetables and smoked lamb. In fact, you could probably add it to my list of utensils that I wouldn't be without."

...Michael Lee-Richards chef at Michael's

Caramelized Shrimp

2 teaspoons light vegetable oil
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
1/2 small onion, sliced
15 large shrimp, peeled
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 to 2 teaspoons chili oil
3 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
lettuce leaves, for serving (optional)

Caramel Sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/2 cup water

1. Start by preparing the caramel sauce. In a small saucepan, combine all the sauce ingredients together and bring to a boil. Continue boiling until the sugar is totally dissolved.

2. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large, deep frying pan over high heat, until just smoking. Add the garlic and onion and stir-fry until golden.

3. Add the shrimp, pepper, 2 tablespoons of the caramel sauce and the chili oil and cook until the sauce is thick enough to coat the shrimps, about 2 minutes. Reserve any remaining caramel sauce for later use.

4. Add the green onions and stir-fry the whole thing for about 30 seconds longer. Serve at once, on a bed of lettuce, if desired.

Charles Phan at The Slanted Door

Buy the Book!

East West Food
By Chris Benians—Barney Brown—Peter Gordon—Graham Harris—Michael Lee-Richards
Charles Phan—Stanislaus Soares—Chef Suki—Cass Titcombe—Kirk Webber
Soma
Hardback, $30.00
ISBN: 1-57959-002-0
Recipe Reprinted by permission.