Sweet and creamy coconut rice provide a cooling contrast to shrimp sautéed with red curry paste and a piquant cucumber relish. A delicious Thai dish that’s sure to impress and please. The coconut rice and the combination of cucumber and peanuts in the salad was fabulous — a nice change from a traditional side salad.
It was a bit of a fiasco in the kitchen that night. Just as three of us had filled our plates (thank goodness) from the pans on the stove, the Hubs bashed into the skillet handle sending the remaining shrimp and sauce flying into the air and all over the cabinets, floor and appliances.
Our grand doggie Bentley was in for a visit from the West Coast and made an immediate, lightening-fast U-turn to start licking up the floors and chow down any shrimp he could get to. Luckily Mommy Bentley scooped up the critter and held onto him until The Hubs wiped down the entire mess. Dinner take two…
As the meal ended, The Hubs knocked his glass of red wine over, with some spilling onto his brand new Kindle birthday gift—I kid you not. It was time for someone to just go to bed…
TIP: We typically buy shrimp with their heads on (this time we did not) so that we can save them and the shells for making shellfish stock. If you intend to do the same, buy about 1/4- to 1/2-pound more in weight.
Red Curry Shrimp with Coconut Rice and Cucumber Relish
Ingredients
- 1½ cups jasmine rice, rinsed thoroughly
- 1½ cups water
- 1¼ cups plus 2 Tbsp. canned coconut milk, divided
- 2 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. sugar, divided
- 2¼ tsp. table salt, divided
- ¼ cup distilled white vinegar
- ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 English cucumber, cut into ½-inch pieces
- ½ cup salted dry-roasted peanuts, chopped coarse
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 Tbsp. red curry paste
- 1½ lbs. jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per lb.), peeled, deveined, and tails removed
Directions
- Combine rice, water, 1 cup coconut milk, 1 tablespoon sugar, and ¾ teaspoon salt in large saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low to maintain bare simmer. Cover and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Mix rice gently but thoroughly with rubber spatula.
- Meanwhile, whisk vinegar, pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt in bowl until sugar is dissolved. Add cucumber, peanuts, and cilantro and toss to combine. Let stand until ready to serve, tossing occasionally.
- Cook curry paste, 1 tablespoon coconut milk, remaining 1 teaspoon sugar, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until mixture is dry, about 3 minutes. Add shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are opaque throughout, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in remaining 5 tablespoons coconut milk. Bring to simmer, then remove from heat. Serve shrimp with coconut rice and cucumber relish.
Recipe by Jessica Rudolf for ATK’s Cooks Country
Accounting for Taste 