Coconut-Lime Shrimp

By Melissa Clark

Published October 15, 2019

  • David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
25 minutes
Rating
5(3,980)
Comments
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You can make this gingery, lightly sweet shrimp stew as tangy and spicy as you like by adjusting the amounts of chile and lime juice. Using full-fat coconut milk gives you the richest and most flavorful dish. But light coconut milk will also work, resulting in something brothier and more souplike. Be sure not to overcook the shrimp. As soon as they turn pink, they’re done.

Featured in: What Are We Supposed to Think About Shrimp?

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Ingredients

Yield:3 to 4 servings

  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

  • 2 shallots, diced

  • 1 to 2 jalapeño or serrano peppers, seeded if you like, minced

  • 1 ¼ teaspoons fine sea salt, plus more to taste

  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated or minced ginger

  • 2 large garlic cloves, finely grated or minced

  • 1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk (1 ¾ cups)

  • ½ cup chopped cilantro leaves

  • 1 pound peeled large shrimp

  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated lime zest

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus more to taste

  • 1 teaspoon coconut sugar or light brown sugar

  • 1 teaspoon Asian fish sauce, plus more to taste

  • Cooked rice, for serving

  • Lime wedges, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (3 to 4 servings)

25 grams carbs; 183 milligrams cholesterol; 451 calories; 4 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 20 grams saturated fat; 29 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 740 milligrams sodium; 27 grams protein; 4 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat sesame oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Stir in shallots, jalapeño and a large pinch of salt, and cook until starting to brown, about 6 minutes. Stir in ginger and garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute longer.

  2. Step 2

    Stir in coconut milk, ¼ cup chopped cilantro and 1 ¼ teaspoons salt. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 2 minutes to blend the flavors.

  3. Step 3

    Stir in shrimp, lime zest, lime juice, sugar and fish sauce. Continue to simmer until shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Taste and add more lime juice, salt or fish sauce, or all three, if needed.

  4. Step 4

    Serve over rice, with remaining cilantro and lime wedges on the side.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
3,980 user ratings
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Comments

Beulah

In an effort to add more fruits and veg to my diet, I threw in a handful of frozen mango chunks and some red and yellow peppers. Tons of cilantro and topped it off with roasted coconut chips. Thai basil flavored rice. Beautiful, colorful, and good enough for the queen. Or me.

Diane

Can someone please explain to me why the last segment of shell is kept on the shrimp? Me, I always remove it. Otherwise, you lose the meat that's at the end, which seems like a waste of good shrimp, unless you want to dig around and get sauce on your fingers to get it out. Makes no sense to me.

Su

The end of the meat isn't wasted at all if, instead of biting the shrimp off at the shell, you pull the meat out of the end of the shell -- gently, with your teeth, holding loosely onto the bit of shell like a handle. You still gain a bit of flavor from the shell and have a nicer-looking shrimp, and they're really quite easy to eat this way.

Fromage ou vin?

Prepared as written except doubled the shrimp based on other comments. There was definitely adequate sauce.

Joe

I made this but made a few adjustments. Left out the sugar. I feel sugar is used too often in cooking. Not that I’m diabetic but just feel like sweetness needs to be minimal. Shrimp and coconut imparts plenty of sweetness. Finally I added a sliced a birds eye chile to add extra heat that I think it needs. I like spicy.

Mia

Delicious! I replaced rice with rice noodles and it was divine.

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