Grilled Thai Red Curry Shrimp

While doing groceries last week, I saw that those amazing giant whole shrimp that I love were on sale again, so I snatched up a bunch to play around with.

The last time I got them, I made more of a Spanish-inspired dish with chorizo and smoked paprika, but this time I decided to play around with Asian flavors.

I whisked together a quick marinade using red curry paste, fish sauce, and lime juice. Just three simple ingredients that pack a ton of flavor.

After 30 minutes of marinating, I grilled the shrimp on a stove-top grill pan (I use this Le Creuset grill pan, which is one of my faves, but an outdoor grill would be even better!), and then tossed them in a sauce made from melted butter and a bit more curry paste. This created a luscious sauce that coated the shrimp thoroughly (all the better for licking off your fingers later on!).

To eat, I like to serve these in a big bowl, with a separate bowl for shells and a big pile of napkins on the side. It's a fun, messy dish that's perfect for sharing with friends. Try it with cold beers or a fizzy sparkling wine to cut through the heat.

Like with my previous whole shrimp recipe, this will also work with peeled shrimp, though in that case you really only need to marinate for about 10 minutes, and the cook time will also be shorter.

Let me know what you think about these if you try them! Post a pic on Instagram or Twitter and use the hashtag #alwaysorderdessert. I can't wait to see your creations!


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Grilled Thai Red Curry Shrimp
Serves 4 as an appetizer or 2 as an entree

Ingredients
10 giant whole shrimp (with heads on)
4 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
1/4 cup fish sauce
1 lime, juiced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons butter, melted
Dried Thai basil, red chile flakes for garnish

Directions
Use a pair of kitchen shears to snip along the back of the shrimp, pulling out the vein. Place shrimp in a large bowl. Add half the curry paste, the fish sauce, lime juice, and salt, and toss until evenly combined and coated. Place in fridge and let marinate 30 minutes.

Combine melted butter and remaining curry paste in a clean large bowl.

Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill, and cook the shrimp 2-3 minutes on each side, or until fully cooked and slightly charred. Add the cooked shrimp to the bowl with the butter and curry paste, then toss to coat evenly.

Place in a serving bowl and season with kosher salt. Garnish with a sprinkle of dried basil and chile flakes.

Serve hot.