Sweet and Spicy Coconut Shrimp with Mango Basil Salsa and Lime Jasmine Rice

~Amanda~

If you ask me what my favorite meals to make (and eat) are, this one always lands in my top 5. I have been making this dish for what seems like at least a decade now and it never gets old. It’s spicy, tropical, sweet, savory, comforting, light, and tangy. It seriously has everything I ever crave piled into one delicious bowl. I originally discovered this while watching Dave Lieberman on TV so long ago; I found the recipe online and have been in love with it ever since. I will warn you now, there are A LOT of steps to constructing this dish, but none of them are difficult, you just need to be able to devote some time to making it. It’s totally worth the time and effort though; this dish has always been my go-to meal when I want to impress someone because it seems so much more complex and difficult than it really is and all the delicious layers of flavor will please just about anyone!

So what exactly does this delicious meal entail!? First a nice big serving of coconut rice is placed in a bowl. The rice is then topped with a soy, ginger, and basil reduction. On top of that is the most delicious mango basil salsa. And finally the best part of all; the spicy (but only as spicy as you want it) coconut shrimp. The combination of all these different flavors is divine. In order to have everything done and ready at the same time, you need to make it all in a specific order. First on the list is making the Mango Basil Salsa, you can even do this up to a day in advance if you prefer. To make it you combine one finely diced mango with green onions, basil, and lime juice.

The next step is to make the shrimp marinade and get the shrimp in it. This can be done 30 minutes to 4 hours ahead of time. To make the marinade combine a jalapeno, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce, lime zest, coconut milk, basil, and vegetable. The spice of the jalapeno and ginger combined with the sweetness of the brown sugar and richness and creaminess of the coconut milk make for the most delicious shrimp I think I’ve ever had. Mix all the ingredients together with a fork to combine and then add in your peeled and deveined shrimp and place covered in the fridge until it’s time to cook them.

 Now it’s time to get the whole meal prepared… You’re going to have three different things on the stove at once, so make sure you read all the instructions and know what you’ve got to do ahead of time so you don’t get flustered. About five minutes before you take out the shrimp, get the rice started; place the rice, coconut milk, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cover for about 20 minutes until cooked. When the rice is done cooking, mix in the lime zest and fluff with a fork for serving.

While the rice is cooking, you will cook the shrimp and boil the marinade. First remove the shrimp from the marinade using tongs and place in an even layer in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook until browned on each side (about 3 minutes per side) then remove from heat. While the shrimp are cooking, pour the marinade in a small saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil until it’s thickened up a bit, this should take about 5 minutes. Keep a VERY close watch on this, it will get bubbly and frothy and can boil over in a second so keep stirring it and remove from the heat to cool down when necessary.

FINALLY, it’s time to plate and enjoy all of your hard work! First place the coconut rice in a bowl, then pour the marinade over top of it. Next get your mango basil salsa out of the fridge and sprinkle over the rice. And finally, top with your delicious browned coconut shrimp (and some siracha if you want even more of a kick). Now sit down and savor every single bite because if you’re anything like me, there’s no way you’ll have leftovers!