caramelized shrimp

"Yay, me!" (The Husband always tells me I'm my best cheerleader. Haha.) I can't help it, but I always feel such a sense of accomplishment when I finally cook a recipe that's been patiently sitting and waiting around— in this case, since February 2002. It's been so long, the paper is yellowed.

So, I'm sort of kicking myself for not having made this sooner and for missing out for the past nine years. It's wonderfully simple and quick to make. Super tasty too.  If you've ever eaten at The Slanted Door, Charles Phan's wonderful nouveau Vietnamese restaurant, you'll recognize this delicious dish. 

Caramelized Shrimp


Printable Recipe

2 teaspoons light vegetable oil
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
½ small onion, sliced
15 large shrimp, peeled
½ teaspoon ground pepper
1 to 2 teaspoons chili oil
3 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
lettuce leaves, for serving (optional)

Caramel Sauce

½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup fish sauce
½ cup water

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.

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,

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.

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. We usually have a big bowl of rice to go with it.


This post is linked up with This Chick Cooks, Friday Favorites and Foodie Fridays.