Thai Basil Shrimp

                                                                                              © Paul Cisneros 2010

   

  There's something about basil that just gets my attention. Sweet basil, Thai basil or Holy basil. It doesn't really matter to me because it always ends up in the dishes that I make. And it always leaves its intoxicatingly aromatic scent lingering in my kitchen.

  Normally, this dish is made with chicken but since I've recently returned from a trip to the Texas coast I had some shrimp leftover. So, I decided to experiment. 

  The thing I love the most about this dish is that it is fast, simple and affordable. Three things that I look for the most. And very easy to eat as well! 

Thai Basil Shrimp

INGREDIENTS:

8-10  Shrimp
2 TBSP Hoison Sauce

1 TBSP Soy Sauce

2 TSP Black Soy Sauce

1/2 Onion 

2 Cloves of Garlic 

2 Thai Red Chili's

1/3 cup Water

2 TBSP Vegetable Oil

1/2 cup Asian Basil

You can pick up many of these ingredients at your local Asian market.

DIRECTIONS:

Wash,peel and devein shrimp and set aside separately. You can keep the unpeeled shrimp on ice to keep them fresh.

Roughly chop the garlic, slice the Thai chilies and slice the onion thinly. Set asiide.**HINT: If you prefer less heat, remove the seeds from the chilies**

In a small bowl, mix the hoison sauce, soy sauce and black soy sauce and mix together. If you prefer your food saltier, add more soy sauce. 

***Remember to have all ingredients prepped before you start cooking. Asian wok-style cooking requires you to be fast and furious.***

Heat a large wok until very hot. Add oil. When oil is smoking, immediately add garlic and chillies. Cook 10-15 seconds careful not to burn the garlic. Add shrimp. Stir for 1 minute. Now add the onion, soy sauce, hoison sauce, black soy sauce and water. Stir until liquid is reduced by half. About 2-3 minutes. Take wok off the heat and add the basil leaves. Stir until the leaves have wilted.

 Serve immediately with Jasmine rice.