Family Favorite Shrimp & Basil Stir Fry

My most popular Facebook post EVER… The Shrimp & Basil Stir Fry Recipe is here and it’s delicious!

Ok friends! This dish is such a crowd pleaser and so easy to make, I insist you add this to your weeknight rotation. The kick from the chili and the sweetness from the basil really take it to the next level. I like to serve it over sushi rice for a complete meal. And don’t forget the lime!

This summer, my oldest son came home a Pescatarian after a year studying abroad so I was challenged to find lots of new dishes. Luckily for me, reading cookbooks and scanning the internet for recipes is my favorite thing to do! I came across this delicious Shrimp and Basil Stir-Fry in Bon Appetit. While reading the ingredients for the recipe I knew I had to give it a shot. The first time I made it was so much fun! The fabulous aroma of this dish brought all three of my boys running to the kitchen. I was cooking it in batches and they were all huddled around my stove top island eating them as soon as they were made! They were popping them in their mouths like they were Bon Bons! My husband came home and I yelled, “you better get in here!” He made it just in time to grab a few shrimp. That night’s dinner never got plated. I wasn’t even able to wilt the basil and serve it over the rice I’d made because it was all gone. That’s when I knew we had a winner!

So, let’s get to it.

What You’ll Need:

1 lb. Shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 Jalapeños

1/4 cup Sugar

2 Tbsp. Fish Sauce

6 cloves of Garlic, peeled and smashed

1 tsp. Kosher Salt

4 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil (3 Tbsp. for the marinade, 1 Tbsp. for cooking)

2 cups of Basil

1 lime, cut into wedges for serving

Here’s How:

We are going to make the marinade in your blender. So get it out. I use this one, which my boys got me after breaking my last one! I actually like it even better, it’s really powerful and I think it’s very well priced for the quality.

First off, this recipe calls for Fresno Chilis. I couldn’t find Fresno chilies so it is perfectly acceptable to substitute with jalapeños.

The first time I made this I left out the seeds. My family loved it but I felt it could use some more heat. The next time I made it, I included a lot of the seeds as that is where most of the heat comes from. My family thought it was way to spicy (not me though!). So be careful with the seeds. It can make or break this dish. If you are not familiar with jalapeños, I would recommend not using the seeds.

Grab 3 jalapeños slice them down the middle and take the seeds out. Coarsely chop them and toss them in the blender.

Cobi quick tip: Don’t touch your eyes after working with jalapeños. You do not want chile in your eyes! As a matter of fact, wash your hands right after you are finished handling them.

Add 6 cloves of peeled smashed garlic, ¼ cup sugar, 2 Tbsp. fish sauce, 1 tsp. kosher salt, and 3 Tbsp oil to the blender. Blend until smooth.

Pour the marinade into a medium bowl and add your shrimp; toss to coat. Let sit for 10 minutes.

Fish and shellfish have thin membranes so marinating is a breeze. Ten minutes is all you need for this one!

Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil. You want your pan to be HOT so just as your oil begins to smoke that’s the time to add your shrimp, leaving the marinade behind.

You will probably need to work in batches. If you overcrowd the pan it is impossible to get that wonderful caramelization and charring because there is too much liquid in the pan. Give those shrimp some room to breathe!

Once the shrimp are in your pan, don’t disturb them (another necessity for good char). Let it sit for one minute to get a nice browning around the edges, turn and let it sit for another 40 to 60 seconds on this side.

Remove from pan and place on a platter. Continue until all the shrimp are cooked.

Then put all the shrimp back in the pan, remove from the heat and add the basil.

Toss until the basil is wilted.

Transfer to a platter and serve with lime wedges.

Ta-da! I hope you love this wonderful recipe as much as my family does!

Tell me if you use the seeds or not in the comments below! 😉

All my love,

Cobi

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