Tamarind Stir-fried Shrimp w/ jasmine rice

Mr. Pleasant and I, on a whim, decided that instead of going out with Mr. Pleasants' folks - as we had planned - we'd cook in instead. It really turned out to be a fabulously fun evening and I'm glad we went with spontaneity. The stir-fry was delicious - the tamarind didn't stand out as a overt flavor, but my experience with tamarind, limited though it may be, is that it compliments well with a slight sweetness and a tang which lent itself very well to the flavors in this dish. We also added two diced peppers, one green and one red - we threw them in the same time as the shrimp. The colors turned out quite nicely.


Tamarind Stir-Fried Shrimp
adapted from Wok and Stir-Fry by Linda Doeser

2 Tbs tamarind paste
2/3 c boiling water
2 Tbs vegetable oil
2 Tbs chopped onion
2 Tbs sugar
2 Tbs chicken stock or water
1 Tbs fish sauce
1 dried red chili, chopped
1 lb uncooked shelled shrimp
1 Tbs fried chopped garlic
2 Tbs fried, chopped shallots
2 scallions, chopped to garnish

Put the tamarind paste in a small bowl, pour in boiling water and stir well to break up any lumps. Set aside for 30 minutes. Strain, pushing as much of the juice through as possible. Measure out 6 Tbs of the juice. Heat the oil in a wok and add the chopped onion and fry until golden brown. Add the sugar, stock, fish sauce,dried chillies and the tamarind juice, stirring well until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil. Add the shrimp, garlic and shallot. Stir fry for about 3-4 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked. Garnish with scallions. Serve over jasmine rice.