Spicy Chili Shrimp with Jalapeno Cilantro Fried Rice

 

 In case you didn't already know this, fried rice is delicious.  Fried rice with cilantro and jalapenos?  Even more delicious!

Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter
2 pounds medium to large shrimp, preferably raw
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons Thai chile garlic sauce 
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1-2 tbsp cornstarch
3 tbsp honey

Jalapeno Cilantro Fried Rice
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cups steamed rice
3 eggs
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup fresh or frozen peas
4 scallions, diced
2 medium jalapeños, seeded and minced
2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 stalk of fresh lemongrass, minced  
4 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil

Directons: 
In a bowl, combine ketchup, vinegar, chile sauce, lemon juice, soy sauce and honey.  Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (it should be sweet and spicy!).  Add corn starch, mix thoroughly, then set aside.

Next, heat vegetable oil in a large skillet on medium high.  Add rice and allow it to fry in the oil.  In a separate section of the same pan, crack the eggs and fry them.  Once the eggs have cooked all the way through and begun to brown, use a metal spatula to break them apart and mix amongst the rice.  You can also fry the eggs in a separate pan, and then slice them, if that seems easier.  Next, add the jalapeños, garlic, peas, lemongrass and ginger to the rice, and continue to cook until rice is crispy and parts of it have browned.

While rice is cooking, season shrimp with salt and pepper.  In a smaller skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of butter.  Add the shrimp (shells on) to the skillet and cook over high heat, turning once, until they start to turn pink, about 2-3 minutes.  Pour sauce over shrimp and mix thoroughly, then remove from heat.  It's up to you if you want to remove the shells or leave them on, it really depends on how you want the dish to look.

Drizzle the rice with soy sauce and sesame oil, taste and adjust seasonings.  Now you are ready to serve.  Place a mound of rice on plate and add shrimp.  For the presentation I did below, I used a two inch ring (could also use a cup or cookie cutter) to mound the rice and then placed the shrimp around it.  Drizzle with additional sauce and serve! 

Tips:  Be sure to bring shrimp to room temperature before cooking so that it cooks evenly. Also, I can't say this enough - start with raw shrimp and they will be so much more tender! Raw frozen is fine....  they even have them at Target for a reasonable price.  Enjoy!