Thai garlic lime shrimp and grits
For a long time I wanted to make this recipe, Thai garlic lime shrimp and grits, just because I had never tasted grits before What can I say? nothing really, I have no excuse. In my head grits were most like a Dominican coarse corn dish called chenchén (this is like a coarse corn risotto if you want, and traditionally served with goat stew).
I was mistaken of course, this creamy and cheesy grits is more like polenta than chenchén. I didn’t wanted to use milk or cream to make it so I used some chicken stock that I had in th freezer and it work wonders, but I guess you can use any type of broth or stock you prefer.
Surprisingly, I thought grits were from the south, but Grits have their origins in American Indian corn preparation. Traditionally, the corn for grits was ground by a stone mill. At the begging grits were serve for breakfast, it’s not until the 1980’s that the shrimp and grits combination was concocted by a cook in a North Carolina restaurant, and then noted by a New York time’s reporter that tasted the dish, since then it has become a southern staple dish.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup quick grits
- 2 cups of chicken stock
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
- 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the shrimp:
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
- 3 large garlic cloves minced and mashed to a paste with 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup fresh coriander sprigs washed well, spun dry, and chopped fine
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
- 24 large shrimp (Approximately 1 pound) (the original recipe leaves the shell, you can do this as you prefer)
- Garnish:
- fresh coriander sprigs
Instructions
- For the grits:
- In a small pot over medium heat, add 2 cups chicken stock. Bring the stock to a boil, then stir in the grits. When this mixture starts to bubble again, season with salt and pepper, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook for about 4 minutes. When the grits begin to thicken, add the butter then turn off the heat, add the cheeses, stir until well combined, taste and season if needed.
- For the shrimp:
- In a mortar, crush together lime juice, garlic, coriander, 3 tablespoons oil, fish sauce, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper until you from a paste, reserve 1/3 cup of this mixture in a small bowl. In a large sealable plastic bag combine shrimp with remaining mixture and marinate for 45 minutes at least in the fridge.
- Drain shrimp and lightly pat dry between paper towels. In a large non-stick skillet pat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil over moderately high heat and sauté the shrimp until golden brown and cooked through, about 1 1/2 minutes on each side, then add the remaining sauce and turn the heat off. Place the shrimp over the grits and drizzle with the sauce and garnish with coriander sprigs. Serve immediately.
dish continues to spread through the South and beyond.
This dish turned to be more than I expected, and this is not the last you will see here at least but I would love to pair this grits with different toppings and experience combining different textures, bare with me, for example a Mexican spiced grits with pork cracklings on top? that surely can’t be bad.
4 thoughts on “Thai garlic lime shrimp and grits”
Grits? Well, not only have I never tried this, but indeed I’ve never heard this name either. But I like polenta (and shrimp) so this dish sounds particularly delicious to me, Gaila!
Dear Ben, thank you for dropping by! this was a delicious first time of trying something! 🙂
What a fun twist on a classic! I know grits didn’t originate in the south, but man do they know how to cook good grits down there! I think that’s part of the reason so many people associate grits with the south now. I have a fun shrimp and grits recipe that I make here, but now I want to try it with the Thai twist. Sounds amazing!
I will love to see your recipe, cause this was the first time I made grits and I will love to taste more recipes with it! thanks of dropping by!