Thai-Style Sweet and Salty Shrimp

Name: Thai-Style Sweet and Salty Shrimp
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 3 to 4 servings
Cuisine: thai
Ingredients: 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined; Kosher salt and black pepper; 1 tablespoon light brown sugar; 1 tablespoon fish sauce; 1 tablespoon white vinegar; 3 tablespoons roasted, salted peanuts, finely chopped; 3 scallions, thinly sliced crosswise; 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice; 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes

Recipe from Kris Yenbamroong

Adapted by Ali Slagle

Published June 4, 2020

Thai-Style Sweet and Salty Shrimp — David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.

Total Time: 10 minutes
Rating: 4(1,225)
Comments: Read comments

Made of equal parts sugar, fish sauce and vinegar, the sauce in the famous pad Thai at Kris Yenbamroong’s Night + Market restaurants in Los Angeles is too good to be used exclusively on rice noodles. This adaptation is simmered with a tangle of shrimp, peanuts, scallions, chile and lime juice for for a sweet, salty stir-fry. Add a quick cooking vegetable, like peas, thinly sliced asparagus or bean sprouts, with the shrimp, or substitute tofu, salmon or cubed boneless chicken thighs for the shrimp. Serve over shredded cabbage, rice, a roasted sweet potato or rice noodles. —Ali Slagle

or to save this recipe.
Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
Subscribe
Share
Print Options
Include recipe photo

Ingredients

Yield:3 to 4 servings

1pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Kosher salt and black pepper
1tablespoon light brown sugar
1tablespoon fish sauce
1tablespoon white vinegar
3tablespoons roasted, salted peanuts, finely chopped
3scallions, thinly sliced crosswise
1tablespoon fresh lime juice
½teaspoon red-pepper flakes

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Preparation

Step 1
Pat the shrimp very dry and lightly season with salt and pepper.
Step 2
In a medium (10-inch) nonstick skillet, stir together the sugar, fish sauce and vinegar. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat. When the mixture comes to a simmer, add the shrimp and cook until pink on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Step 3
Add the peanuts, scallions, lime juice and red-pepper flakes and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Ratings

4 out of 5

1,225 user ratings

Have you cooked this?

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Comments

Simple and delicious.5 years ago

This recipe is so delicious and so easy. It will go into our regular rotation. We added more red pepper flakes and next time I will double the sauce to serve over rice.

Tricia5 years ago

SB you could try doubling the sauce ingredients, and/or using better quality shrimp (tasteless farmed shrimp are not the same as wild caught American gulf shrimp). If you included Asian fish sauce, it shouldn't be bland. Try adding some garlic and a big bunch of chopped cilantro if it still needs "more."

Veronica Stewart5 years ago

If I make again I will make 1.5 x more sauce.

Geoff D3 months ago

Tried the suggestion to put over top baked sweet potato and it was a nice bit of extra sweet that tied in well with the brown sugar. Leaned into the onion with 1/4 yellow onion chopped along the scallions. Really appreciated a recipe that didn't start with oil. Didn't miss it at all.

ZAK4 months ago

This recipe is 5 star but needs a bit more juice so I double the sauce. Absolutely delicious!

Megan L.5 months ago

Tripled the sauce and put the shrimp over rice noodles on a bed of cabbage. Also added some sautéed young cauliflower florets for extra veg. Used my homemade Thai chile vinegar sauce instead of the red chile flakes. Very flavorful and feels healthy, will make again!

Private comments are only visible to you.