Spicy Caramelized Shrimp With Lemongrass

Adapted by Alexa Weibel

Published Feb. 15, 2024

Spicy Caramelized Shrimp With Lemongrass — David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Total Time: 30 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Rating: 4(131)
Comments: Read comments

For those who love all things salty and sweet, Vietnamese tôm rim is an ideal dish, wedding fish sauce with caramel. Variations abound, but traditionally, tôm rim is made by marinating whole, unpeeled shrimp in fish sauce, palm sugar, pepper, garlic and shallot, then sautéing until the shrimp cooks through and the sauce becomes glossy and caramelized. This version, which is adapted from “Vietnamese Home Cooking” (Ten Speed Press, 2012) by chef Charles Phan, calls for weeknight-friendly peeled shrimp, and builds upon the dish’s classic flavor profile by introducing chile, lemongrass and ginger. Mr. Phan uses a homemade roasted chile paste that is heady with Sichuan peppercorns, ground bean paste and soy sauce, but he suggests store-bought roasted chile paste or chile-bean sauce for ease. You could swap in Sriracha, increase the garlic, apply these flavors to different proteins or even vegetables. Once you’ve understood the foundation of a dish, its potential is infinite. —Alexa Weibel

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

⅔packed cup/146 grams light brown sugar (or 6 ounces palm sugar; see Tip)
5tablespoons fish sauce
2pounds peeled and deveined medium or large shrimp, patted dry with paper towels
½teaspoon black pepper
1½tablespoons canola oil
2medium shallots, thinly sliced into rings
3tablespoons finely minced lemongrass (from 2 stalks; see Tip)
1large garlic clove, minced
1(2-inch-long) piece fresh ginger, peeled and julienned
1½ tablespoons roasted chile paste or chile-bean sauce (often labeled ground bean paste)
Steamed white rice, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Prepare the caramel sauce: To a heavy medium saucepan, add the light brown sugar and fish sauce and gently heat over medium-low, whisking occasionally, until sugar is fully dissolved and mixture is syrupy, about 5 minutes. (You should have about ½ cup.) Set aside caramel.
Step 2
In a medium bowl, sprinkle the shrimp with the pepper and set aside.
Step 3
In a 2-quart clay pot or large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium. Add the shallots and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the lemongrass, garlic, ginger and chile paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Pour in the caramel sauce and stir until combined and warmed, about 2 minutes.
Step 4
Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently, just until the shrimp are pink and plump, cooked through and coated with a glossy caramel sauce, about 3 minutes.
Step 5
Serve with steamed white rice.

Tips

If using palm sugar, grate it coarsely, then add it to a heavy medium saucepan and gently melt it over medium-low, stirring frequently, about 7 minutes. (Do not be tempted to rush the process or you may scorch the sugar.) When the sugar is lump free, completely melted and just beginning to boil, remove the pan from the heat and very slowly pour in the fish sauce while stirring constantly. Be careful, as it will bubble furiously. Use the sauce right away, or let cool completely, transfer to an airtight container and store in a cool cupboard for up to 3 months.
To mince fresh lemongrass, first slice off the very bottom of the stalk, peel any discolored outer layers and mince the bottom couple of inches of the remaining stalk, where the flavor is concentrated.