Shrimp in Tamarind and Chile Sauce

About this recipe

Camarones en salsa de tamarindo are a sweet-and-sour spicy dish from the Mexican Pacific coast, where fresh shrimp are cooked in a sauce made with tamarind pulp, árbol chile, garlic and piloncillo that creates a perfect balance between the fruity acidity of tamarind, the sweetness of piloncillo and the heat of chile, resulting in a sauce that coats the shrimp like a shiny, flavourful glaze.

1. 1

   Dissolve the tamarind paste in the hot water, mix well and strain to remove seeds and fibres. Set aside the tamarind sauce.

2. 2

   In a dry skillet, toast the árbol chiles over low heat for 2 minutes. Grind with the garlic in a mortar or blender with a little of the tamarind water.

3. 3

   Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chile and garlic mixture, cook for 2 minutes. Add the tamarind sauce and piloncillo. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes until it thickens like a glaze.

   💡 The sauce should reduce until it coats the back of a spoon.

4. 4

   Season the sauce with salt. Taste the sweet-sour balance - add more piloncillo if it needs sweetness or more lemon juice if it needs acidity.

5. 5

   In a separate skillet with 1 tbsp of oil over high heat, sauté the shrimp for 2 minutes per side until pink. Add the tamarind sauce and mix to glaze evenly.

   💡 Do not overcook the shrimp - glazing is the last step.

6. 6

   Serve immediately garnished with chives or cilantro and lemon wedges. Accompany with white rice.