Thai Stir-Fried Shrimp with Garlic and Black Pepper

Ingrédients

1½ pounds extra-large (21/25 per pound) shrimp, peeled, deveined and patted dry

6 teaspoons fish sauce, divided

6 medium garlic cloves, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro stems, plus 3 tablespoons chopped leaves, reserved separately

Kosher salt

2 teaspoons coarsely ground black OR white pepper

1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar

3 tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil, divided

1 medium yellow onion, halved and sliced about ½ inch thick

2 tablespoons lime juice

Instructions

In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp with 1 teaspoon fish sauce. Put the garlic and cilantro stems in a mound on a cutting board. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt, then mince them together until broken down to a paste. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the pepper. (Alternatively, use a mortar and pestle to pound the garlic, cilantro stems, salt and pepper into a paste.) In another small bowl, stir together the remaining 5 teaspoons fish sauce and sugar until the sugar dissolves; set aside.

In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat 1 tablespoon oil until barely smoking. Add half of the shrimp in a single layer and cook without stirring until deep golden brown on the bottoms, about 1 minute. Flip and cook until just opaque on both sides but not yet fully cooked, about another 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate. Cook the remaining shrimp in the same way using 1½ teaspoons of the remaining oil, then transfer to the plate.

In the same skillet over medium-high, heat the remaining 1½ tablespoons oil until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the fish sauce mixture followed by the shrimp and any accumulated juices. Cook, stirring often, until the shrimp are opaque throughout, about 1 minute.

Off heat, stir in the cilantro leaves and lime juice. Taste and season with salt.

Notes

In the Thai kitchen, raak phak chee kratiem prik is an aromatic mix of garlic, pepper and cilantro roots often used to season meat and seafood. We use the ingredients, minced to a paste (or pounded in a mortar with a pestle), to add bold flavor to plump stir-fried shrimp. In the U.S., bunches of cilantro usually are trimmed of the roots, so we swap in the stems. White pepper is particularly nice, but either black or white peppercorns work well. Lime juice and cilantro leaves brighten the finished dish.