Ginger-Garlic Shrimp With Coconut Milk

Updated May 19, 2022

Ginger-Garlic Shrimp With Coconut Milk
Chris Simpson for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Frances Boswell.
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
5(8,644)
Comments
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Fresh ingredients and bold condiments do the heavy lifting here, creating a fragrant 20-minute meal that will lure people into the kitchen, wondering what smells so good. Inspired by elements of Indian and Thai curries, the shrimp are coated in ginger, garlic and turmeric, then seared and braised in a combination of coconut milk and soy sauce. Spinach is stirred in for a bit of green, but you can substitute your favorite quick-cooking greens like bok choy or kale and adjust cooking time as needed. Swap the shrimp for scallops or white fish, if you like. Serve with rice, rice vermicelli noodles or naan to soak up the flavorful liquid.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 2large garlic cloves, minced or grated
  • 1teaspoon minced or grated ginger
  • 1teaspoon ground turmeric
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1tablespoon olive oil
  • 1pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on or off
  • 2tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1(14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
  • 1tablespoon soy sauce
  • 3packed cups baby spinach
  • 1lime, halved
  • 1fresno, jalapeño or serrano chile, thinly sliced
  • 2scallions, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
  • ½packed cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
  • Steamed rice, vermicelli noodles or naan, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

469 calories; 32 grams fat; 20 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 22 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 27 grams protein; 736 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a mixing bowl, mix together the garlic, ginger, turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper and the olive oil. Add the shrimp and mix to coat well.

  2. Step 2

    Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add the shrimp in an even layer and cook, undisturbed, for 2 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk and soy sauce, stir to combine and turn the shrimp. Raise the heat to high and adjust it to maintain a simmer (avoid bringing to a boil), and cook until the liquid is slightly thickened and shrimp are almost cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Stir in the spinach in batches until wilted.

  3. Step 3

    Remove from the heat and squeeze in the juice from a lime half. Adjust seasoning with more lime and salt as needed. Top with the chiles, scallions and cilantro, and serve with rice, noodles or naan.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
8,644 user ratings
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Comments

Suggestion: preheat the coconut milk to warm before adding it in Step 2. It prevents the shrimp from overcooking while you wait for it to come to temperature.

After the prep, the recipe comes together very quickly and is delicious. After reading earlier comments, I was generous with the spices. I also pulled the shrimp out of the sauce after three minutes so I could continue reducing the sauce without overcooking them. I put the shrimp back in the sauce to reheat them and served over rice as directed.

Add fish sauce (equal to soy sauce) Sear shrimp, remove, sauté scallion whites and chile, then add in coconut milk

This is seriously one of my favorite NYT recipes, if not recipes, period, of all time. Recently, I have been making a version with white fish for my mother because she's allergic to shrimp, and it still holds up. If you prefer to make it with fish, I would advise to use something brinier and tougher like a halibut. So flavorful and quick.

- double / triple the garlic - add salt to the shrimp (.5 teaspoon) - add pepper to the shrimp (.25 teaspoon) - add full ginger amount - make a scallion rice (similar to fried rice) - try a lime

My whole family really loved this recipe. It’s a great, simple curry sauce that would play well with lots of proteins and veggies. I like more veggies in my meals so I threw in some peas and added a handful of red cabbage to the bowl upon serving. Next time we’ll double the spinach. I’d also make the whole thing with tofu instead of shrimp. This will definitely stay in our rotation.

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