Quick tropical shrimp

Flavourful dish reminiscent of island getaways!

When I started thinking about dinner yesterday, it was late, we were hungry and worst of all, it was -25 Celsius (-35 C with a horrid windchill factored in). Weather like this gets me thinking not only about hot, nourishing comfort food, but also about escaping winter’s icy grip. I am not ashamed to admit that while I am a very proud Canadian who embraces this frosty season, I am not above fantasizing about languishing on a tropical isle. It was those kind of daydreamy thoughts that got me rummaging through my fridge and freezer last night to gather ingredients for a suitably warming, quick to prepare dish. You could easily use whatever vegetables you have on hand and adjust the flavour of the sauce to suit your preferences. I highly recommend the coconut chips as a garnish; regular toasted coconut flakes would also be delicious and suitably tropical!

Ingredients

• 2 – 3 tablespoons (30 – 45 mL) olive oil
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) finely minced ginger
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 green pepper, slivered
• 1 rib celery, thinly sliced
• 1 pound (454 grams) raw large shrimp, peeled
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) cider or rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) soya sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) hot sauce (or to taste)
• 3 tablespoons (45 mL) cold water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (22 mL) cornstarch
• 1 cup (250 mL) fresh pineapple, cut in 3/4 inch (2 cm) pieces
• 2 tablespoons (60 mL) maple syrup (or more to taste)
• 1 – 2 tablespoons (30 – 60 mL) freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 – 3 tablespoons (60 – 90 mL) coconut chips or toasted shredded coconut

Method

• Heat 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and onions; sauté for two minutes.
• Add garlic, sauté, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the remaining oil if the garlic is sticking to the pan.
• Add peppers and celery; cook for 1 minute.
• Add shrimp and cook, stirring often, until shrimp is beginning to turn pink (about 3 minutes).
• Add cider vinegar, soya and hot sauce; stir.
• Combine cold water and cornstarch in a small dish. Add to skillet and stir gently but thoroughly.
• Let the mixture begin to bubble then add pineapple and gently combine.
• Add 2 tablespoons (60 mL) maple syrup and 1 tablespoon (15 mL) lime juice; stir to combine and then taste sauce. Add more lime juice, hot sauce and/or maple syrup to suit your preference.
• Bring mixture just to the boiling point then turn off heat and serve immediately over hot cooked rice, quinoa or couscous.
• Garnish with coconut chips or flakes.

Serves 2.