Spicy Honey Lime Shrimp with Cilantro Lime Rice

picy? ✔ Sweet? ✔ What else could you ask for?! This is a perfect weeknight dish for when you want something simple yet packed with flavour. I had a craving for shrimp, but wanted something spicy as well. This recipe came to mind when I remembered a trip to Turks and Caicos a few years back. This recipe hits all the taste buds. The spicy combined with the honey in the shrimp marinade makes for a multi dimensional bite. I LOOVVE cilantro, but if you do not then this recipe is not for you (did you know that your hate for cilantro may be from genetics?). Of course you can omit the cilantro and tailor the spices to your taste, but I think that the cilantro really pulls the dish together; it links the cilantro in the shrimp marinade to the cilantro in the rice.

Because we are students, and seafood is expensive, I always wait until there is a sale on shrimp before I buy it (I recommend downloading the free app flipp on your smartphone to scope out the best deals)! I also use lime juice from a concentrate because it lasts longer than buying fresh lime. If you do buy fresh lime, a great addtion to the recipe would be adding a zest of lime over the final product. YUM.

You may notice that in my recipe I call to leave the steams on the cilantro when mincing it. This is because the most flavour is actually in the steams! Who knew!? All those times those you have probably tossed the steams for any herb (basil, mint, etc.) in the trash you have actually been tossing away packets of flavour!

This recipe calls for basmati rice, but any rice on hand will do.

Since this recipe makes enough for leftovers (because who has time to make dinner each night as a student??) turn this into a shrimp burrito the next day. Don’t question it, just DO IT. Add some avocado, sour cream, and whatever else you desire then wrap it in a soft tortilla and gobble it up. Shrimp will last up to 3 days in the fridge, while rice lasts two.

Spicy Honey Lime Shrimp with Cilantro Lime Rice

Author: Lindsay Craven

Serves: 2

Time: Prep: 2 hours, 5 minutes Cook: 17 minutes

Cost: $$

INGREDIENTS

For the marinade:

• 3 tablespoons of olive oil

• 3 tablespoons of cilantro

• 1 teaspoon of dried cayenne pepper (or to taste)

• 2 tablespoons of honey

• 2.5 tablespoons of lime juice (fresh or from a concentrate)

• 400g of shrimp* (about 31-40 medium sized)

For the Rice:

• 1 teaspoon of minced garlic

• 1 tablespoon of butter

• 1 cup of rice (I used basmati)

• 2 cups of water

• 1 tablespoon of lime juice (fresh or from a concentrate)

• ¼ of a cup of minced cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Marinade: mince the cilantro, including the stems. Wisk all ingredients excluding the shrimp, in a bowl. Add the shrimp to a zip lock bag and pour the cilantro mixture over top of the shrimp. Marinate for two hours.

2. Rice: in a medium sized pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic, sauté for two minutes. Add the rice, lime juice, and water. Bring to a boil (about seven minutes). Once boiling, cover and turn down the temperature to low and simmer for 10 minutes, or until all of the water is absorbed. Stir in the cilantro.

3. Shrimp: when the rice is almost ready, cook the shrimp, along with the marinade in a hot skillet, 4-3 minutes. The shrimp is done when both sides are pink and no longer grey. Be careful not to over cook as the shrimp will turn rubbery.

4. Assemble: place rice in a bowl and top with the heated shrimp and marinade. Add salt & pepper to taste. Additional cayenne may also be added to increase the spice.

*If using frozen shrimp, defrost before and rinse with cold water before adding the marinade.

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