Nutty Shrimp

This dish has it all: quick, easy, and delicious. And unless you’re on a low-sodium diet or allergic to shrimp or peanuts, it’s also a very healthy meal. You won’t need to wash very many dishes, either. One pan to cook the shrimp, one to cook the rice, and one bowl for each of you to eat it from. The basic recipe makes enough for two generous portions, or two more modest servings with some left over for lunch. The photos are of a double batch, though, because my son and his fiancée were here for dinner that day.

You might look at the ingredients, see the cayenne, and assume this is a really spicy dish. You’d be wrong. It’s quite mild with the smaller amount of cayenne and has just a bit of zip with the quarter teaspoon.

You’ll find a printer-friendly version of the recipe at the bottom of this page.

Ingredients:

⅓ cup crunchy peanut butter

¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce

2 tsp sugar

2 tsp rice vinegar

2 tsp dark sesame oil

⅛ – ¼ tsp cayenne

large piece fresh ginger root

4 cloves garlic

2 Tbsp olive oil, divided

1 lb. shrimp, peeled & deveined

2 small onions, or one large

1 red bell pepper

2 cups spinach, washed & drained

2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro for garnish, optional

Preparation:

1.) Vertically slice the onion, and cut the pepper into quarter-inch strips. Set aside.

2.) Place the peanut butter, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, and cayenne in a large bowl. Peel and mince or grate the ginger. You’ll need about one-quarter cup. Add it to the bowl. Mince the garlic and it as well. Whisk to combine well, and set aside.

3.) Heat 2 tsp of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the shrimp and sauté for 3 minutes or until done. Remove shrimp from pan. Repeat with two more teaspoons of olive oil and the rest of the shrimp.

4.) Add the last of the olive oil, and the onion and bell pepper to the pan, sauté about 5 minutes or until starting to soften.

5.) Add the sauce mixture. Stir well, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add a little water as needed.

6.) Add the spinach to the pan. Cover and reduce heat to medium; cook 2 minutes or until spinach wilts. Return the shrimp to the pan; stir.

7.) Sprinkle with cilantro and serve over rice.

Nutty Shrimp

Servings: 2
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Ingredients

⅓ cup crunchy peanut butter
¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp rice vinegar
2 tsp dark sesame oil
⅛ – ¼ tsp cayenne
large piece fresh ginger root
4 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 lb. shrimp, peeled & deveined
2 small onions, or one large
1 red bell pepper
2 cups spinach, washed & drained
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro for garnish, optional

Directions

1.) Vertically slice the onion, and cut the pepper into quarter-inch strips. Set aside.
2.) Place the peanut butter, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, sesame oil, and cayenne in a large bowl. Peel and mince or grate the ginger. You’ll need about one-quarter cup. Add it to the bowl. Mince the garlic and it as well. Whisk to combine well, and set aside.
3.) Heat 2 tsp of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the shrimp and sauté for 3 minutes or until done. Remove shrimp from pan. Repeat with two more teaspoons of olive oil and the rest of the shrimp.
4.) Add the last of the olive oil, and the onion and bell pepper to the pan, sauté about 5 minutes or until starting to soften.
5.) Add the sauce mixture. Stir well, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add a little water as needed.
6.) Add the spinach to the pan. Cover and reduce heat to medium; cook 2 minutes or until spinach wilts. Return the shrimp to the pan; stir.
7.) Sprinkle with cilantro and serve over rice.