Try This Coconut Shrimp with the Best Sticky Coconut Rice!
By the time you read this article, Valentine’s Day will have come and gone and I hope that you and yours had a wonderful time celebrating or NOT celebrating! :) I wanted to share the meal I made because I love this recipe SO much, it would be rude if I didn’t!
My husband’s favorite meal out at a restaurant that is something so unique with flavors he doesn’t really get at home is the black pepper Jamaican jerk shrimp dish that has fried plantains, rice, black beans, and marinated pineapple from The Cheesecake Factory.
I have never tried making fried plantains before and I do feel like that is part of the dish that I don’t mind skipping. However, I didn’t want to skip the sweet sticky rice, of course, and I ended up using a copycat recipe for the black beans from Cafe Rio. Even though that is a Mexican restaurant, those black beans are fantastic with this meal.
And I am also going to post the recipe at the bottom for the highest rated (5 stars) sweet sticky coconut rice that I could find which comes from the NY Times cooking blog. I learned from reading this recipe that the reason the rice turns out quite transparent and see-through is because the rice is steamed, not boiled. You place the rice in a fine-mesh sleeve or colander and rinse extremely well, place over a pot of boiling water and steam until it’s ready.
The main tip I read to make sure this turns out perfectly is to make sure you put the rice in the strainer above water that is pretty close to the bottom of the strainer. If you have the water 3-4 inches from the bottom of the strainer, that is too far and will take 2x as long to get the rice cooked. You want to get the steam as close as possible without it actually touching.
What is your favorite take-out meal that you would hardly consider making at home because of its ingredients or complexity? What is your go-to choice at Cheesecake Factory? {On their 137 page menu! ;)} Mine is the pasta carbonara or the hibachi steak--just depending on my mood. I would highly recommend you try that hibachi steak if you never have--it’s legendary!
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp mccormick's perfect pinch caribbean spice blend
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined (you can use thawed frozen shrimp too)
2 teaspoons ground or fresh cracked pepper, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (reduce to 1/2 tsp if you are sensitive to heat)
1/2 cup 100% maple syrup or honey*
1/2 cup coconut flour
coconut or olive oil
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
large ziploc bag
cilantro
optional sides
ripe plantain
mango or mango salsa
jicama "rice"
Directions:
Add Recipe to Cook'n
1 cup glutinous (sweet) rice, preferably long-grain
1 1/4 cups coconut milk, fresh or canned (see note)
1/2 cup granulated cane sugar, raw sugar or light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup coconut cream, fresh or canned (see note)
1 or 2 ripe mangoes, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch slices
Directions:
Add Recipe to Cook'n
My husband’s favorite meal out at a restaurant that is something so unique with flavors he doesn’t really get at home is the black pepper Jamaican jerk shrimp dish that has fried plantains, rice, black beans, and marinated pineapple from The Cheesecake Factory.
I have never tried making fried plantains before and I do feel like that is part of the dish that I don’t mind skipping. However, I didn’t want to skip the sweet sticky rice, of course, and I ended up using a copycat recipe for the black beans from Cafe Rio. Even though that is a Mexican restaurant, those black beans are fantastic with this meal.
And I am also going to post the recipe at the bottom for the highest rated (5 stars) sweet sticky coconut rice that I could find which comes from the NY Times cooking blog. I learned from reading this recipe that the reason the rice turns out quite transparent and see-through is because the rice is steamed, not boiled. You place the rice in a fine-mesh sleeve or colander and rinse extremely well, place over a pot of boiling water and steam until it’s ready.
The main tip I read to make sure this turns out perfectly is to make sure you put the rice in the strainer above water that is pretty close to the bottom of the strainer. If you have the water 3-4 inches from the bottom of the strainer, that is too far and will take 2x as long to get the rice cooked. You want to get the steam as close as possible without it actually touching.
What is your favorite take-out meal that you would hardly consider making at home because of its ingredients or complexity? What is your go-to choice at Cheesecake Factory? {On their 137 page menu! ;)} Mine is the pasta carbonara or the hibachi steak--just depending on my mood. I would highly recommend you try that hibachi steak if you never have--it’s legendary!
Paleo Jamaican Black Pepper Shrimp
Serving size: 4
Calories per serving: 216
Ingredients:
Calories per serving: 216
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp mccormick's perfect pinch caribbean spice blend
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined (you can use thawed frozen shrimp too)
2 teaspoons ground or fresh cracked pepper, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (reduce to 1/2 tsp if you are sensitive to heat)
1/2 cup 100% maple syrup or honey*
1/2 cup coconut flour
coconut or olive oil
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
large ziploc bag
cilantro
optional sides
ripe plantain
mango or mango salsa
jicama "rice"
Directions:
1.First, make the sauce. In a medium sized saucepan, place to medium-high heat. Pour in chicken broth, maple syrup or honey, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tbsp Caribbean spice, and garlic.
2. Allow to come to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer between 8-10 min or until the sauce has reduced, to a syrupy consistency. It should taste sweet, with garlic flavor, and kick from the Caribbean spice and cayenne pepper. Add more spices to your taste if desired. Turn off the burner and set pan to the side.
3. In a Ziploc bag, add in coconut flour, remaining Caribbean spice, and pepper. Add in your shrimp in quarter portions. Close bag and shake until shrimp is lightly coated. Repeat for all shrimp and place aside on a plate.
4. In a separate pan, place to medium-high heat, with about 2 tbsp coconut oil. Allow to melt and spread in pan evenly. Test the pan by sprinkling some water on the surface. If it sizzles, the pan is ready.
5. Throw in some shrimp, but do not overcrowd the pan. Allow one side to brown and then toss or turn the shrimp to the other side. Total cooking time is about 6-8 minutes, or until shrimp has a nice golden brown/amber crust. Repeat with remaining shrimp.
6. Remove from pan and plate. Drizzle some sauce onto the shrimp. Garnish with Cilantro
7. Serve with jicama "rice" (jicama root pulsed in a food processor until it resembles the size of rice grains), sliced mango, and plantains.
2. Allow to come to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer between 8-10 min or until the sauce has reduced, to a syrupy consistency. It should taste sweet, with garlic flavor, and kick from the Caribbean spice and cayenne pepper. Add more spices to your taste if desired. Turn off the burner and set pan to the side.
3. In a Ziploc bag, add in coconut flour, remaining Caribbean spice, and pepper. Add in your shrimp in quarter portions. Close bag and shake until shrimp is lightly coated. Repeat for all shrimp and place aside on a plate.
4. In a separate pan, place to medium-high heat, with about 2 tbsp coconut oil. Allow to melt and spread in pan evenly. Test the pan by sprinkling some water on the surface. If it sizzles, the pan is ready.
5. Throw in some shrimp, but do not overcrowd the pan. Allow one side to brown and then toss or turn the shrimp to the other side. Total cooking time is about 6-8 minutes, or until shrimp has a nice golden brown/amber crust. Repeat with remaining shrimp.
6. Remove from pan and plate. Drizzle some sauce onto the shrimp. Garnish with Cilantro
7. Serve with jicama "rice" (jicama root pulsed in a food processor until it resembles the size of rice grains), sliced mango, and plantains.
Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.
Sticky Rice With Mango
Also known as “sweet rice” or glutinous rice (despite being gluten free), sticky rice is a large white grain that, when steamed, becomes translucent, shiny and, well, sticky In French, it’s called riz gluant or gluey, not much more attractive There should be a better word for it, because it really is undoubtedly one of the best things to eat under the sun. Author: David Tanis Recipe Type: dessert Total Time: PT40M
Serving size: 4
Calories per serving: 463
Ingredients:
Calories per serving: 463
1 cup glutinous (sweet) rice, preferably long-grain
1 1/4 cups coconut milk, fresh or canned (see note)
1/2 cup granulated cane sugar, raw sugar or light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup coconut cream, fresh or canned (see note)
1 or 2 ripe mangoes, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch slices
Directions:
Put rice in a bowl and rinse several times in cold water until water is clear, not milky, then drain. Cover rice with cold water and let soak for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
Drain rice using a fine-meshed sieve or colander (line with cheesecloth if colander holes are too large). Place rice over a pot of rapidly simmering water (don’t allow water to touch sieve) and steam, covered, for 15 minutes.
Remove lid and flip rice over. Continue steaming, covered, for 10 minutes, until rice is translucent and glossy. Taste to make sure rice is completely cooked; it may take up to 10 minutes more. Turn off heat. Fluff rice with a wooden spoon, then cover and let rest for 5 minutes.
While rice cooks, put coconut milk, sugar and salt in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, just until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
Put warm rice in a serving bowl. Pour coconut milk mixture over rice and stir well. Leave for 10 minutes to let absorb, then stir in coconut cream. Serve warm or at room temperature with mango slices.
Source: cooking.nytimes.com
Drain rice using a fine-meshed sieve or colander (line with cheesecloth if colander holes are too large). Place rice over a pot of rapidly simmering water (don’t allow water to touch sieve) and steam, covered, for 15 minutes.
Remove lid and flip rice over. Continue steaming, covered, for 10 minutes, until rice is translucent and glossy. Taste to make sure rice is completely cooked; it may take up to 10 minutes more. Turn off heat. Fluff rice with a wooden spoon, then cover and let rest for 5 minutes.
While rice cooks, put coconut milk, sugar and salt in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, just until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
Put warm rice in a serving bowl. Pour coconut milk mixture over rice and stir well. Leave for 10 minutes to let absorb, then stir in coconut cream. Serve warm or at room temperature with mango slices.
Source: cooking.nytimes.com
Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.
Mary Richardson
Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2014
Email the author! mary@dvo.com
