GRILLED SHRIMP ON LEMONGRASS SKEWERS WITH THAI STYLE DIPPING SAUCE

Grilled Shrimp on Lemongrass Skewers

Many years ago when I first started making this dish it was difficult in my town to get lemongrass.  But throughout the years as the supermarkets and more Asian markets expanded, lemongrass became another easy ingredient to get.  I like to make the shrimp skewers served alongside Asian Pesto With Rice Noodles.  Asian Pesto With Rice Noodles

 

3 stalks of lemongrass

12 shrimps (U15-20)
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 Serrano chili pepper, finely minced
1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons of canola oil
Ground black pepper
Pink salt
Juice of 1 lime, about 1Tablespoon
2 teaspoons of fish sauce
Pinch of granulated sugar

Trim lemongrass of its outer sheath.  Bruise the stalks all over with a mallet or back of a knife.  Cut off about 3 inches of the bottoms and finely mince the tender inner core. Continue to peel lemongrass until the inner stalk resembles a "skewer".  Reserve all lemongrass trimmings.

Place 4 shrimps on each of the 3 intact stalks, leaving some space between each shrimp.

 

 

Combine the minced lemongrass, garlic, ginger, one-half of the minced chili, and 1 Tablespoon of the oil and roll the shrimps in the mixture.  Drizzle with more oil, salt and pepper.  Refrigerate the shrimps for several hours.

 

 

Chop all the lemongrass trimmings and measure them.  Combine with an equal amount of water in a small saucepan.  Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.  Cook until mixture is reduced to about 2 Tablespoons.  Strain the liquid then return it to the saucepan and reduce until it is about one Tablespoon. Combine the lemongrass reduction with the remaining minced chili, the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and 2 teaspoons of the oil.  Set aside.

Remove the skewers from the fridge and let sit for about 20 minutes, and then brush off the marinade. 

Grilled Shrimp

Grill the shrimp skewers for about 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until shrimp are just pink and slightly firm.  Serve shrimps with the dipping sauce.