Crispy Garlic Shrimp with Chili Oil Rice
Ingredients
- 1 poundlarge shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 1½ cupsjasmine rice
- 3 cupswater
- 8garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoonred chili flakes
- ¼ cupolive oil
- ·salt
- ·black pepper
- 1fresh lime
- 4scallions
- 2 tablespoonssoy sauce
Prep
- 01
Mince 8 garlic cloves.
- 02
Chop 4 scallions into thin rounds, separating white and light green parts from dark green parts.
- 03
Peel and deveined 1 pound large shrimp (or use pre-peeled deveined shrimp).
Method
- 01
Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a medium pot. Add jasmine rice and a pinch of salt, stir once, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes.
- 02
While rice cooks, heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 8 minced garlic cloves and 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2–3 minutes until fragrant and garlic is light golden (do not burn). Remove from heat and set the chili oil aside.
- 03
Pat shrimp dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.
- 04
Heat 1 tablespoon of the chili oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Working in two batches to avoid crowding, cook shrimp 2 minutes per side until pink and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- 05
Fluff the cooked rice with a fork. Stir in 2 tablespoons soy sauce and half of the remaining chili oil (reserve the rest for drizzling).
- 06
Divide rice between bowls. Top with shrimp and drizzle with remaining chili oil. Squeeze fresh lime over everything and scatter chopped scallions on top. Serve immediately.
Spice Tips
For smoky depth, add 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika to the chili oil. For serious heat, increase red chili flakes to 3/4 teaspoon or add a pinch of cayenne. A dash of sesame oil stirred into the finished rice adds richness and a subtle nutty bite.
The chili oil is the star—don't skip infusing it properly. Shrimp cooks fast, so watch closely to avoid overdoing it. Leftover chili oil keeps in the fridge for a week and is excellent on eggs, avocado toast, or roasted vegetables.