Thai Shrimp Scampi

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons red curry paste

1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons chili-garlic sauce

1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves

2 tablespoons grated lime zest

3 tablespoons juice from 3 limes

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add garlic and red curry paste and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in coconut milk, broth, and chili-garlic sauce and cook until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add shrimp, and simmer, covered, until shrimp are just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Off heat, stir in cilantro, lime zest, and lime juice.

2. Toss sauce with cooked pasta and reserved pasta cooking water, if necessary (see “Cooking Pasta 101”). Serve.


Notes:

Red curry paste and chili-garlic sauce are available in the international section of most supermarkets.

While you can use light coconut milk, we prefer the creamy richness of full-fat coconut milk in this recipe.

Thin strand pastas, such as vermicelli and capellini, match well with this sauce.

Always use 4 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon of salt for every pound of pasta.

To prevent overcooking, don’t rely on the cooking instructions on the pasta box; you may need to shave several minutes off the recommended cooking time for perfectly al dente pasta.

Use a liquid measuring cup to retrieve ½ cup of pasta water from the pot just before draining. If your sauced pasta is too dry, this water can be added to achieve the desired consistency.