Ingredients and Notes

Here are all the ingredients you'll need with important notes about them. For amounts, see the recipe card below.

Shallots

Garlic

Cilantro roots or cilantro stems. Cilantro roots are super aromatic and are commonly used in Thai cuisine in steps where heat is applied. We don't use leaves here because they'd turn black in the heat. However, since cilantro in the West typically don't come with roots, you can use stems instead.

Thai chilies, to taste. A little heat is nice to balance the sweetness of this dish, but feel free to make it as spicy as you can tolerate.

Large shrimp, ideally look for shrimp that are size 21/25 or bigger (means there are 21-25 shrimp in a pound), although 26/30 will work if needed. Small shrimp are not meaty enough to hold up to the sauce.

Chicken stock, unsalted. Or water is fine in a pinch

Palm sugar gives not only sweetness but also a beautiful caramelly flavour. You can sub light brown sugar if not available. Read more about palm sugar here.

Fish sauce. Good quality fish sauce is important here as it is a main seasoning. I use Squid Brand for everyday cooking, but you can read more about choosing good quality fish sauce here.

Tamarind paste. You can buy ready-to-use tamarind paste, but make sure it is a product of Thailand and should have a brown colour with a pourable consistency. It is often labelled as "tamarind concentrate." You can also easily make tamarind paste from pulp which will give you the best flavour.

Red and green chilies, these are added mostly for colour. You can use any kind of peppers, mild or spicy, depending on your preference. For mild, bell peppers are fine, otherwise jalapenos, serranos and fresnos are all great spicy options.

Cilantro leaves for garnish.

Fried shallots, optional but recommended. You can buy fried shallots from Asian stores of make fried shallots from scratch. If buying, I recommend re-toasting them to get them crispier either by stirring them in a skillet over medium heat for a few minutes until they darken slightly, or baking them at 300°F (150°C) for just 5 minutes.

Optional fried dried chilies for garnish. This is traditionally added for garnish but it is just for looks.

Jasmine rice for serving. See how to cook perfect jasmine rice.

How to Make Tamarind Shrimp

Here's a bird's eye view of the process. If it's your first time I recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success. And for the full recipe see the recipe card below.

Process shots for making tamarind shrimp steps 1-4

Pound garlic, shallots, cilantro roots and Thai chilies in a mortar and pestle into a rough paste. Alternatively, process into a rough paste in a small food processor.

In a wok or a sauté pan, sear the shrimp in hot oil over high heat until browned. Flip oand sear the other side. Turn off the heat, remove the shrimp from pan.

In the same wok pver medium low heat, add the herb paste and saute until aromatic and slightly browned.

Add chicken stock, palm sugar, tamarind paste, and fish sauce.

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