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Grilled Thai Coconut-Lime Shrimp Skewers

Grilled Thai Coconut-Lime Shrimp Skewers reads citrus 5.9, sourness 5.8 and funk & ferment 5.3 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Thai main, about 1 hr 11 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 6.7 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.4 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 7.7 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 0.6 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 4.2 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.0 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Citrus 5.9 · Sourness 5.8 · Funk & Ferment 5.3 · Umami 4.9 · Salinity 4.5 · Marine & Briny 3.6 · Richness 3.5 · Allium 3.4 · Sweetness 3.0 · Herbaceous 2.7 · Nutty 2.2 · Warm Spice 1.9 · Heat 1.7 · Floral 1.5 · Fruity 1.3 · Bitterness 0.5

What's in it (14)

• shrimp — 680 g
• coconut milk — 109 g
• lime juice — 44 g
• fish sauce — 30 g
• brown sugar — 25 g
• garlic — 9 g
• ginger — 15 g
• fresh red chile pepper — 100 g
• oil — 27 g
• salt — 3 g
• cilantro leaves — 15 g
• green onions — 220 g
• lime — 65 g
• bamboo or metal skewers — 800 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 11 min (46 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 56.3 kcal, 5.5 g protein, 2.7 g fat, 3.1 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, lime juice, lime zest, fish sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, half the sliced chile, the oil, and the salt until the sugar dissolves.
2. Set aside 1/4 cup of the marinade in a small covered container and refrigerate for serving later.
3. Add the shrimp to the remaining marinade, toss to coat completely, cover, and refrigerate 20-25 minutes - shrimp is delicate and the lime juice will start to firm the flesh past that window, so don't let it go longer.
4. While the shrimp marinates, if using bamboo skewers, submerge them in water to soak.
5. Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat until it's hot enough that a drop of water sizzles and evaporates immediately, about 10 minutes; brush the grates lightly with oil.
6. Lift the shrimp from the marinade, letting the excess drip off, and discard the used marinade. Thread the shrimp onto the skewers, piercing each one through both the tail and thicker end so it lies flat and won't spin, 4-5 shrimp per skewer.
7. Grill the skewers, turning once, until the shrimp are opaque throughout and lightly charred at the edges with visible grill marks, 2-3 minutes per side (internal temperature 145 F).
8. Transfer the skewers to a platter and immediately drizzle with the reserved marinade while the shrimp are still hot, so it clings and glazes rather than pooling.
9. Scatter the cilantro, green onions, and remaining sliced chile over the top and serve right away with lime wedges.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Sambal Matah (Balinese Raw Shallot and Lemongrass Sambal) — Indonesian
• Dale Taldes Slippery Lemongrass Pork Noodles — Thai
• Vietnamese Grilled Lemongrass Chicken Vermicelli Bowls (Bun Ga Nuong) — Vietnamese
• Goi Ga (Chicken Salad) — Vietnamese
• Green Curry With Shrimp And Fish (Kaeng Khiao) — Thai

Keep reading: what citrus, sourness, funk & ferment mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.