Tom Nuong Muoi Ot Do / Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Red Pepper Sauce
I recently took a trip down to Orange County to promote my Dear Mam Fish Sauce, and every time I go, I am reminded that Westminster/Little Saigon has some of the best Vietnamese food in the entire world. Everywhere you turn, there are so many different Vietnamese restaurants on every block. The competition is fierce,
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 10 min
- Yield
- 3 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 lbs Head-on Shrimp
- Skewers
- 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
- 1 tbsp Fish Sauce
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1/4 tsp White Pepper
- 1 tbsp Annatto Seed Oil
- 1 Red Bell Pepper
- 6 Thai Chili
- 5 Lime Leaves
- 12 Kumquats, Juice
- 1 Lime, Juice
- 3 tbsp Condensed Milk
- 1/2 tbsp MSG
- 1 tsp Salt
Instructions
- 1
Process Shrimp:
- 2
Soak bamboo skewers in room-temperature tap water and set aside
- 3
Rinse the shrimp and drain them, then devein the shrimp using a toothpick or skewer. Poke the shrimp on the curved side between the fourth and fifth abdominal segments and lift the vein out
- 4
Then, using a pair of scissors, cut off the rostrum, the sharp part of the head. Optionally peel the shrimp shells while leaving the head and tail intact
- 5
Marinade:
- 6
In a mixing bowl, add the cleaned shrimp. Add minced garlic, fish sauce, sugar, white pepper, and annatto seed oil. Mix well so the shrimp are evenly coated. Refrigerate and let it marinate for 15 minutes
- 7
Then skewer each shrimp by poking the shrimp underneath the telson (sharp part of the tail), and guide the skewer through the body of the shrimp and into the head. Set the shrimp aside for now to make the sauce
- 8
Muoi Ot Do / Red Pepper Sauce:
- 9
Remove the seeds and pith from the red bell pepper and cut the pepper into bite-sized pieces
- 10
Juice fresh kumquats and reserve any pulp
- 11
In a food processor or high-speed blender, combine the following ingredients: red bell pepper, Thai chilies, kumquat juice, the juice of a lime, and lime leaves. Add condensed milk and season with MSG and salt
- 12
Pulse a few times, then blend until smooth. Transfer the sauce to an airtight container and chill in the fridge for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to come together
- 13
Grill the Shrimp Skewers:
- 14
Preheat your grill to 400F, then grill the shrimp for 2-3 minutes total, flipping halfway through
- 15
Look for nice grill marks and ensure the shrimp are cooked through
- 16
Plate the grilled shrimp skewers with the muoi ot do and enjoy!