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spicy guatemalan shrimp

Northwestgal avatar
Recipe by
Vickie Parks
@Northwestgal
Renton, WA

In Guatemala, this dish is called Pepián Rojo con Camarones. It's a spicy stew-like main dish featuring fresh shrimp that's simmered in a tomato-based broth with vegetables and chile peppers for extra flavor and heat.

yield 6 serving(s)
prep time 20 Min
cook time 30 Min
method Stove Top

Ingredients For spicy guatemalan shrimp

  • 1 md
    onion, quartered
  • 3 clove
    garlic, minced
  • 2
    dried pasilla chiles
  • 1
    dried ancho chile pepper (or 1 diced poblano pepper)
  • 1/2 cup
    sesame seeds
  • 4 md
    tomatoes, quartered
  • 1
    jalapeno pepper, seeded
  • 5 sprig
    fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 tsp
    sea salt
  • 1 to 2 Tbsp
    water
  • 2 lg
    carrots, diced
  • 1 lg
    zucchini, diced
  • 1 lg
    chayote, diced
  • 1 cup
    corn
  • 4 cups
    low-sodium chicken broth or stock
  • 1 lb
    medium-size shrimp or prawns, peeled and deveined
  • 1 tsp
    salt, or to taste
  • 1/4 cup
    fresh cilantro, chopped
  • OPTIONS, FOR SERVING
  • 3 cups
    cooked rice, for serving
  • 6
    warmed tortillas, for serving (optional)
  • 1 lg
    lime, sliced into 6 wedges (for garnish)

How To Make spicy guatemalan shrimp

  • 1
    In a medium skillet, sauté the onions, garlic, pasilla and ancho chiles about 2 to 3 minutes per side or starting to brown and the onion is lightly charred. Remove; set aside.
  • 2
    Add sesame seeds to the skillet, cover skillet, and toast about 2 minutes or just starting to brown lightly.
  • 3
    Place browned chile mixture, toasted sesame seeds, tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, whole cilantro sprigs, and sea salt in a blender, and puree with just enough water to produce a smooth, thick paste. Set the paste aside.
  • 4
    To a stockpot or Dutch oven, add the carrots, zucchini, chayote, corn and enough broth to just cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, stir in the blended chile paste, and let simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
  • 5
    Add shrimp, cilantro and salt, and stir to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes more. Shrimp should be pink and vegetables should be tender but still have a slight crunch to them.
  • 6
    Serve immediately with rice. And, if desired, add a warmed tortilla to each each serving (most families would use corn tortillas but flour tortillas can be used instead). Garnish servings with a lime wedge and chopped cilantro sprinkled on top, and serve immediately.
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