Thai Chili-Lime Shrimp Roll-ups Thai Food

This fun appetizer offers a wonderful mixture of tastes and textures on the palate: hot and cold, sweet and sour, spicy and cool, crunchy and melt-in-your mouth good! It's a cinch to make too, and yet it looks so elegant. Great for a party or to welcome guests to your home. This dish can also take the place of shrimp cocktail or even a salad, since you're getting a mouthful of greens with every roll. Pairs beautifully with a crisp white wine or lager, but equally wonderful with your favorite red or cocktail. Makes a great holiday party food or for delicious celebrations of any kind. Enjoy!

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 23 minutes

Yield: MAKES 25 shrimp rolls

Ingredients:

• 20 to 25 raw medium-large shrimp (fresh or frozen)
• 3 cucumbers
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 cup fresh basil
• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• MARINADE:
• 1+1/2 Tbsp. oyster sauce
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. lime juice
• 1 tsp. grated lime zest
• 1 fresh red chili minced, OR 1/8 to 1/4 tsp. chili flakes or cayenne pepper

Preparation:

1. Use a wide vegetable peeler or potato peeler to make long, fat strips of cucumber (the first one will be a throw-away, as you will only get the peel). As each ribbon-like peel comes off the cucumber, roll it up, leaving just enough room in the center to fit a shrimp (and keep in mind shrimp shrink as they cook). Turn roll side-down onto a plate with the loose end tucked under so it won't come undone. You will be able to get about 3 nice rolls off one side of the cucumber, then turn and start on another side (the center core is too watery to hold together). You will want some peel on at least one side of the roll. Make one for each shrimp you're cooking and place in refrigerator to set.
2. Prepare shrimp by removing shells and rinsing briefly under cold water. Set aside to drain, then stir together the marinade, adjusting the amount of chili according to your liking (if using a fresh chili, you may want to remove the seeds for milder results). Set drained shrimp in a bowl and pour marinade mixture over, gently turning shrimp a few times to saturate.
3. Warm a frying pan or wok of medium-high heat, then add oil and swirl around. Add garlic and stir-fry 1 minute, then add the shrimp (including marinade) and stir-fry until pink and plump (3 minutes or so). Remove from heat.
4. Bring out the cucumber rolls from the refrigerator. Set rolls upright on a serving plate and tuck a shrimp into the center of each one, letting tail hook over the side. Add a sprig of fresh basil, slicing the basil into strips if leaves are too large. Serve and enjoy!