Sambal-Ketchup Shrimp with Basil

This one is currently on my weeknight dinner rotation. You get a little sweetness from the honey, some tanginess from the ketchup, just a bit of a kick from the sambal oelek, and finish it off with sweet basil for that herby freshness. Every once in a while I also love frying the basil to get crispy pieces instead of wilting it in to get extra texture but tossing it in is also delicious when I don’t feel like making a mess (plus frying scares me).

You’ll need:

• 1/4 yellow onion, sliced
• 1 lb shrimp (I used medium 26/30, shelled, tail-on)
• Shrimp brine: 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt
• Sauce (mix together): 1.5 tbsp sambal oelek, 1.5 tbsp unsweetened ketchup, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp honey, 1 tsp fish sauce
• 2 handfuls of sweet basil

To make:

• Brine shrimp in salt and baking soda, and let rest for 15 minutes and then rinse and drain
• Heat up oil in a pan and saute onions over medium heat until transluscent
• Add in the shrimp and cook until it’s mostly pink, then add in the sauce and toss until shrimp is cooked
• Add in basil and stir to wilt the basil. Or, optionally, fry the basil pieces in oil to get crispy basil and garnish on top!