Active Time

　　45 min

　　Total Time

　　45 min

　　Thai cooking frequently makes use of cilantro roots; their flavor is more pronounced than that of the leaves.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 4 as a main course

　　1 1/2 lb jumbo (8 to 12 per lb) shrimp

　　3 teaspoons sea salt dissolved in 11/2 cups water

　　

For tamarind sauce

1 tablespoon tamarind from a pliable block

　　1/3 cup water

　　1 tablespoon peanut oil

　　1 tablespoon chopped cleaned fresh cilantro roots and/or stems, pounded to a paste

　　1 tablespoon minced garlic

　　1 tablespoon Sriracha or other Asian hot chile sauce

　　1 1/2 tablespoons palm sugar, or to taste

　　1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce (preferably Thai naam pla), or to taste

　　Garnish: 2 fresh serrano or jalapeño chiles, seeded, halved lengthwise, and finely julienned crosswise; and fresh cilantro sprigs

　　

Step 1

Prepare grill for cooking.

　　

Step 2

Soak shrimp (still in shells) in salt water 5 minutes, then rinse well in a colander.

　　

Make sauce:

Step 3

Place tamarind in a bowl with water and rub with your fingers to dissolve pulp. Pour through a sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on solids, and discard solids.

　　

Step 4

Heat oil in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook cilantro paste and garlic, stirring, until fragrant. Stir in hot sauce, 3 tablespoons tamarind juice, palm sugar, and fish sauce. Simmer until thickened to consistency of light syrup, about 3 minutes.

　　

Grill shrimp:

Step 5

Snip shells of shrimp with scissors down center of back, from wide end to second-to-last tail section. Butterfly shrimp in their shells, making a deep incision along length of back where shells are cut, and devein.

　　

Step 6

Grill shrimp on their sides on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals until shells are pink and slightly charred and shrimp are just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. (Alternatively, grill shrimp in a hot well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderate heat.)

　　

Step 7

Spoon tamarind sauce over shrimp (still in shells) in a serving dish.

　　Cooks' note:

　　Tamarind sauce can be made 2 hours ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature.