There’s something about cottage life that happens in slow motion when you open the fridge and discover you actually don’t have that traditional cocktail shrimp sauce everyone expects.
And because it’s the end of the season, there’s no way you’re getting to a store for one small jar of sauce when it involves a boat ride, a hike up the hill, a car drive and then the return trip – nothing short of 45 minutes.
Here’s a great trick . . . with these three basic ingredients, you will have the BEST tasting dipping sauce anywhere. This dipping sauce is easy to make, easy to adjust and not too thick or thin so it stays on your shrimps or vegetables without being too much of a good thing.
All you need is red pepper jelly for the heat . . .
Pomegranate molasses for the tart sweetness
Lime zest for some zing
Squeezed lime juice to thin the sauce, brighten the flavour and reduce the sweetness.
Add a pinch of sea salt (optional) to soften and add depth to the sweetness
Mix everything together, taste and adjust until you have the right amount of fire, sweetness, zing.
Cover and refrigerate, allowing the flavours to blend.
Next up are the shrimp!
And if you’re vegetarian, prepare and steam your vegetables.
In a large pot, cook the fresh shrimp in boiling water until the flesh has changed from translucent to white and the shrimp curls slightly.
Drain in a colander* and cool under gentle, running water before peeling.
Check and remove any attached veins.
* See note below if you plan on making shrimp stock – which I recommend!
Arrange cold shrimp on a platter and serve with this sensational, one of a kind, sweet and sour sauce that will take your taste buds on a refreshing ride.
Your shrimp will never taste the same again.
What I Loved Most About This Recipe
There is so much that’s great about this recipe.
My all-time 5 favourite reasons are:
~ it’s super easy to make in a hurry.
~ the recipe is flexible, and if you have young kids swap out the red chilli pepper jelly for orange marmalade or blueberry jam – delicious!
~ because the dipping sauce is thinner, the flavours don’t smother the shrimp and you don’t just taste sauce!
~ this dipping sauce is also amazing with vegetables, steamed or raw.
~ yes, it’s even wonderful gently poured over steamed fish.
And don’t tell anyone, but I even dipped apple and banana slices in there too!
Sweet-Spicy-Tangy Dipping Sauce
Equipment
- Small mixing bowl
- Zester or grater
- Measuring spoons
- Chopping board
- Spoon or fork for mixing
- Serving bowl
- Medium-sized pot
- Colander
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Red pepper jelly
- 2 tbsp Pomegranate molasses
- 1/2 Lime or more according to taste
- pinch Sea salt optional
Garnish
- Lime zest optional
- Chilli flakes optional
For Dipping
- 30 Shrimp allow 4-6 per person, depending on size
- Vegetables steamed or raw
Instructions
- Add red pepper jelly and pomegranate molasses to a small mixing bowl.
- Zest half of a washed and dried lime and add to the mixing bowl. Blend until well mixed with either a spoon or fork.
- Add the juice of half a lime and salt. Stir well and taste. Adjust flavours by adding extra lime zest, pomegranate molasses or red pepper jelly.
- Cover and leave in the fridge until ready to serve.
Cooked Shrimp
- Add raw shrimp to a pot of boiling water.
- Cook on MEDIUM-HIGH for 5 minutes, or until the flesh is no longer translucent and the shrimp have curled.
- Drain using a colander and reserve liquid for a stock. Cool the shrimp under cold gentle running water before peeling. Reserve shells for stock.
- Cover shrimp and refrigerate until ready to serve.
To Serve
- Garnish the bowl of sweet-spicy-tangy dipping sauce with extra lime zest or chilli flakes.
- Arrange cooked shrimp or mixed raw or steamed vegetables around the bowl.
- Dip and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Bonus: How to Make Your Own Stock From Shrimp Shells
~ Reserve the drained shrimp water and return it back to the pot.
~Add the shrimp shells, a carrot roughly chopped, an onion peeled and sliced, 1-2 teaspoons of freshly grated ginger and a bay leaf or fresh parsley.
Add sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper if you like. And if you like a spicy stock, add a teaspoon of chilli flakes.
~ You should have approximately 4 cups of liquid. Add extra water if necessary.
~ With the lid on, simmer stock on MEDIUM-LOW for 30 – 45 minutes to extract the flavours.
~ Cool the stock liquid enough to not get burned before draining through a colander.
~ Replace stock back into the pot and cook a further 20 minutes on MEDIUM-LOW to reduce the liquid. Aim to reduce the liquid by half.
This intensifies the flavour and is easier to store in your freezer.
~ Pour the stock through a sieve to remove particles and leave to cool in a bowl.
~ Once cool, pour your stock into labelled, dated, freezer-proof containers.
I find 2 cups of concentrated stock per container is enough flavour and moisture for most recipes.
Need to Grab These Ingredients?
A quick reminder: don’t forget to look for the BAP (Best Aquaculture Practices) certification when shopping for your shrimp.
