Shrimp Agua Chile Recipe

Prepare and brine

Rinse shrimp under cold water, pat dry with paper towels. If shrimp are large and thick, butterfly or make a shallow cut along the back so the lime can penetrate evenly.

Place shrimp in a nonreactive bowl (glass or stainless steel). Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper; toss gently to coat.

Pour 1 cup fresh lime juice over the shrimp, making sure they are fully submerged. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 20–25 minutes, or until shrimp turn opaque and are just cooked through (shrimp will firm and curl). Do not marinate longer than 30 minutes to avoid overly firm, tough texture.

While shrimp are marinating, make the broth. In a blender combine 1/2 cup fresh lime juice, 1 cup cold water, serrano chiles (start with 2; remove seeds for milder heat), 1/2 jalapeño if using, 1 garlic clove, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon sugar.

Pulse until mostly smooth but still slightly textured (10–15 seconds). Taste and adjust heat or salt. If too spicy, add up to 1/2 cup more water or the juice of 1/2 lime to balance.

Strain the blended mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove seeds and large solids, pressing with a spoon. Refrigerate the strained broth until chilled, at least 10 minutes.

Place sliced red onion in a small bowl of cold water with a pinch of salt for 5–10 minutes to mellow the bite; drain and pat dry.

After shrimp have 'cooked' in the lime juice (20–25 minutes), remove them with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl of ice water for 1 minute to halt any additional cooking; drain and pat lightly dry. Reserve the shrimp-citrus liquid if you want extra tang in the broth (optional).

In a medium chilled serving bowl or individual bowls, arrange the shrimp. Add sliced cucumber, radishes, drained red onion, diced avocado, chopped cilantro and sliced scallions.

Pour the chilled chile-lime broth over the shrimp and vegetables to nearly cover (about 3/4 cup per serving). If reserved shrimp-citrus liquid was saved, add 2–3 tablespoons for extra flavor.

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional kosher salt or a pinch of sugar if the broth is too tart. Add a few ice cubes to the bowl if you prefer the agua chile extra cold (discard before serving).

Garnish with extra cilantro, a drizzle of olive oil (optional), and serve immediately with tortilla chips or tostadas on the side.