Spaghetti Recipe

Cook pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Add 12 oz dried spaghetti and cook until al dente according to package instructions (about 8–10 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.

Prepare scallops

Pat scallops dry with paper towels. Season lightly with a pinch of salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon butter or neutral oil. When hot, add scallops spaced apart and sear 1.5–2 minutes per side until golden and just cooked through. Remove scallops to a plate and keep warm.

Cook rock shrimp

In the same pan, add 1/2 tablespoon butter. Add minced shallot, garlic, and ginger and sauté 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Add rock shrimp and cook, stirring, 2–3 minutes until shrimp are opaque and just firm. Season lightly with a pinch of salt.

Incorporate XO sauce

Push shrimp mixture to one side. Add 3 tablespoons XO sauce and 1 teaspoon chili oil to the pan and toast briefly for 20–30 seconds to bloom flavors, stirring to coat the shrimp and aromatics.

Build sauce

Add 1 cup chicken or seafood stock and 2 tablespoons rice wine to the pan, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in 1 teaspoon light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon fish sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon ground black lime. Bring to a gentle simmer and reduce 2–3 minutes to concentrate flavors.

Finish with butter and lemon

Lower the heat to medium-low and swirl in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter until melted to slightly thicken the sauce. Stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, more black lime, or a splash of soy if needed.

Combine with pasta

Add the drained spaghetti to the pan with the sauce and shrimp. Toss and cook together 1–2 minutes, adding reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time as needed to loosen and emulsify the sauce so it coats the pasta evenly (use up to 1/2 cup reserved water). Add seared scallops back into the pan gently to warm through without breaking them.

Plate the spaghetti topped with scallops and rock shrimp. Drizzle 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil over the pasta. Sprinkle sliced scallions, cilantro leaves, and 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds. Finish with a small grind of fresh black pepper and an optional extra pinch of ground black lime to taste. Serve immediately.