Thai Shrimp & Scallops Recipe

Prepare seafood

Pat the shrimp and scallops dry with paper towels. If shrimp are large, butterfly or cut in half lengthwise so they cook evenly. Season lightly with 1/4 tsp salt and a few grinds of pepper.

Make marinade

In a bowl, whisk together fish sauce, lime juice, light soy sauce, brown sugar, and sesame oil until sugar dissolves. Reserve 2 tablespoons of this mixture for finishing (set aside).

Marinate seafood

Place shrimp and scallops in a shallow dish, pour remaining marinade over them, toss gently to coat and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes (or refrigerate up to 30 minutes). Do not over-marinate seafood.

While seafood marinates, mince the garlic, grate the ginger, thinly slice the chili (remove seeds for less heat) and separate white and green parts of the scallions.

Prepare vegetables: core and thinly slice the red pepper, trim snap peas, julienne the carrot. Keep vegetables ready to add to the stir-fry.

Prepare sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together coconut milk and Thai red curry paste until smooth. Stir in lime zest and the reserved 2 tablespoons marinade. Taste and adjust seasoning — add a pinch of sugar if too tart or up to 1/2 tsp more fish sauce if it needs salt.

Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl to coat. Add the white parts of the sliced green onions, garlic and ginger; stir-fry 20–30 seconds until fragrant but not browned.

Add marinated shrimp and scallops in a single layer. Stir-fry 1–2 minutes, then toss and continue cooking 1–2 more minutes until shrimp are opaque and scallops are just cooked through (total about 3–4 minutes depending on size). Remove seafood to a plate and set aside to avoid overcooking.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the hot pan. Add red pepper, snap peas and carrot; stir-fry 2–3 minutes until vegetables are crisp-tender.

Return seafood to the pan with vegetables. Pour the coconut-curry sauce over everything and bring to a gentle simmer for 1 minute to heat through and slightly thicken. Stir in sliced chili and the green parts of the scallions. Taste and adjust seasoning (lime juice, fish sauce, or a pinch of sugar) as needed.

Turn off heat and stir in chopped cilantro and basil.

Serve the Thai Shrimp & Scallops over steamed jasmine rice or rice noodles. Drizzle the reserved 2 tablespoons marinade (if you set any aside) or additional lime juice on top, garnish with toasted sesame seeds and lime wedges.

Leftovers: store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat to avoid overcooking seafood.