📋 Instructions

1. 1Dry and season shrimp — Pat 680 g (1.5 lb) shrimp dry with paper towels and season with 4 g (1 tsp) salt and 2 g (1/2 tsp) pepper. (Dry surfaces brown; wet surfaces steam.) The shrimp should look matte, not shiny.
2. 2Sear the shrimp — Heat 15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil in a 30 cm (12 in) skillet over medium-high heat to 205°C (400°F). Sear shrimp 90 seconds per side until golden at the edges, then transfer to a plate. (They finish cooking in the sauce later.) The interior should read 63°C (145°F) on an instant-read thermometer.
3. 3Melt butter and aromatics — Lower heat to medium and melt 30 g (2 tbsp) butter. Add 20 g (4 cloves) garlic and 8 g (1 tbsp) ginger; cook 45 seconds until fragrant but not browned. (Burnt garlic turns the sauce bitter.) You should smell garlic without seeing color.
4. 4Bloom the curry paste — Stir in 15 g (1 tbsp) red curry paste and fry 30 seconds until the fat turns orange-red. (Blooming dissolves the paste and releases its oils.) The pan should smell toasted, not raw.
5. 5Reduce the coconut milk — Pour in 400 ml (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk and 10 g (2 tsp) fish sauce. Simmer 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. (Reduction builds body without starch.) It should bubble gently at the edges, never boil hard.
6. 6Return shrimp and finish — Add the shrimp and any juices back to the pan and simmer 2 minutes at 90°C (195°F). (This reheats them without overcooking.) The shrimp should curl into a loose C shape, not a tight O.
7. 7Brighten off heat — Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 6 g (1 tbsp) lime zest, 30 ml (2 tbsp) lime juice, and 12 g (2 tbsp) cilantro. (Acid added off heat stays fresh.) Taste and adjust salt by the pinch.
8. 8Rest and serve — Rest the pan 2 minutes so the sauce settles, then spoon over jasmine rice. (Resting lets the fat re-emulsify.) The sauce should look glossy and cling to the shrimp.