Shrimp with Spicy Rose Hip Cashew Sauce

 

When I taste rose hips, my palate picks up a distinctive taste of tea leaves.  The flavor of rose hips can vary from plant to plant, and location to location.  But I seem to always taste hints of tea, and it's that taste of tea that inspired this particular rose hip recipe.

To make Shrimp with a Spicy Rose Hip Cashew Sauce, start by peeling and drying your shrimp.  Season them with a little salt and pepper.  Heat up lard in a cast iron pan to a medium-high heat, then toss in the shrimp and cook on both sides until they have just gone pink all the way through, and browned slightly on both sides.  Remove the shrimp from the pan.

Add more lard to the pan if necessary, as well as a few small whole chiles (dried or fresh), a few smashed cloves of garlic, and some matchsticks of ginger.  Stir-fry whatever vegetables you have on hand - get creative - I used bok choy and spring onions.  As soon as the veg are cooked, remove them from the pan.

The final step is to make the sauce.  To the still-hot pan, add a few spoonfuls of rose hip gelee or syrup, enough water to make a sauce, a splash of shaoxing rice wine, a splash of rice vinegar, some (gf) soy sauce, and some more chiles, garlic, and ginger.  No need to be fussy, just taste the rose hip sauce and make sure it has a pleasing balance of flavors.  Simmer the sauce for a few minutes, until glossy and thick.

Quickly return the shrimp to the pan, and coat them with sauce, then toss in a handful of cashews.  Serve the rose hip shrimp and vegetables on a bed of  rice which has been cooked with tea (instead of water).

I'm sharing this recipe with Fight Back Friday.