Spicy Stir-fried Shrimp with Okra

Good Monday evening from Thailand, everyone! 🙏

I still have a deep appreciation for the taste and texture of okra, and it seems that in my family, I enjoy eating it the most 😃. It might not be the absolute tastiest among the various vegetables I like, but we should eat a variety of beneficial vegetables, sometimes overlooking which one is our very favorite. So today, I didn't hesitate to use the okra sitting in my kitchen basket to make dinner. I decided to stir-fry it with fresh shrimp in a spicy sauce, adding a little bit of minced pork for extra flavor. It didn't take long to whip up this hot and delicious Spicy Stir-fried Shrimp with Okra

Ingredients

I started by preparing the okra. I washed it thoroughly, gently rubbing off the fine hairs on the surface. Then, I trimmed off both ends and boiled it in salted water (with about one tablespoon of salt) for about two to three minutes. After that, I transferred it to ice cold water. This step helps remove the slimy texture. I let it drain well and then cut it into bite-sized pieces, setting it aside.

Next, I prepared the fresh shrimp. I washed the shrimp in saltwater and then rinsed them a few times with clean water. I peeled them, leaving the tails on, deveined them by slicing open the backs, gave them one final rinse, and set them aside to drain.

Then, I prepared the paste by pounding the garlic, fresh chilies, and shrimp paste together until I achieved a coarse texture.

I got my pan ready over the heat, added vegetable oil, and turned the heat to low. I added the pounded mixture and stir-fried it until it was cooked and fragrant.

I added the minced pork and stir-fried it with the curry paste. I cooked it until it was almost done, added a little water, and then put in the fresh shrimp. I stir-fried everything together just until the shrimp changed color.

I added the prepared okra pieces, stir-fried to combine everything, and then seasoned it. I used light soy sauce, sugar, and seasoning powder. I stir-fried until everything was well mixed and then did a final taste test.

Before turning off the heat, add torn kaffir lime leaves and diagonally sliced red Jinda chilies. Toss well to combine.

And it was done! My Spicy Stir-fried Shrimp with Okra was ready to serve.
This dish offers a rich and well-rounded flavor profile. It has a spicy, fiery kick, complemented by the natural sweetness of the fresh shrimp, which are cooked to perfection, tender with a pleasant bounce and not tough. The minced pork is soft with a slight richness.

The most standout feature is the texture of the okra, which retains a bit of its crispness even after being stir-fried. The sauce is fragrant and rich, evenly coating every ingredient.
When eaten together, it delivers a perfect combination of spicy, salty, sweet, aromatic, and savory flavors all in one bite.

How is my menu? If you have okra, try making this menu. Thank you for all the support. See you in the next post.😃