Kikking Up The Flavor – Tamarind Citrus Shrimp Kabobs

Tamarind citrus shrimp skewers.
Tamarind citrus shrimp skewers.

Tamarind is one of my favorite ingredients for cooking.  A lot of people think of tamarind as a fruit used mostly in Asian cuisine, but tamarind is also widely used in Latin America.  As a child I loved drinking refresco de tamarindo (tamarind juice) and my favorite ice cream flavor was tamarind.

Tamarind citrus shrimp skewers

So it’s no wonder that one of my favorite dishes in tamarind citrus shrimp. This is also my daughter’s favorite and she really loves to eat her shrimp on a stick, as she calls the skewer.   The shrimp’s flavor is a perfect match for the tamarind’s tartness which is sweetened with brown sugar and brought to life with orange and lime juice.

Kikkoman's Ponzu sauce really kicked up the flavor.
Kikkoman’s Ponzu sauce really kikked up the flavor.

For this recipe I decided to kick up the flavor with Kikkoman Ponzu Sauce and a pinch of chipotle chile. I had not used ponzu sauce before and I loved that I didn’t have to add the lime juice as the ponzu sauce is already seasoned with citrus. The result was a flavorful shrimp dish with tart, tangy and citrus flavors and just the right amount of heat to make the sweet grilled oranges truly delicious.

Only five ingredients for a dished that is flavorful and exotic.
Only five ingredients for a dished that is flavorful and exotic.

This recipe is easy to make and ideal for the grill.  I made them on my indoor grilling machine which worked great as the tamarind marinade caramelized and the shrimp tasted really sublime.

The entire house smelled of sweet and tangy tamarind bringing back memories from my home, Guatemala.

 

4.92 from 12 votes
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Tamarind Citrus Shrimp Kabobs

Course Appetizer, Entree
Cuisine Latin - Asian Fusion
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 6 minutes
Total Time 36 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 233 kcal
Author Paula Bendfeldt-Diaz

Ingredients

  • 20 large shrimp shelled and deveined, tails on
  • ½ cup tamarind concentrate or pulp available in Latino and Asian markets
  • 3 Oranges
  • 2 tablespoons Kikkoman Ponzu sauce
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon chipotle chile pepper
  • 4 bamboo or metal skewers

Instructions

  1. Stir the tamarind concentrate, juice from one orange (or ¼ cup fresh orange juice), Kikkoman Ponzu sauce and brown sugar.
  2. In a bowl marinade the shrimp in the tamarind sauce. Coat well and let stand for 15 minutes.
  3. While the shrimp are marinating cut the two remaining oranges into 8 wedges each.
  4. Soak bamboo skewers in water to prevent them from burning on the grill.
  5. Remove the shrimp from the marinade and thread onto four 10- to 12-inch skewers alternating with orange wedges.
  6. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
  7. Grill kabobs until shrimp turn pink, about 2-3 minutes per side. Brush occasionally with marinade. Makes 4 skewers.

You can learn more about the Kikkoman products on the Kikkoman website en Español here.

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Disclosure: This post was done in collaboration with Latina Bloggers Connect and Kikkoman.  However all opinions are my own.

Paula Bendfeldt-Diaz

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29 thoughts on “Kikking Up The Flavor – Tamarind Citrus Shrimp Kabobs”

  1. This is delicious — I have not ever used the Ponzu sauce but it is going to be added to this week’s y shopping list because this recipe looks delicious

    Reply

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