Thai Basil Shrimp – fresh, flavorful, healthy, and delicious!!

Ingredients

STIR-FRY SAUCE:

• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. Fish Sauce
• 1 Tbsp. oyster sauce
• 2 Tbsp. lime juice
• 2 Tbsp. Golden Mountain Sauce (to make your own Golden Mountain Sauce, mix 2 Tbsp. soy sauce, with 2 Tbsp. vegetable or chicken stock, plus 1/4 tsp. sugar.)
• 1 Tbsp. palm sugar OR brown sugar

OTHER INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 to 1 lb. medium to large shrimp, shells removed
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red or green chili, finely sliced, or more to taste
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 1 green and 1 red bell peppers, sliced
• handful dry roasted cashews, unsalted
• 1/4 to 1/3 compressed cup fresh Thai basil (may substitute with sweet basil) - Stack leaves into a neat pile and slice them up into shreds.
• 3 Tbsp. chicken stock
• 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Directions

• Combine the ‘Stir-Fry Sauce’ ingredients together in a cup, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Set aside.
• Mince or use processor to mix together the garlic, chili, and onion until it creates a paste.
• Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle in oil, then add the shrimp. Stir-fry 1 minute, or until shrimp are light pink on both sides.
• Add the garlic-chili paste you made earlier and continue stir-frying 1 more minute.
• Add the peppers and chicken stock. Stir-fry until peppers have softened but are still bright in color and retain some crispness. While stir-frying, add the stir-fry sauce you made earlier.
• Remove from heat. Stir in the cashews and fold in the basil.
• Taste and alter flavors if desired by adding more lime juice if too salty (this will depend on the saltiness of your stock), or more fish sauce if not salty or flavorful enough.  Add more fresh-cut chili (or some dried chili flakes) for more heat. Serve with plain white or brown rice served on the side.