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Dinner Tonight: Shrimp Tacos with Pumpkin Seed Sauce
My last dish with pumpkin seeds was chicken with pumpkin seed sauce. It wasn't pretty looking--as many commenters rightly pointed out--but it was utterly delicious, and like I mentioned in the comment section, one of my better meals in recent memory. So I was immediately game for this Los Angeles Times recipe with a corn tortilla that ditched the chicken, adding shrimp and jicama instead.
Now, I'd never actually bought jicama before, but since I was so caught up with the pumpkin sauce, I didn't even think twice about it. How would the thing taste? Was it a fruit or vegetable? Those things didn't cross my mind.
After removing the peel of the vegetable--I looked that one up--it shredded easily on the box grater. As it turns out, jicama is slightly sweet, easy to grate, and a perfect crisp topping for these amazing green tacos.
About the author: Nick Kindelsperger is a co-founder of The Paupered Chef, a blog dedicated to saving time and money while enjoying food in every way possible. He sells wine for a living and lives in Columbus, Ohio.
About This Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 serrano, seeded
- 1 jalapeno, seeded
- 1/4 large jicama, peeled
- 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 8 corn tortillas.
- 1/2 bunch cilantro
- 2-3 limes, cut into wedges
Procedures
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1
Toast the pumpkin seeds in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook until they turn slightly golden, about eight minutes. Remove and place in a blender.
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2
Add olive oil, garlic, salt, jalapeno, serrano, cilantro, and half a cup water to the blender. Process into very smooth.
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3
Pour the mixture into the skillet, turn the heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes. Add a half cup of water about halfway through. Stir occasionally, adding more water if it looks dry.
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4
Meanwhile, shred the jicama with a box grater.
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5
After the 20 minutes of simmering, turn the heat to medium-high and toss in the shrimp. Cook until they have turned pink, about five minutes. Stir to make sure all sides of the shrimp have cooked.
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6
Meanwhile, place another skillet over high heat. Warm a tortilla for a few seconds on each side, then place in on plate and cover with a towel. Repeat with the other tortillas.
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7
Serve the shrimp and sauce on the tortillas. Sprinkle the shredded jicama on top and serve with the lime wedges.
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