Sweet Thai Chili and Orange Scallops
Sweet Thai Chili and Orange Scallops
Nothing like combining the sweet and spicy Thai chili flavor with plump juicy scallops for an amazing dish! The citrus and cilantro also provide a wonderful dimension sure to please every palate!
Sweet Thai Chili and Orange Scallops
Yield: 4 entrée servings or 8 appetizer portions
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ pounds dry sea scallops
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
- Zest and juice of 1 orange
- Juice of ½ lime
- 1/3 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
- 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
- 3 scallions, sliced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Equipment needed:
- Cutting board
- Chef knife
- Paper toweling
- 10 – 12 inch skillet, preferably non-stick
- Rubber spatula
- Liquid & dry measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Small mixing bowl
- Tongs
First time I had this recipe at my sister-in-laws house, inspired by a quick and easy dish by Martin Yan, my taste buds were craving it! The combination of sweet and spicy with citrus is amazing! The next time we tweeked the recipe and wound up making a double batch. I think I ate ten or more scallops! The flavors are intoxicatingly good and prep super easy too! This blog post was prepared there too! Why not since we created it there? Start by chopping and gathering all your ingredients, as the cooking process goes pretty quickly once you start.
It's vitally important that your scallops are dry before you begin to pan fry them. If not, you won't get a lovely golden color and they will steam instead. Lay out a few pieces of paper toweling and arrange scallops over on top. Place another set of toweling over the scallops and press them down, using your hands, until they appear dry. I often do this first before chopping my other ingredients to give the toweling a chance to really absorb the scallop moisture. Set aside while you make the sauce.
Heat your skillet over medium- high heat for ~ 3-4 minutes. Place half the coconut oil, about 1 ½ tablespoons, minced garlic and ginger in heated skillet to sauté for 2- 3 minutes or until slightly golden and fragrant. Reduce the heat slightly, add the orange zest and continue sautéing for another few minutes. The aroma of the dish is amazing! Your family will flock to the kitchen to see what you are creating!
Didn't I tell you this was easy? Next step is to add the juices of the orange and lime and stir well to combine. Sprinkle the scallions on top and the Thai chili sauce and blend together well. Simmer and stir for 1- 2 minutes. The beautiful colors also make the meal appeal of this dish fabulous! Don't worry that the dish will be too spicy… my husband the anti-hot guy loved it!
Now comes the extra bit of sweet! Add the brown sugar and melt it into the simmering sauce. Take a taste… soooo yummy! Want it sweeter? Add a few more tablespoons of brown sugar! Pour the sauce into a small mixing bowl, scraping the skillet well and set to the side.
Using the same skillet, melt the remaining coconut oil over medium- high heat. It's okay if a little sauce remains… adds to the flavor and color of the scallops. Place all scallops on heated fat. They will sizzle a bit, but very little liquid should be present if dried properly. Pan fry scallops for about 3 – 4 minutes or until golden brown. Using tongs, carefully flip scallops and pan fry the other side, as shown above. Continue cooking for a few more minutes until side two are also golden. Be careful not to over cook the scallops… you want then juicy and tender, not tough.
Pour reserved sauce over top of scallops and stir gently to cover. Sprinkle chopped cilantro on top and stir to combine. Heat sauce and scallops for 1 minute or until edges start to simmer. Turn off the heat! The smell now is intoxicatingly good!
You're almost done! Using your tongs, turn scallops one more time in the warm sauce to coat. You can serve as an entrée over rice or plain with sauce as an appetizer, garnished with a scallion or two as shown below!
