Taiwanese Shrimp Cocktail – Heavenly Food Marriage

Do you endlessly search for cooking inspiration in every nook and cranny?

My house is littered with clippings of saved recipes, patiently awaiting their time, and now is the time for these two. Thank Lina Caschetto for her collaboration with chef Isabella “Bella” Lin for this Taiwanese Cocktail Sauce, aka Taiwanese Five Flavour Sauce. I’ve appropriated their Taiwanese Cocktail Sauce to grace chef Michael Smith’s phenomenal poached shrimp.

Voila, you have a Taiwanese Shrimp Cocktail with flavours that tantalize and satisfy — a food marriage made in heaven.

Taiwanese Cocktail Sauce (Bella’s Sauce)

• 1/2 c ketchup
• 1 T soy sauce
• 1 T seasoned rice vinegar
• 1 t sesame oil
• 1 T Sriracha sauce
• 1 T sugar
• 1/2 T grated ginger
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1 T finely chopped coriander

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate.

Chef Michael Smith’s Poached Shrimp 

• 3 c water
• 1 c really good white wine
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 t sea salt
• 1 lb large shrimp, shells on or off, thawed but cold

In a medium-sized pot, bring all ingredients except the shrimp to a boil. Simmer for 4 minutes. Add the shrimp and immediately remove the pot from the heat. Cover the pot, and let the shrimp poach for 8 minutes. Strain, plate and refrigerate the shrimp. Peel the chilled shrimp before serving, leaving the tails on. Garnish with parsley leaves and serve with Taiwanese Cocktail Sauce. Serves 6.

Thai Shrimp Cocktail Print Ready Recipe

Final notes:

• Lina Caschetto paired this Taiwanese Cocktail Sauce with scallops, kohlrabi and herb salad.
• Do you know the 10 Asian sauces you need in your pantry?
• Here are 5 easy dipping sauce recipes for your dumplings. Oh how I love dumplings!
• Here’s a simple Thai seafood dipping sauce that looks delicious. 

• Would love to serve Taiwanese Shrimp Cocktail to these 4 delicious stars making the movie Book Club with writer-producer Erin Simms and writer-director-producer Bill Holderman! (Photo is from @janefondaofficial.)