Shrimp in Sriracha sauce

I originally happened to come across this vaguely ethnic-but-not-really recipe on Epicurious once when I was looking for a good recipe for coconut rice to make along with Hoisin sauce ribs. Coconut rice is pretty versatile, it seems--though as you might have guessed, it's just as delicious eaten on its own, straight out of the pot, standing over the stove. This shrimp recipe is amazingly simple--even simpler than the gai pad kaprow--easy, and of course, full of flavor. Shrimp gets doused in the tasty fruity heat of Sriracha and then cooked in a sauce with some broth and coconut milk, which serves to tone down the spice from the Sriracha.

The original recipe calls for Broccolini as the green vegetable portion of this dish. Broccolini has a slight bitter taste, kind of like broccoli rabe but quite a bit milder, and is also a little sweet. It's quite a good counterpart to the sweetness of the coconut milk in the sauce. But I've also found that Broccolini can be a little bit more expensive than I'd like (along with the cost of shrimp, this isn't necessarily the most budget-minded home cooking one can d0), and sometimes, I just feel silly saying "Broccolini" and shopping for Broccolini. It's just a bit fussy and pleased with itself. So one day I decided to try it with Chinese broccoli, which is not only humbler (read: cheaper) but is also a fine accompaniment to the shrimp. Chinese broccoli stems are sweet and milder in flavor than "regular" broccoli, yet nicely crispy. The stems hold their own against the shrimp. The leaves are also milder than regular broccoli, and have what I can only describe as a more concentrated "green" flavor. Slightly more bitter, which again goes great with the coconut milk.

Shrimp in Sriracha sauce is almost too much deliciousness in itself, but get a bite of shrimp, sauce, and broccoli and add to that a healthy forkful of coconut rice and you have something pretty amazing.