Nilasing na Hipon Recipe

Nilasing na hipon ( literally drunk shrimp) is one of my favorite shrimp dish probably just after hilabos or sinigang na hipon) a dish that is so simple and yet impressively delicious. Nilasing na hipon simply conveys filipino inventiveness and sense of humor.

Ingredients:

1 kilo of Prawns or Gambas ( count three to four pieces per person depending on the size)

4 tablespoon of olive oil

*I highly recommend using olive oil than normal cooking oil, health and taste wise is better

1 red onion chopped

1 red bell pepper chopped

2-3 siling labuyo (hot chili pepper) this is optional

1 tablespoon of butter (about 15 g)

half a glass of alcohol

* you can use any of the following: Lambanog, Sake, Tequila, Gin, Vodka or even Beer

1 tablespoon of any alcohol (optional if you are doing flambé)

Procedure:

Start by cleaning and preparing the prawns or shrimp. If you are using big prawns it is advisable to take off their shells but leave their head and tail for presentation. Otherwise for small shrimps you can just leave it as it is. It is better to use fresh shrimps for this recipe. In a deep salad bowl prepare the marinade. Mix together olive oil, the alcohol, salt and pepper. Mix well and pour over the shrimps or prawns. Let it marinate for about an hour. Afterwards, get all the shrimps and pat it dry with a paper towel. In a wok or pan melt the butter with one tablespoon of olive oil and put the marinated shrimps (without the marinating juice) . Add together the red onion and red bell pepper and chopped siling labuyo. Stir fry for about three to five minutes ( it depends on the size of your shrimp, smaller shorter cooking time). You can pour this over a bowl of rice as a topping or put in a sizzling plate with a tablespoon of alcohol to do a flambé afterwards.

*flambe is to put the entire dish on fire with the help of the alcohol you added. You can do this with vodka, tequila, gin, or sake. Right after you pour the alcohol let it burn with the help of a match stick. But be careful in doing this.