A beloved Filipino home-cooking classic where whole head-on shrimp are steamed briefly with smashed garlic, salt, and a splash of lemon-lime soda. The concentrated pan juices turn into a briny, sweet-savory sauce that gets spooned generously over steamed rice.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time12 mins
Total Time22 mins
Servings4
Yield4 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 235 kcalCalories
- 8 gFat
- 3.5 gSaturated Fat
- 6 gCarbs
- 0 gFiber
- 5 gSugar
- 32 gProtein
- 980 mgSodium
- 380 mgPotassium
- 120 mgCalcium
- 2.5 mgIron
- 4 mgVitamin C
- 180 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the shrimp
- 2 lbs (900 g) whole head-on shrimp, shells intact
- 8 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 cup lemon-lime soda (such as Sprite or 7-Up), or substitute water
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns, lightly cracked
- 2 bay leaves (optional)
Directions
- Rinse the shrimp under cold running water and drain well; do not peel or devein. Pat them dry with paper towels.
- Scatter the smashed garlic and cracked peppercorns across the bottom of a wide, heavy-bottomed pan or wok with a tight-fitting lid.
- Pour in the lemon-lime soda and add the butter, salt, and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, swirling once to melt the butter.
- Add the shrimp in a single layer. Cover tightly with the lid and steam over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, giving the pan a gentle shake once or twice to redistribute the liquid.
- The dish is ready when the shrimp turn bright pink-orange and curl into loose C-shapes; do not overcook or they will turn rubbery.
- Turn off the heat and let the pan rest, covered, for 2 minutes so the shells soak up the flavorful broth.
- Transfer the shrimp to a warm serving platter and pour the concentrated pan juices over the top.
- Serve immediately with hot steamed jasmine rice, small bowls of the broth for spooning, and calamansi or lemon wedges for squeezing over.
Cook’s Notes
- Use the freshest head-on shrimp you can find; the heads and shells carry most of the briny flavor.
- The citrus soda adds subtle sweetness that rounds out the garlic and salt; plain water works but loses that soft sweetness.
- Finish each serving with a drizzle of Filipino fish sauce (patis) for an extra layer of umami.
- The traditional way to eat this is with your hands, sucking the heads to enjoy the rich, briny tomalley.
- For a more tropical broth, swap the soda for an equal amount of coconut water.
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