Shrimp Boats with Pickled Radish are made with garlic shrimp nestled in a boat of minty endive and topped with quick pickled radish.
I have a fun garlic shrimp boat recipe with a quick fresh pickled radish recipe that is gentle on the waistline and full of flavor. I have guest posted over at Jenny at The NY Melrose Place and am posting again here so that it is more convenient for you to find the recipe. Please stop on over to The NY Melrose Place as you are going to love her recipes and all of her DIY tricks.
Garlic shrimp boats with pickled radish is perfect to serve as an appetizer or as a light lunch and is a breeze to put together. If you have 15 minutes, then you can whip up a batch of these delightful little light bites.
In addition to being light on the waistline, they are also gluten-free, dairy free, egg free, diabetic friendly, low carb and full of vibrant flavor.
No Guilt Appetizer
After a month of holiday over indulging, this little fun appetizer will be a welcome change to your diet. When you take your first bite of these garlic shrimp boats, you will enjoy the crunch of the endive, freshness of the mint, the cool and zesty quick radish pickles and the aroma of the garlic shrimp. I promise that this fun and healthy appetizer will tantalize all of your senses.
Using Fresh Herbs from the Country of Origin
I wanted to give you many different options for assembling your garlic shrimp boats depending on the fresh produce available in your geographic area. I live in Hong Kong and most generally we have access to both Asian vegetables and herbs.
However, it is a little more difficult to get the items that are familiar from back at home in the States. I completely understand the challenges of living abroad and access to certain items that we are familiar with. I have taken this into consideration and have given you a few different ideas that make this dish easy to make no matter where you are in this fun and diverse world we live in.
What are a shiso leaves?
If you are living in Asia, then you will love using Shiso (紫蘇) or perilla is a herb that grows throughout southeast Asia but is most often used in Japanese cuisine. This is a really lovely and refreshing herb. I think it tastes a little minty and has a little bit of basil flavor.
Alternatives to shiso leaves in our Shrimp Boats with Pickled Radish Recipe
However, if you are living in the Western World and do not have access to Shiso then a great alternative is using crispy endive with mint leaves as a boat for your shrimp. I just love these and had about 3 boats just to do a little taste testing...
Have you ever made a quick pickle? Our Lemon Diakon Radish Refrigerator Pickles are fabulous on top of these shrimp boats. You can also make quick pickles with thin slices of red radishes with a dash of rice vinegar, honey (or sugar alternative) and a little dash of white pepper. You could really quick pickle any vegetable you like but some other great alternatives would be thin micro slices of carrot or cucumber. Just take a look in your crisper to see what you have and go for it.
I had some left over yellow pickled diakon and pickled ginger from a sushi night and these were a lovely topping to the shrimp boats. Freshly grated diakon (Asian white radish) is also a zesty topping that goes well on top of these shrimp boats. Have fun with your topping options.
Eating healthy does not mean that you have to sacrifice flavors and these garlic shrimp are a perfect example of how just a few healthy ingredients such as olive oil, garlic and little fresh lime can really bring these simple flavors to the next level. I used a bag of already peeled and prepared frozen shrimp to save on time and less than 5 minutes flat these shrimp were ready to into my garnished boats.
More Delicious Healthy Appetizers for a Crowd
Gluten - Free Thai Shrimp Pancakes
Summer Rolls with Chili Lime Dipping Sauce
Skinny Spaghetti Squash Egg Roll Ups
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Shrimp Boats with Pickled Radish
Ingredients
Pickled Radish
- 15 radishes
sliced thin and julienned (you can also pickle carrots, cucumbers or anything your little heart desires) - ½ cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
or sugar alternative - 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper (add more if you want it spicy or less if like it mild)
Garlic Shrimp
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
peeled and minced - 16 -20 shrimp large peeled and deveined (can use frozen just run under cool water to thaw)
- salt and pepper
to taste - 1 tablespoon lime juice
Garnishes
- 10 leaves endive
or enough to hold 2 shrimp (also can use Shiso (紫蘇) or perilla leaves instead) - 30 leaves mint leaves (approximately 3 per endive leaf so about 30 leaves total)
- Lemon Diakon Radish Refrigerator Pickles garnish as desired with pickled ginger, pickled diakon or even shredded diakon
Instructions
- Make the Quick Radish Pickles. Place julienned red radish, vinegar, sugar or sugar alternative, salt and white pepper in a bowl and stir. Set aside. (You can also use cucumbers, carrots or any vegetable you desire to make into a quick pickle. In addition you can use already prepared pickles like pickled diakon, pickled ginger or even just shredded Asian radish- diakon and just have them diced up and ready to go)
- Prepare the garnishes. Place 10 slices of endive leaves on a plate with the curved side facing down so the shrimp can fit inside just like being on a boat. Place about 3 mint leave in each endive leaf. You can also use shisho leaves and they are both crispy and minty tasting.
- Place oil in pan/wok and heat up. Add garlic and cook just until translucent. Add the shrimp and season with salt and pepper and quickly stirfry over medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes or until the shrimp are no long translucent. Drizzle fresh lime juice over the shrimp. Set aside.
- Assembly: Place 2 cooked garlic shrimp on top of each endive with mint slices or one shrimp on top of each shiso leaf. Place a little quick pickled radish on top of each shrimp. Enjoy!
Raymund says
This is a very nice appetizer, I would love nibbling on those 🙂
Choc Chip Uru says
Your shrimp boats are really party worthy - super healthy but full of awesome flavour and colour 😀
I would be drawn to them if I could be!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
hotlyspiced says
Your shrimp boats look so pretty, Bam. I do love the sound of the pickled radish. I have made a similar dish, (not as well presented), that's Thai inspired, and it uses the betel leaf. They're quite hard to source but I can track them down xx
shashi @ http://runninsrilankan.com says
You are so right - eating healthy does not mean sacrificing flavors! And this is the perfect example of a healthy and deeeeelicious dish! I am totally fascinated with Shiso - wish we had it here - it is such a pretty herb! And Thanks bunches for this giveaway!
Tandy | Lavender and Lime says
These look so appetising Bobbi, and I would love to taste shiso 🙂
Dawn says
Looks beautiful, even though those shrimps definitely do not like me...:(
Eha says
The very look of these raised my appetite levels! Lovely for a weekend lunch!! Garlic prawns are familiar enough but must admit to but a few 'go's at making quick pickles: recipe already in the kitchen 🙂 !!
nancyc says
What a healthy, pretty dish–love all the colors!
Main St. Cuisine says
The colors in your photos are so vibrant! These look like something I'd make for a summer party, when it's hot and humid weather here in the south. I have to remember to ask my mother-in-law about shiso. I don't think I've seen her ever cook with it. Is that because we really can't find it here in the US? These shrimp boats look really light, but flavorful...definitely trying them soon!
Healthy World Cuisine says
I think shiso leaves are difficult to find in US (however plentiful in Japan and nearby Asian countries) and that is why I made a modified version with the endive and mint. Will your mother in law be visiting for the Chinese New Year?
bentodays says
This looks really yummy, great to serve for appetizers when I have guests over!
Gerlinde says
What a gorgeous appetizer I can taste the succulent shrimp topped with pickled veggies.
Jasline @ Foodie Baker says
This looks like something I will order in a restaurant, now I can make it from home, thanks to you! Looks amazing!
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
Okay I read the post title and started singing. 🙂 Shrimp boats is a comin', there's dancin' tonight. Anything that looks like this is worthy of a dance or three!!
kitchenriffs says
Love radishes! And they make wonderful pickles. And shrimp? Yes, please. 😉 Off to check out Jenny's blog . . .
shenANNAgans says
This sounds really lovely, and thanks for the reminder that eating healthy doesn't mean sacrificing on flavour and taste. 🙂 Wish your comp was open to us folk down under, such an amazing prize. Happy weekend to you lovely. I am totally getting into all things Australian, its Aussie day tomoza. xo