Pili Pili Shrimp - it's African Style!

The only thing this picture has to do with this post is that it's Africa, and I like it...

This is a recipe with a story... The first time I was in Uganda Suzanne took me to Quality Hill, which is a Belgian owned compound with a very nice restaurant, a patisserie, a butcher, a small vegetable market, and a hotel. They have the best ice cream in Kampala, which also figures into any plans to go there!

I was perusing the menu and saw "Pili Pili Shrimp" which was described basically as "shrimp with rice." So I asked the waiter, "What's Pili Pili Shrimp?"

Waiter: "African style."

Me: "What's African style?"

Waiter: "Pili pili."

Pause.

Me: "Ok then..."

So I got it, of course. How could you not, after this description?! And it was delicious, a spicy red sauce over rice.

When I got home I did some research, and pili pili is a VERY hot (think hotter than scotch bonnet) pepper native to Eastern Africa. They make a marinade for just about any meat from it. I don't like things quite that hot, so came up with my own marinade. Here you go:

PILI PILI SHRIMP (AFRICAN STYLE!)

1 1/2-2 lb peeled shrimp
2 tbsp Gourmet Garden Chili Pepper Spice Blend (in a tube in the produce section) - more or less to taste
1/4 c olive oil/canola mix (half and half)
1/2 c chicken broth
kosher salt

Blend all ingredients except shrimp in a Magic Bullet or blender until smooth and pink. Pour over shrimp in a large bowl, tossing to coat. Marinate an hour, tossing a few times. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over med high heat. Cook shrimp until pink and firm - don't overcook! Serve with hot rice, spooning sauce over the top.

NOTE: In the summer when I had fresh picked hot peppers, I used those instead of the mix. But the mix is available all year, and is better than grocery store peppers.

Adventures in jet lag...

After traveling for 32 hours on Thur/Fri, jumping 7 time zones, and being awake 46+ hours, it's probably not hugely shocking that I am still feeling jet lagged. I have adjusted quickly to what time of day it is (except that I keep waking up at 4am, and then 5:30am, which is really not cool), but I am still tired. Not hallucinating, unsafe to drive, ready to sleep in the frozen food section tired, but still. Tired.

My friend Mr. Bob is here, doing some work on our tornado-ravaged other house. We always have great philosophical and spiritual discussions, so it's a treat to have him around awhile. My Wonderful Husband is at the coast doing post-hurricane things amidst the widespread power outage. I've been doing a lot of texting with my Lovely Daughter today - it's much more fun when it's not 50 cents a text, like it is in Uganda. And the Boy Child had a good post-pneumonia check up today, hallelujah! (If you've never had a child in an African hospital for 4 days... I don't recommend it very highly, although to be fair, he got better and they were very nice.) Here's a picture of his hospital room:

So Ugandan Slaw is on the menu for tonight, and the stuff is addictive. I'm not sure why, but it's an almost unanimous opinion, so I will share it with you:

4 cups shredded cabbage (shred it yourself - it's crisper and cheaper!)
3 large carrots, peeled, cut into 3 sections, and sliced into thin wide ribbons
1/2 of a small red onion, sliced thin
3-4 tbsp sunflower oil
4-5 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)
fresh ground pepper

Mix all the ingredients at least 1 hour before you need it. Stir occasionally. Adjust salt and pepper if needed.