Thai Grilled Shrimp Kabobs with Coconut Sticky Rice

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Marinated in a blend of spicy Thai seasonings and spices, these Thai Grilled Shrimp Kabobs are the most flavorful, juicy, succulent shrimp ever. Pair them with a sweet Thai coconut sticky rice for a mouthful you'll not soon forget!

These grilled shrimp kabobs are marinated in a combination of fish sauce, tamarind and soy sauce, and sweetened with just a touch of coconut sugar for the most incredible flavor.

The intense savory flavor of the shrimp is perfect with mild sweetness of some coconut sticky rice. The coconut rice was SO GOOD. I don't recommend skipping it.

We're talking big 'ole trips to flavor town here guys like with this spicy Thai Shrimp Salad or Thai BBQ Spare Ribs.

The Ingredients

Check out this Guide to Thai Ingredients for more information on ingredients used in Thai cooking. 

I recommend using the largest shrimp you can find as they will be easier to skewer. I buy the 16/20 shrimp count (learn more about shrimp count). Buy shrimp online (affiliate link).

Tamarind is used to provide the slightly sweet and tangy flavor to the marinade. You can also use tamarind pulp if you have it - just replace the tamarind concentrate with 2 teaspoons of the pulp. Buy tamarind concentrate (affiliate link).

As usual, I highly recommend using Red Boat 40 fish sauce for it's superior flavor. You can use any fish sauce, but I always use the Red Boat. Buy Red Boat 40 (affiliate link). You may also want to read 20+ Ways To Use Fish Sauce.

If you choose to make the coconut sticky rice (I HIGHLY recommend it), you'll need to use full fat coconut milk and short grain sweet rice (affiliate links).

Sambal Olek is a chili paste made from chili and vinegar that is moderately spicy (similar to chili garlic sauce). Buy Sambal Olek (affiliate link).

The remaining ingredients are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Step By Step Instructions

If you're making the coconut sticky rice - again, I highly recommend it - you will want to start with that as the rice needs to soak for several hours. Scroll down to see the instructions for the rice.

Place all the marinade ingredients in a bowl, add the shrimp and let marinade for an hour in the fridge.

Remove shrimp from the marinade (reserve the marinade) and place on the bamboo skewers. Cook on a 400 degree grill for 2-3 minutes per side.

The shrimp is done when it is no longer opaque. They will cook quickly.

Heat the reserved marinade to boiling in the microwave. Serve these Thai grilled shrimp kabobs with the coconut sticky rice and drizzle with the reserved marinade. **you can also serve them with this Coconut Rice if you don't want to go to the trouble of making this sticky rice. 

How to Make Coconut Sticky Rice

Place the rice in a large bowl and add one can of coconut milk and one can of water. The rice needs to soak for 8-12 hours. I usually do this the morning that I plan to make this recipe.

**If you're in a hurry, you can shorten the soak time to 2-4 hours, but your rice will have less flavor.

Drain the rice in a wire mesh strainer. I use one similar to this one that has little feet I can hook over a pan (affiliate link).

In a saucepan, bring a couple cups of water to a boil and place the rice in the strainer on top. Cover with a lid and let steam for 25 minutes, or until rice kernels are tender.

While the rice is steaming, add the second can of coconut milk, salt and coconut sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes and remove from heat.

When your rice is done steaming, dump it in a large bowl and pour the sweetened coconut mixture on top. It will look soupy at this time, but don't be worried. It'll soak in. Let the rice sit for 20 minutes to absorb all the coconut milk mixture.

Expert Tips

1. Prep the sticky rice in advance as it needs to soak for 8-10 hours for the best results.
2. Substitute lime juice for the tamarind if you can't get tamarind.
3. Substitute chili garlic sauce for the sambal olek if you need to.
4. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp. They are done when they are just barely no longer opaque.
5. You can use the broiler to cook the shrimp - broil for 2-3 minutes per side, watching to ensure they don't burn.
6. If you prefer not to skewer the shrimp, you can also cook them in a cast iron skillet over high heat. They will cook for about 3-5 minutes total.

Make this a full Thai meal by serving it with these other favorite Thai Recipes:

• Thai Beef Salad;
• Thai Curry Ramen;
• Pad Thai Egg Rolls;
• Thai Chicken Pizza.

Did you make this recipe? Rate the recipe and leave a comment below to let me know how it turned out!