How to Make Mexican Spicy Shrimp Soup
The recipe for Mexican shrimp soup can change according to the region where you’re having it. However, no matter what the recipe is, it is a dish that can be served at any time of the year, and that tastes great.
If you want to prepare it at home in a simple and flavorful way, 5-Minute Crafts will show you how to do it step-by-step.
Ingredients
- 1⁄2 kg fresh unpeeled shrimp with their heads on
- 1⁄2 kg fresh headless unpeeled shrimp
- 100 g dried shrimp
- 2 potatoes, diced
- 3 carrots, diced
- 2 tomatoes
- 1⁄2 onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- 10 guajillo peppers
- 3 peppercorns
- 3 bay leaves
- Water (3-4 liters)
- Vegetable oil
- Salt
Instructions
1. Clean the shrimp. Then remove the skin and heads, but don’t throw them away. You’ll be using them later to make a paste which will be the base of the soup.
- Place the shrimp in a container with water and ice cubes to keep them cool. Then set aside.
2. Roast the tomatoes and chilis separately on a hot grill or in a skillet. Once they are ready, slice the chilis in half lengthwise, de-vein them, and remove the seeds. Then, submerge them in a bowl of hot water and allow them to hydrate for 10 minutes to soften. Don’t let them sit in the water for longer than that or the color and flavor of the chilis will be lost.
3. Place the previously rinsed shells and heads in a saucepan and sauté them with a little oil until they change color to a vivid orange shade, like when they’re cooked.
4. Blend the chilis, tomato, onion, garlic, dried shrimp, and pepper. Pour this mixture, previously strained, into the pan where the shells and heads are being sautéed.
- Make sure to strain the resulting paste very well so that your soup doesn’t have any remaining shells, heads, or shrimp skin.
5. Bring the mix to a boil and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. Then remove the heads and skin from the soup. Add the 3 to 4 liters of water, the potatoes, and the carrots, and cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until the vegetables are thoroughly cooked.
- It’s better to add less water at first and adjust quantities according to your taste. If you prefer a thicker soup, add less water.
- Vegetables should be cooked, but not too soft. Keep an eye on them so that doesn’t happen, as time may vary depending on how big or small you diced your veggies.
6. Add the cleaned shrimp to the pan and the bay leaves. Adjust the flavor, add salt to taste (if necessary), and cook for 5 more minutes.
- It is important that the shrimp you just added do not boil for too long, because if they are overcooked, their consistency could become hard or chewy. And be careful with the salt, as the dried shrimp may be enough to season the broth.
7. Serve and add a squeeze of lime. If you want, you can serve it with slices of bread, spreading butter on them to give them an extra touch of flavor. In Mexico, this is typically eaten with corn tortillas.