Umami Cooking

Always meaty with a dash of veggies

Air fried shrimp lemongrass skewers

Shrimps, ginger, garlic, onion, chili, cilantro roots and stems, and fish sauce are processed into a paste, wrapped around lemongrass stalks and air fried for 12 minutes.
Air fried shrimp lemongrass skewers
Seafood recipe

Cook’s notes

The weight of the shrimps indicated below is the weight after they had been peeled and deveined.
If you don’t own a food processor, you may mince the ingredients for the shrimp paste by hand using a heavy knife on a sturdy chopping board. Note, however, that the prep time will naturally be longer.
Lemongrass skewers are traditionally served as a snack or finger food.

Air fried shrimp lemongrass skewers

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 12 minutes
Total: 22 minutes
Servings: 2 people
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: Asian
Label: Air fried, Skewered
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Ingredients

  • 5 to 6 lemongrass stalks
  • 250 grams shrimps (8.8 oz) peeled, deveined and roughly chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic peeled and sliced or chopped
  • 1 one-inch knob ginger peeled and sliced or chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro stems and roots
  • 2 tablespoons chopped onion
  • 1 bird’s eye chili thinly sliced (discard the seeds for less heat)
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons panko or other unsweetened bread crumbs
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil

Dipping sauce

  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 pinch chopped onion
  • 1 bird's eye chili sliced
  • 1 clove garlic sliced and julienned
  • 1 slice ginger julienned

Instructions

  • Rinse the lemongrass stalks thoroughly and snip off the roots.
  • Measure six inches from the root ends of the lemongrass and cut. Discard the top portions or reserve for making soup.
  • Using the blunt side of a heavy knife, pound the lemongrass stalks lightly.
    Pounded lemongrass stalks
  • Place the shrimps, garlic, ginger, cilantro, onion, chili and fish sauce in a food processor.
    Ingredients for shrimp lemongrass skewers
  • Process until no large pieces remain and the mixture has acquired the texture of a coarse paste.
  • Mix the panko into the shrimp mixture.
  • Flatten two tablespoons of the shrimp mixture on one hand, place a lemongrass stalk at the middle, then fold your hand to completely wrap the lemongrass in the shrimp mixture.
    Wrapping shrimp and spice paste around a lemongrass stalk
  • Spray or brush the air fryer rack with oil.
    Shrimp lemongrass skewers before air frying
  • Arrange the shrimp lemongrass skewers on the rack in a single layer at least an inch apart then spray or brush the tops with oil.
  • Set the air fryer temperature to 190C and the cooking time for 12 minutes.
  • Stir together all the ingredients for the dipping sauce.
  • Transfer the shrimp lemongrass skewers to a plate.
  • Serve with lime wedges and dipping sauce on the side.
    Air fried shrimp lemongrass skewers
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Meaty with a dash of veggies