Seared Tamarind Shrimp with Charred Eggplant

Big shrimp get a fast, hard sear so the outside turns golden and the inside stays juicy, then they're tossed in a bold, sweet-sour glaze built from tamarind paste, soy sauce and a touch of sugar-free sweetener instead of the usual sugar. Underneath, eggplant slices are charred in the same pan until smoky and silky, soaking up all the good pan flavor left behind by the shrimp. It's a weeknight-friendly plate that leans entirely on char, acid and umami for flavor, with no cream or heavy fat needed. This dinner is built around a generous portion of shrimp for lean, low-carb protein, with the eggplant adding fiber and bulk without the carbs of rice or noodles. The whole thing comes together in one pan in under 30 minutes, with a short ingredient list and minimal cleanup — a satisfying, modest-sized plate that's big on flavor without being heavy or greasy.

Ingredients

• 12 piecesJumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on, about 12 oz total
• 1 mediumeggplant, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
• 2 tbspTamarind paste, concentrate, not sweetened
• 2 tbspsoy sauce, low sodium preferred
• 1 tbspGranular sugar-free sweetener, such as erythritol or allulose blend
• 1 tspfish sauce
• 2 clovesgarlic, minced
• 1 tspfresh ginger, grated
• 1 pieceRed chili, thinly sliced, or 1/2 tsp chili flakes
• 2 tbspAvocado oil, divided, for searing
• 1 piecelime, cut into wedges
• 2 tbspfresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
• to tastesalt
• to tasteblack pepper
• 2 tbspwater, to loosen the glaze

Method

1. Pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the tamarind paste, soy sauce, sweetener, fish sauce and water until smooth. Set the glaze aside.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add the eggplant slices in a single layer and sear undisturbed until deeply charred, about 3 minutes per side. 6:00
4. Season the charred eggplant with a pinch of salt, transfer to a plate, and loosely tent to keep warm.
5. Return the skillet to high heat and add the remaining oil. Lay the shrimp in a single layer and sear hard without moving them until golden underneath, about 90 seconds. 1:30
6. Flip the shrimp and sear the other side until just opaque and firm, about 60-90 seconds more. 1:30
7. Push the shrimp to one side, add garlic, ginger and chili to the empty space, and stir for 20-30 seconds until fragrant. 0:30
8. Pour the tamarind glaze over the shrimp, toss everything together, and let it bubble and thicken slightly, coating the shrimp, about 1-2 minutes. 1:30
9. Arrange the charred eggplant on plates, top with the glazed shrimp and any sauce from the pan, then scatter with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.