Sweet Chili Scallops w/ Coconut Rice
| December 4, 2012 | Posted by Christine Fischer under Dinner, Sunday Night Specials |
Grocery shopping is a laborious task, no two ways about it.
There’s the making of the list, the traveling to the store, the navigating of the aisles, the knocking into others with your shopping cart like you’re in a damn go-kart race, and the realizing you forgot to pick up milk when you’re next in the check-out line. And then you have to get home, too, which for me is a 15 block walk with bulging Trader Joe’s bags in both hands.
Sounds glamorous, no?
simmering rice – almost ready for more coconut!
So yeah, grocery shopping is pretty crappy, but there are a few upsides. You might be able to snag a food sample while you shop, or stock up on some basics because they’re on sale. But by far my favorite upside are the times when you find a new, seriously kick-ass product.
The later happened to me recently, and It. Is. MAJOR.
I give you – Frank’s Red Hot Sweet Chili Sauce.
marinating in sweet chili
I practically did cartwheels over this sauce, and I can’t even do a tumble sault straight. Already a Frank’s fanatic, the idea of them blending sweet and spicy into one perfect little concoction had me over the moon!
How would I use it?
How wouldn’t I use it?!
Would trying it right now in front of the cashier look psychotic? (yes)
I was able to contain myself until I got home, and I’m glad I did. Once I got a taste of this delightful dip, I knew just what to do with it – Sweet Chili Scallops.
whisking my spicy EVOO
searing my scallops
I’ve spoken of my love of scallops before, but I’ll reiterate that they are some of my favorite seafood. With a meaty texture and slightly sweet taste, I knew scallops would be the perfect protein to compliment my sauce. To bring some carbs into the mix, I prepared coconut rice to give my dish a light, tropical feel. And because veggies shouldn’t be ignored, I rounded out my meal with a basic frozen medley to give perfect proportion and balance.
The end result was a mouth-watering dish that was as filling and satisfying as it was healthy. A breeze to make and a delight to eat, one bite of this dish and you’ll be as obsessed with sweet chili as me! (cartwheels not included) 
- 2 cups Basmati White Rice (I used Carolina’s)
- 2 cups Coconut Milk or Cream of Coconut (I used Chaokoh’s)
- ½ tsp Sea Salt
- In large saucepan, boil 4 cups of water and 1 cup of coconut milk. When boil is reached, add basmati rice and reduce flame to medium. Cover rice and allow to cook at a rolling boil for 15 minutes.
- When rice is nearly cooked, add remaining cup of coconut milk and sea salt, stirring well. Reduce flame to low and cover, letting rice simmer until done (~8 minutes). When a thick, creamy texture has been reached, immediately plate and serve.
- 1 lb Scallops
- 3 tbsps Sweet Chilli Sauce
- 1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 ½ tsps Lemon Juice
- ½ tsp Crushed or Minced Garlic
- ½ tsp Chili Powder
- In medium sized bowl, combine scallops with sweet chili sauce, mixing well. Cover and allow to marinade in refrigerator for 1 – 2 hours.
- When ready to cook, in small bowl combine EVOO, lemon juice, garlic, and chili powder, whisking well. Heat EVOO mixture in large frying pan, then add scallops (including any leftover marinade). Sear scallops for 4-5 minutes on either side until slightly browned. Plate immediately over coconut rice, drizzling with cooking sauce to serve.
a colorful, sweet & spicy sunday dinner!
my EVOO mix added the perfect touch of smokey heat to the sweet chili sauce
a Frank’s lovin’ forkfull!
Absoutley delicious!
Delicious!