Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 4-8 bamboo skewers
Quinoa Tabbouleh:
- ½ cup uncooked quinoa rinsed well
- ½ lemon juiced
- 2 cloves garlic grated or finely minced
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved (I used a mix of red and yellow)
- ½ large seedless cucumber diced
- ½ cup mint leaves finely chopped
- ½ cup Italian parsley leaves finely chopped
Smoky Paprika Shrimp:
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cloves garlic grated or finely minced
- 2½ tablespoons olive oil
- ½ lemon juiced
- 1 pound large shrimp peeled and deveined
Garlic Yogurt Sauce:
- 1 5.3- ounces container non-fat plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- Kosher salt and white pepper or fresh ground pepper
For serving: (optional)
- 4 pitas
- Freshly chopped parsley
Instructions
- Soak your bamboo skewers in a shallow baking dish filled with about 2 inches of water for at least 30 minutes.
- Pour the quinoa into a small saucepan and add ¾ cup water. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, cover and cook for 12-15 minutes until all the water has been absorbed. Let the quinoa rest, covered, for 5-10 minutes and fluff with a fork.
- While the quinoa is cooking, tackle the shrimp. In a shallow baking dish, whisk together the smoked paprika, cumin, red pepper flakes, salt, garlic and olive oil. (It will be a pretty pasty, people.) Add the shrimp to the spice mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes (and up to overnight).
- While the shrimp is marinating, prep the tabbouleh. In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic and olive oil with a pinch of kosher salt and fresh ground pepper. Add the cooked quinoa, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, mint and parsley, and toss to combine.Taste and season with extra salt and fresh ground pepper if necessary. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to let the flavors mingle.
- Combine all the ingredients for the yogurt sauce in a medium bowl. If it’s too thick, add a couple teaspoons of water until your desired consistency is reached. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Now it’s time to skewer the shrimp. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over your spiced shrimp and give them a toss. Thread the shrimp onto your soaked skewers. (I like to use two bamboo skewers for each kabob for stability.) You should be able to get 4-5 on each “kebab.”
- Heat a lightly oiled grill or grill pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the shrimp skewers and cook for about 2-2½ minutes on each side until they’re opaque and cooked through.
- Serve shrimp over tabbouleh and drizzle with yogurt sauce. I like to serve everything on a warm pita, but you do you.