Location: Downtown; King Street, Jamaica, West Indies, on the corner, just before you crossed the street to go to the courthouse. That used to be my spot for peppered shrimp.
Yes, that was the peppered shrimp spot that resonated with me. As a child, I couldn’t get enough of these peppered shrimp. They were sold in plastic bags and contained just the right amount of  spiciness, which didn’t overpower the taste of the shrimp. Now that I’m grown, I make my own.

I have noticed that these nostalgic peppered shrimp have now been commercialized. It is now being shipped all over the USA. To me, it just isn’t the same. I would rather buy it from the street vendor on the corner, in Jamaica. It was so much tastier. What really is a turn off for me (in the USA), is that each time I decide to buy a bag of this peppered shrimp, it’s usually way past the expiration date.
I think I’ll pass…
In the meantime, I choose to create my own rendition of peppered shrimp until I am able to return to Jamaica. I can guarantee that any vendor, on any street corner, in Jamaica, will have a fresher, spicier, homemade batch.

My cousin Nancy makes a banging peppered shrimp too.  I have to give credit where credit is due. However, Nancy darling, as much as I love you. This isn’t about you….it’s about me and MY FOOD. I love you still….LOL!

Peppered shrimp is really easy to make. I’m a chef so I say that about everything anyway. But it really is easy. The traditional way of creating this dish, is to cook whole shrimps, yes….in the shells. I eat the shells too sometimes, and depending on my mood, I may remove them. The head of the shrimp carries all the flavor. Its like bones on meat. Bones add depths of flavor and so do the shells and head of the shrimp. Just so you know…I eat the shrimp head too. It is so juicy! I purchased headless shrimp for this recipe, I used half with the shell on and the other half without. The next time I make this, I have to ensure that I buy the entire shrimp. Since corn is now in season and selling like hotcakes,  I decide to add a few. They are super sweet.

I usually add scotch bonnet peppers to most of my dishes, but not this time. I had some new peppers that I wanted to experiment with. The other day while I shopped at the Oriental Market, I found these tiny oblong shaped peppers. My grandma calls them bird peppers.  I still haven’t authenticated those peppers. I can tell you one thing for sure, they are giving the scotch bonnet pepper a run for their money. I bit into the pepper….my silly way of determining the scale of the heat….and oh precious Jesus…they were HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have always been taught that the enzymes in milk cools down the heat, so I grabbed the rice milk, poured some in a glass and gulped it down. It wasn’t helping. I grabbed some greek yogurt that I had in the refrigerator, took a spoon and plastered it on my lips like lipstick, and slathered it over my tongue. Whew….that sure relieved the fire.

I am so going to plant some of that bird pepper. It’s a great flavor enhancer….gotta love that heat!

Do you love spicy shrimp too?