Asopao de Camarones [Video+Recipe] Shrimp and Rice Pottage

Asopao de camarones, a flavorful shrimp and rice pottage is a dish that is sometimes prepared for informal get-togethers. It is very cheap and can easily feed another person by just adding a little more water.

📝 Ingredients

• 3 quart boiling water ([3 lt] (which you'll keep simmering over low heat, see notes))
• 2 lbs shrimp (jumbo, uncooked, peeled) ([0.9 kg], raw and peeled (and extra shellfish of your preference, see notes))
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large red onion (diced)
• 1 cup bell pepper (diced)
• 1 teaspoon mashed garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced parsley ((plus more for decoration if you wish))
• 2 cup tomato sauce ((or 5 tbsps of tomato paste))
• 2 limes (divided)
• 1 ½ tablespoons salt (divided (you may not need it all))
• 2 ½ cup rice (long grain, or carolina)
• ½ cup carrot (diced)
• ½ cup sweet peas (petit pois) (canned - optional))
• ½ teaspoon pepper (freshly-cracked, or ground) ((or to taste))
• hot sauce ((or agrio de naranja), to taste)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Heating water ---
2. 2Heating water: Pour the water into a pot and heat over medium-low heat until it reaches a low boil, lower heat to just enough to keep very hot.If you have heads and/or peels, add it now to add flavor to the water.⚠️ We'll use this liquid to add to the other pot later in the preparation.
3. 3--- 2. Making the base ---
4. 4Making the base: Mince ⅓ of the shrimps. Set the whole shrimp aside (refrigerated).In a separate stew pot heat the oil over low heat. Add the onion, peppers, garlic, and parsley. Cook and stir until the onion turns translucent.Add the minced shrimp, cook and stir for another minute. Add the tomato sauce, the juice of 1 lime, and mix well.Pour in ⅓of the water (from the other pot), and 1 tablespoon of salt, increase heat to medium, and bring to the boil.
5. 5--- 3. Cooking the rice ---
6. 6Cooking the rice: Add the rice, carrot, and peas and stir. Stir the rice regularly, adding boiling-hot water from the other pot to keep the rice covered as the liquid evaporates and is absorbed by the rice.Once the rice is cooked through (grains are soft and have doubled their size), add the remaining shrimp you had set aside, and cook just until the shrimp becomes bright pink.Taste and season with pepper, salt, and hot sauce to taste.
7. 7--- 4. Serving ---
8. 8Serving: Serve with lime wedges, see above the recipe for serving suggestions.