There's arguably no better way to serve shrimp than treating them to a quick turn on a hot grill. Perhaps the only thing left beyond grilling, then, would be the tricky choice of how to sauce or salsa those tender and succulent shrimps. Here's an idea that wins a spot on our table more often than we care to admit- and we're ok with that.

As usual, this recipe for shrimp meets our first criteria- it's got to be relatively quick and easy. Truth be told, I probably wouldn't be jumping to make this on a Tuesday night after a long day at work, but once you taste it, you might find the motivation. Otherwise, save it for a Friday night with a crisp, cold glass of a dry white wine, or serve these shrimp to a table full of friends on a Saturday night, and watch the crowd go wild!

There are a few easy shortcuts that simplify the prep for the sauce. In the grocery store in the "International" aisle, look for ginger garlic paste- a staple in Indian cooking, and a kitchen basic in our house. You can find our favorite brand on Amazon here. Seafood stock we buy from our local fish market, Captain Marden's. You can shop their market here.

Of course you can make your own fish stock, and we have included freshly chopped ginger and garlic in this recipe, but the taste will really come from the Thai green curry paste which we love, here, and which should be available in most supermarkets. Yes, you can make your own and it's not that hard, but I'm taking the easy way out in service of making the flavors more accessible on a regular basis. The whole goal of these shortcuts is to make this shrimp recipe something you can do quickly, with items you have on-hand and without compromising flavors, because once you've tried it that's exactly what you're going to want to do.

We love basmati rice with this dish, but it would work well over rice noodles too. If you've never tried Chinese black rice, this might be a good time to do it, and add the beautiful visual drama of that delicious black-purple grain, to the pink of the shrimp and the pale green sauce.

Using full fat coconut milk is going to make this shrimp dish more fully-flavored than using the reduced fat variety, but I will leave that up to your discretion. The white wine should be an assertive one as well, as the curry paste does have some heat (tamed by the coconut milk, so don't fret!).

When you sit down to a meal with this level of flavor and realize it's well within your wheelhouse, there's a great feeling of accomplishment. Layered and complex tastes begin with the green curry paste, then build with the addition of onions, garlic and ginger, the wine and fish stock, and the spice which dials up the authenticity of the dish as well. Tempered by the rich mouthfeel of the coconut milk, softened by the rice or noodles, it's a dish that seems way more sophisticated and complicated to make than it actually is. Top it with a shower of fresh-cut scallions and cilantro leaves, and it's a pretty impressive meal.

Here's hoping you'll try this shrimp dish, love it, and find inspiration to take your cooking in directions that challenge and reward you with complex flavors like this!

Store-bought ingredients like frozen fish or lobster stock, and ready-made green chili paste eliminate much of the prep time for this delicious Thai-flavored shrimp dish.