. He used to get his fix at our favorite local Mexican spot, but it unfortunately closed down and even burned! We haven't found a replacement that quite measures up.
Given John's jet lag — or as my late mother-in-law used to call it, "<em>jet jolt</em>" — I decided to make the dish at home instead of going out. The recipe involves creating a rich paste from various dried chilies, tomatoes, and white onions, then simmering the shrimp just until they're perfectly cooked. I was a bit nervous about the chilies, but it turned out beautifully, with a subtly spicy kick. My favorite part of this recipe is that you can prepare the sauce ahead of time and simply heat it up with the shrimp when you're ready to serve. data-pin-do=)
Camarones a la Diabla (Mexican Deviled Shrimp)
August 16, 2025
My friend John, visiting from Australia, recently stayed with us for a few days. Whenever he's in Los Angeles, his top craving is Camarones a la Diabla (Mexican Deviled Shrimp). He used to get his fix at our favorite local Mexican spot, but it unfortunately closed down and even burned! We haven't found a replacement that quite measures up.
Given John's jet lag — or as my late mother-in-law used to call it, "jet jolt" — I decided to make the dish at home instead of going out. The recipe involves creating a rich paste from various dried chilies, tomatoes, and white onions, then simmering the shrimp just until they're perfectly cooked. I was a bit nervous about the chilies, but it turned out beautifully, with a subtly spicy kick. My favorite part of this recipe is that you can prepare the sauce ahead of time and simply heat it up with the shrimp when you're ready to serve.
- Prep: 20 mins
- Cook: 35 mins
- Yields: 6 - 8 Servings
Ingredients
Sauce
6 dried guajillo chiles - stems removed, seeded, and cut into large pieces
2 dried ancho chile peppers - stems removed, seeded, and cut into large pieces
2 large tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
Shrimp
2 pounds raw shrimp (31-35 count), peeled and deveined
Directions
1Heat oil in a large skillet over low heat. Add onion and garlic; cook until onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Add dried chiles; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomatoes; cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until peppers are softened, about 10 minutes.
2Blend chile mixture, orange juice, and bouillon in a blender until smooth. Strain through a sieve set over a bowl; discard solids.
3Sprinkle shrimp with salt and black pepper. Rinse and dry the skillet. Heat butter and oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add shrimp; cook just until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a bowl.
4Add sauce to the skillet; simmer over medium heat until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add shrimp; simmer until cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Tip
1Instead of guajillo chiles, you can use more ancho chiles or any of those sweet, smoky chiles you find at specialty markets.
Recipe from Allrecipes.
Eric
August 18, 2025
So good, just the right amount of heat!