What Was Supposed to be Gambas

Shrimp dishes are my specialty because I absolutely love shrimps! But as chefs say, you are only as good as your ingredients. That was true in this case. I'd say that we have gambas 2-5 times a month. One grocery day, I decided to save some money and buy the Cold Storage brand packed shrimps. I examined the contents of one bag of shrimps and decided that they were big enough for gambas. I thought that if they shrunk, it would only be a little. To my horror, they became soooo tiny! I kept adding more shrimp to the pan to make enough for two so I ended up with only half a bag full of shrimps. So much for saving... I calculated that one bag would be enough for 3 dishes. Turns out, the shrimps were full of water that's why they shrunk. Lesson learned.

This is my version of gambas. Heat some olive oil in a pan. Saute some garlic until brown, add the shrimps. Season with chili or spanish paprika or both then some sliced green chilis (siling haba), patis and some liquid seasoning. Top with sliced leeks. It's that easy! This is what I cook when I'm too lazy or too tired to slave away in the kitchen.

The only good thing about this was the taste.