Garlic Butter Shrimp with Kampot Pepper

A simple luxury, served warm with crusty bread and a quiet glass of wine.

This simple garlic butter shrimp, gently infused with the warmth of Kampot pepper, is one of those recipes. Black or red pepper, freshly cracked, awakens the senses with its citrusy bite and slow bloom of heat. Finished with sea salt and served sizzling alongside crusty bread, it's a reminder that elegance often lies in simplicity.

Ingredients (Serves 2–3 as an appetizer)

• 300g fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• ½ tsp (or more to preferences) freshly ground Kampot black or red pepper
• ½ tsp sea salt (or to taste)
• Splash of olive oil (optional)
• Warm baguette or rustic bread, for serving

Instructions

1. Melt the butter

In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter with a splash of olive oil to slow the browning.

2. Infuse with garlic

Add the sliced garlic and stir gently until fragrant and golden. Do not let it brown — it should stay soft and aromatic.

3. Sear the shrimp

Add shrimp in a single layer. Sear 1–2 minutes per side, just until they turn pink and tender.

4. Bloom the Kampot pepper

Just before removing from heat, grind a generous amount of Kampot pepper over the shrimp — let it coat and bloom in the warm butter. Let it release its oils into the butter — the warmth will carry the citrus and floral notes to life.

5. Finish with sea salt

Sprinkle salt to taste, then remove from heat.

6. Serve with bread

Spoon shrimp and warm garlic butter over slices of toasted bread. Let the butter soak in — it’s where all the flavor lives.

Pairing Notes

• White Wine: A dry Sauvignon Blanc or mineral-forward Riesling lifts the citrus notes of Kampot pepper.
• Red Wine: A light Pinot Noir complements the pepper’s warmth without overpowering the dish.
• Beer: A crisp Belgian-style ale or wheat beer cools the palate while matching the garlic and spice.

A Taste of Kampot

Kampot pepper is hand-harvested in southern Cambodia — grown without chemicals, dried in the sun, and selected with care. Its flavor is layered and expressive: from pine to citrus, warmth to bloom.

This dish is a quiet celebration of that complexity — simple, sensory, and meant to be shared.

Written and curated by the TYKCOLLECTIVE Research & Culinary Studio.

Photography by Kamran Aydinov via Freepik