This Thai Inspired Red Curry Seafood Risotto uses seafood and Asian influences. Different and delicious.
Not all Risotto has to be Italian
The making of Thai Inspired Red Curry Seafood Risotto
Who says all Risotto has to be cooked Italian? OK...the Italian's do. But this Thai Inspired Red Curry Seafood Risotto uses seafood and Asian influences.
It's different and delicious.
And we all like different and delicious, right?
Right.
I thought of this recipe one night when I wanted some Thai flavored seafood and rice, and the only rice I had in the pantry at the time was arborio rice. My husband suggested I just make a seafood risotto, using the basic Risotto Milanese recipe, but those Thai flavors kept gnawing at me.
"What if" I suggested, "I made the risotto with Thai flavors and added the seafood?"
"Sounds good to me" he responded.
So I did and this recipe is the result.
Now I made this dish prior to my learning my favorite technique - making risotto in a pressure cooker.
This recipe could easily be modified to use a pressure cooker. Just reduce the chicken stock to 2 cups, and the coconut milk to ½ cup. I would also reduce the fish sauce by half. And of course, there is no reason to heat it up in a separate pan, after sauteing the aromatics and the rice, adding and reducing the wine, just add the liquid to the cooker, cover, and bring to pressure. After the 7 minutes cooking time, quick release the pressure, and stir in the seafood and veggies. Pretty easy, right?
This risotto would also be delicious with some calamari rings added.
OK, let's take this risotto to Thailand!
Thai Inspired Red Curry Seafood Risotto
Ingredients
- ½ pound shrimp peeled and deveined (or if frozen thawed)
- ½ pound large sea scallop cut into quarters, or bay scallops (do not cut if using bay scallops)
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil
- 2 cups reduced sodium or homemade chicken broth
- 1 cup coconut milk light coconut milk is fine
- 1 teaspoon red curry paste such as Thai Kitchen or to taste
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons premium fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or grapeseed oil
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
- 1 cup arborio rice
- ½ cup sweet white wine a Gewurztraminer is perfect and also drinks nicely when you serve this
- 1 cup fresh or frozen peas if frozen, do not thaw
- ½ cup fresh green beans cut into 1″ pieces and blanched for 2 minutes (to blanch, heat a small amount of water to a boil, add the vegetables, cook for 2 minutes and then immediately drain and run cold water over, or put into an ice bath, to stop the cooking process. This helps retain the vegetables natural bright color)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup chopped fresh mint
Instructions
- Reserve 4 shrimp for the top. Slice the rest into pieces about ¼ inch thick. Saute the whole shrimps in 1 teaspoon olive oil in a small fry pan. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the chicken broth, coconut milk, curry paste, brown sugar, and fish sauce. Put over low heat and bring just to a simmer, do NOT boil. Keep warm.
- In a 2 quart high sided saute pan or risotto pan, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic, saute 30 seconds. Add the rice and saute until the rice becomes toasty and slightly translucent around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and stir until the wine is absorbed. Add 2 cups of the broth and simmer, stirring occasionally until absorbed, continue adding liquid, ½ cup at a time, stirring after each addition until it has been absorbed; until the rice is al dente, about 20 – 25 minutes.
- Add the shrimp pieces, scallops, peas, and green beans. Stir and cook until seafood is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Add a little liquid if necessary to keep the rice creamy. All the liquid may not be used. Place in warm bowls, top with reserved shrimps, and sprinkle with cilantro and mint. Serve immediately.
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