RED CURRY RISOTTO

Recently the HUBS and I went to Belize.  While we were there, we had this wonderful tour guide Lloyd who showed us around Belize City, told us all the amazing local spots to eat and even brought us some wonderful homemade traditional Belizean beans + rice.  As an Indian who might as well be Mexican, I have had my fair share of lentils, legumes and rice.  But the preparation of this dish was different.  In Belize, coconuts are cultivated primarily for export, however the milk is used widely in local cooking.  The rice in this dish was cooked in local coconut milk rather than water lending to this incredible creaminess and richness.  I came home and was so inspired by this detail that I swore I would create a new recipe, red curry risotto.  In this dish, the grains are actually cooked in the coconut red curry base that has been simmered with lots of veggies.  Delicious & nutritious!  Check out the stats below.  

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RED CURRY RISOTTO

KITCHEN  CHARISMA

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INGREDIENTS (SERVES 6-8)

1. 2 tbs butter
2. 2 tbs olive oil
3. 4 tsp minced garlic
4. 3 tsp adu marcha
5. 1 medium red onion (julienned)
6. 1 diced leek
7. 1 large carrot (very thinly julienned)
8. 8-10 oz box of baby bella mushrooms (diced)
9. 3 large basil leaves
10. 1 kaffir lime leaf
11. 3/4 c farro
12. 3/4 c quinao
13. 1/2 c arborio rice
14. 2 tsp mirchi
15. 2 tbs red curry paste
16. 2 cans of full fat coconut cream (NOT milk)
17. 1/2 green bell pepper (julienned)
18. 1/2 red bell pepper (julienned)
19. 1 bunch radishes (diced)
20. 1 celery stalk (julienned)
21. 16 oz vegetable stock
22. fresh lime zest (about 1/2 a lime)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat the butter in a nonstick pan.
2. Add the garlic and adu marcha.  Saute.
3. Add the olive oil.
4. Add the red onion and saute until transparent.  
5. Add the leek and saute until tender.
6. Add the carrot and saute until tender.
7. Add the mushrooms and saute until reduced in size.
8. Add the red curry paste and saute until well mixed and aromatic.  
9. Add the coconut cream, vegetable stock, quinoa, farro, arborio rice and basil leaves.  Cook while covered for ~15 minutes or until grains are completely cooked through.  Stir occasionally.
10. Add the kaffir lime leaf and cook until aromatic (about 3-5 minutes).  Remove immediately after.  
11. Add the red, green bell peppers and lime zest.  Cook for an additional 5 minutes.  
12. Serve by garnishing with celery and radishes.  

I am obsessed with our "fancy" flatware.  the HUBS knows its only for guests :)