Recipe: Shrimp and Coconut Risotto By Anna Olson

Delight the whole family with this comforting, Asian inspired risotto

Photo: Asian Food Channel

Celebrity chef Anna Olson returns to inspire culinary enthusiasts and home cooks alike with her new cooking show, Inspired with Anna Olson, on Asian Food Channel.

In the series, she journeys through Southeast Asia, traveling through countries like Ho Chi Minh City, Manila and Kuala Lumpur to learn the secrets of their local cuisines. She then recreates the dishes with her own signature twist, back home in her Canadian kitchen.

With one of the pit stops being Singapore, there’s no better way to celebrate than with this Asian inspired risotto.

Yield: 4 servings 

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 30ml vegetable oil
• 80g diced cooking onion
• 225g Arborio rice
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 6g finely grated fresh ginger
• 625ml shrimp or chicken stock
• 250ml coconut milk
• 180g diced red bell pepper (about 1 medium pepper)
• 400g fully peeled shrimp
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 45g chopped fresh coriander
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 100g fresh spinach leaves
• Chopped roasted peanuts, for garnish
• Sambal or Pickled Jalapeno Peppers, for garnish

Method

1. Heat a medium sized heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat with the oil.
2. Add the onion and sauté, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the rice and stir this for 2 minutes, to coat the rice.
4. Stir in the garlic and ginger and then add 250 mL (1 cup) of the stock, reducing the heat to medium-low and stirring with a wooden spoon until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
5. Add another 250 mL (1 cup) of stock and stir regularly (you don’t have to stir constantly now) until this is almost absorbed. Add the coconut milk and cook this in stirring regularly.
6. After the coconut milk is half absorbed, check the rice for tenderness (it will still be a little crunchy, but starting to soften).
7. Add the red pepper and shrimp and cook until the coconut milk is absorbed, but the mixture is still creamy. If the rice is still not cooked through, add the remaining 125 mL (1/2 cup) of stock and cook in while stirring.
8. Season to taste and stir in the green onions and coriander. When ready to serve, stir in the spinach leaves, to wilt them slightly.
9. To serve, spoon the risotto into bowls and top with the peanuts, Sambal and/or Pickled Jalapeno Peppers.

“Inspired with Anna Olson” airs every Friday at 9:00pm, on Asian Food Channel, StarHub Ch 435.