Risotto with Red Curry and Shrimps

Here’s a creamy risotto with a novel combination of flavors. Here, I add red curry paste and shrimp flavored with kaffir leaves. When an Italian classic meets Thai savors, the result is nothing short of explosive. The risotto is soft and creamy, the chili tickles the palate, and with the caramelized shrimps, your dinner is guaranteed to be original.

This is what a kaffir lime leaf looks like. The citrus fruit goes under various names, and the leaves are generally sold frozen in Asian grocery stores.

Recipe for risotto with red curry for 4

• 1 shallot, finely chopped

• 3 tablespoons oil

• 2 to 3 teaspoons of red curry paste (for homemade curry paste, click here)

• 10 oz. / 300 g Arborio or other round-grain rice (about 1 ½ cups)

• 4 cups / 1 liter hot vegetable broth

• 6 kaffir lime leaves

• 2 ½ teaspoons brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons nuoc mam (fish sauce)

• 2/3 cup / 150 ml coconut cream[CA1] 

• 4 sprigs cilantro (coriander)

For the shrimps

• Oil for the pan

• 6 kaffir lime leaves

• 2 heaping tablespoons red curry paste

• 2 ½ teaspoons brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons nuoc mam

• 40 shrimps, shelled

For the risotto

Place the shallot, oil, and red curry paste in a large pan over medium heat.

Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, and add the rice.

Stir the rice well so that it is thoroughly coated with oil, and continue until it is translucent. Pour in a little of the hot vegetable broth.

Continue as you would to make a traditional risotto. Pour the broth in small additions, waiting until the previous quantity has been completely absorbed before you pour in more. Generally, a risotto takes about 20 minutes in all to cook from the time you begin adding liquid.

This leaves you the time to prepare the shrimp between stirrings.

First remove the central vein of the 6 kaffir lime leaves.

Shred them finely.

Place the red curry paste, brown sugar, nuoc mam, and the shredded kaffir lime leaves in a mixing bowl and stir well to combine with the shrimps.

Prepare the remaining 6 kaffir lime leaves and add them to the risotto.

When all the vegetable broth has been absorbed, add the brown sugar, nuoc mam, and coconut cream to the risotto.

Shred the cilantro leaves finely and stir in. The photo shows Mexican coriander, but it’s fine to use classic cilantro.

Mix well. The risotto is now ready, so keep it warm while you quickly cook the shrimp.

Pour the oil into a large pan over fairly high heat. When it’s hot, add the shrimp. If you can’t fit them all in at once, cook them in 2 batches.

Add the sugar. This gives a lovely caramelized color to the shrimp.

Divide the risotto among 4 plates and top each with 10 shrimp. Serve immediately.