Can’t Stop Won’t Stop (Red Curry-ifiying EVERYTHING)
You know we love red curry. We know we love red curry. It’s no secret that we think that everything tastes better with a few tablespoons of red curry paste and a healthy pour of coconut milk. We’ve applied this theory to everything from meatballs to ramen, and today we’ve got our coconut curry-sights on shrimp risotto! A delectable hybrid of Italian shrimp risotto and Thai red curry shrimp, this red curry risotto recipe is a surprisingly natural combination when you stop to think about it—or, even better, when you sit down to taste it! For a more classic risotto, try our wild mushroom risotto.
Risotto Technique 101
Just as with a classic risotto, this curry risotto recipe requires a little stirring on your part. But if you’re willing to bring a little patience to the table, time and heat will do the rest. Here are a few things to keep in mind about this Thai red curry riff on classic risotto:
- We’re not using classic risotto rice! Instead, we call for jasmine rice. It won’t absorb liquid in exactly the same way as risotto rices like arborio or carnaroli, but it will absorb it. Just work with patience, and keep on stirring.
- Our curry risotto gets its creamy risotto-y-ness from not one but two liquids! And—unlike risotto—neither liquid is a broth. Instead we add plain old water as well as a creamy red curry coconut mixture.
- This creamy coconut curry rice doesn’t start in a mostly-empty skillet like risotto does. Instead, you’ll begin by adding the rice to a flavorful slurry of red curry and coconut milk.
Super Delicious Curry Risotto, Just A Few Basic Ingredients.
We built this simple shrimp risotto recipe out of things that we always have on our shopping list and in our pantry. If you’ve been reading this site for a while (and making our recipes) then you might even consider (like we do) red curry paste to be a kitchen staple. Whether you need to make a grocery run, or you magically have these ingredients on-hand already, we promise you won’t have to visit a specialty store to whip this coconut milk risotto up. Here’s all you’ll need:
- Coconut milk. Full fat—always and forever.
- Fish sauce.
- Red curry paste. We’ve mentioned this before, but we adore the Mae Ploy brand. We’re also crushing hard on a new (local to Portland) brand of red curry paste called Thai Home, but it might be hard to find outside of the Pacific Northwest. If you see it, grab a jar and give it a try!
- Onion.
- Fresh garlic and ginger.
- Lime.
- Jasmine rice.
- Dried, sweetened coconut.
- Sugar.
- Large shrimp. Frozen or fresh—either works. If you’re using frozen shrimp, just be sure to defrost them before you start making this recipe.
How to Make Coconut Curry Risotto
Admittedly, this is not our easiest recipe ever. But! If you’ve made risotto before, the process will be really familiar. Below, we walk you through the recipe and call out a few trip points to watch out for:
- Prep your shrimp—defrost if you are using frozen, then peel and devein shrimp.
- Make your coconut red curry liquid. Simmer together curry paste, fish sauce, coconut milk, sugar, lime, ginger, garlic and onion. Scoop out a cup of this liquid to save for the end—you'll use it to finish the dish.
- Pour your rice into the simmering red coconut curry liquid.
- Stir! Keeping the curry risotto at a low simmer, stir and stir and stir some more. The work of stirring will both prevent burning and encourage the rice to absorb the liquid.
- Stir some more! Once the coconut curry liquid seems to have been mostly absorbed, you're going to start adding water. Add it one cup at a time and stir a lot between cups. Wait to add the next cup until the previous cup of water has been thoroughly absorbed.
- While you're stirring the rice, sauté the shrimp in a separate skillet—you can sauté and stir at the same time, right? It's probably a really good brain workout.
- Finish! Add the shrimp to the creamy curry rice, and finish the dish with the reserved coconut milk-red curry mixture, lime zest and coconut.
Tools You'll Need for Successful Risotto
Other Easy Shrimp Recipes for Busy Weeknights
This Asian risotto is just one of the many ways we love to cook shrimp. A quick, healthy protein source, and a refreshing break from chicken, shrimp is a weeknight staple for us. Here are four of our go-to shrimp recipes:
- Old Bay Shrimp and Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner
- Baked Coconut Shrimp
- Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry
- Shrimp Melt with Capers and Old Bay Seasoning
Curry Risotto—Who Knew?
We hope you give this unusual recipe a try! It’s a little out of the box, in the very best way. Let us know how it goes over in your home! Snap a photo of your red curry risotto with shrimp and Tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper.Happy eating!
