Divine Rice with Prawns

I've always loved fried rice but have never made it. My mom is the master of throwing together all the leftovers in the fridge to make fried rice. This recipe can easily be adapted according to your tastes, or to whatever meat and veggies you might have on hand.


I usually keep two types of bagged frozen vegetables in my freezer at all times. One type includes red, green, and yellow bell pepper slices with onions. You can find all sorts of uses for these... from an Asian stir fry, to fried rice, to chili. You'll save a lot of money if you buy them frozen, as red and yellow bell peppers can cost a fortune. The other type of frozen veggie bag I usually keep on hand is the "stir fry" variety that contains snap peas, carrots, water chestnuts, etc. These are great for dishes like Orange Chicken.


When I saw this fried rice recipe on Cate's blog, it finally gave me the push I needed to make my own at home. I'm surprised I've never made fried rice before, especially since we eat so much rice in this household and always have leftover rice sitting in the fridge. If you haven't visited Fresh From Cate's Kitchen before, I encourage you do to so. She's got a lot of great recipes over there, and I've been dying to make the Char Siu Pork she posted.


The key to making good fried rice is a really hot wok (or skillet), and having all your ingredients ready ahead of time. Once you start making it, you don't really time in between each step to get things together. It's really nice, though, because it comes together in less than ten minutes, making it a great weeknight meal.

Divine Rice with Prawns
adapted from Fresh From Cate's Kitchen (who adapted it from Thai Cooking from the Siam Cuisine Restaurant)

12-15 prawns, pre-cooked
2 tsp canola oil
2 tbsp minced garlic
1 cup frozen stir fry vegetables, partially thawed (you can either use a bell pepper/onion stir fry or the ones that include snap peas)
2 eggs
3 cups cold cooked rice
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp ketchup
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp chopped cilantro
6-8 basil leaves, chiffonade
juice of 1 fresh lime
cucumber slices (optional)


In a small bowl, mix together the fish sauce, sugar, ketchup, and soy sauce.

Heat a skillet over high heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and onions. Stir-fry until light brown.

Crack the eggs into the pan and scramble, cooking for about 10 seconds.

Add the bell pepper and stir fry for about 30 seconds.

Add the rice and stir-fry, breaking up clumps of rice and egg.

Add your sauce mixture and stir fry for a few minutes.

Add the prawns and cook until they are heated through, throwing in the basil at the last minute.

Transfer to a serving dish, and sprinkle the lime juice and cilantro over the top, then serve with cucumber slices on the side if desired.

Marinated Grilled Shrimp

I am always looking for good seafood recipes, as we seem to eat a lot of chicken and beef. I love the simplicity of this dish. There is a little bit of a wait for the shrimp to marinate, but otherwise the recipe comes together really quickly and makes a great weeknight meal.

The flavors are perfect, too. Tomato and basil are always great together - I love fresh basil so much that I pretty much love anything with basil in it :) The cayenne complements the other flavors without making it spicy at all. As the author of the recipe warns, don't leave it out! I might even add more cayenne next time to give it some kick. I halved the recipe (but included the full recipe below) and it was the perfect amount for the two of us. I served it with lemon risotto and roasted garlic bread... mmmm!


Marinated Grilled Shrimp
from Allrecipes.com

3 cloves garlic, minced (I halved the recipe and still used 2 cloves)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pounds fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
skewers

In a large bowl, stir together the garlic, olive oil, tomato sauce, and red wine vinegar. Season with basil, salt, and cayenne pepper. Add shrimp to the bowl, and stir until evenly coated. Cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring once or twice.

Preheat grill for medium heat. Thread shrimp onto skewers, piercing once near the tail and once near the head. Discard marinade.

Lightly oil grill grate (I use my George Foreman grill; no oiling needed). Cook shrimp on preheated grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until opaque.

Yield: 6 Servings.

Shrimp and Goat Cheese Risotto

I love risotto. Risotto can be made from a variety of different rice grains, but arborio is the most common one. You can usually find arborio rice in most grocery stores; it is usually near the other grains of rice (long grain, brown, etc.) and the couscous. Typically, the rice grains are heated in oil or butter until browned, and then stock is added, bit by bit, until the rice has soaked up all the liquid. What you end up with is a delicious, creamy rice. I just wish it wouldn't take so long to cook. For those who are patient enough, the end result is always worth the wait.

This is a great recipe for the goat cheese lovers out there. The basil complements the goat cheese well, and I think you could easily substitute chicken for the shrimp if you are not a seafood lover. Or, omit the shrimp altogether and use vegetable broth for a nice vegetarian side dish.

I have only made risotto a handful of times, and I know how nervous I was making it the first time. So I have a few tips for those who are making risotto for the first time. As you are boiling off the liquid, make sure your heat is set to low-medium. The heat should be high enough that your liquid is at a very low boil, but not so high that it is at a rolling boil. If your heat is too low, and there is no gentle boil, your rice will not cook. You will taste test it and see that it is not done, continue to add liquid to it, and the rice will continue to soak up liquid without cooking, leaving you with a soupy mess of uncooked rice (I know this from experience - ha!).

Make sure you do not add your cheese until the very end, just before serving. If you add it too early, your risotto will become grainy and oily because the heat acting on the proteins of the cheese will cause release of the oils contained in the cheese. Again, leaving you with some not so great tasting risotto.

To determine when your risotto is done, move it all to one side of your saucepan and give the saucepan a shake. The risotto is ready when it relaxes and settles some after shaking. If a lot of liquid runs away from the rice, it needs to cook a bit longer. You'll also need to do a taste test, similar to checking pasta to see if it is al dente. The rice should be soft but not mushy, and there should be very little crunch left to it. If it is hard at all, continue to cook it a little more.

Shrimp and Goat Cheese Risotto
from Food & Wine


1 quart chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
3/4 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup arborio rice (8 1/2 ounces)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chopped basil leaves
1/4 cup soft fresh goat cheese (1 1/2 ounces)
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer. Add the shrimp, cover and simmer over moderate heat until just cooked, about 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a plate to cool. Cover the stock and keep it at barely a simmer.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter in the olive oil. Add the garlic and onion and cook over low heat, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the rice and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until it is coated with oil, about 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer until almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add 1 scant cup of the simmering stock and cook, stirring constantly, until it is absorbed. Continue to add the stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly until it is absorbed. The risotto is done when the rice is tender but still slightly firm and creamy, about 25 minutes total. Stir in the shrimp. Remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the basil, goat cheese, Parmesan, ginger and lemon zest. Season the risotto with salt and pepper and serve.

Yield: 4 servings.