Recipe #34: Thai-Style Shrimp and Veggies with Toasted Coconut Rice

This is a Rachael Ray recipe from a new cookbook I received for my birthday! I wasn't quite sure what to expect, but I decided to try it since I'm a big fan of coconut. The result was so different than anything I've made so far- the ginger and lime in combination with the coconut makes a light but flavorful combination. We enjoyed this, despite the fact that once again, I burned the rice to the bottom of the pan. Luckily there was enough for both of us...


INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2cups chicken stock or broth
1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup long-grain rice
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small yellow onion, sliced
8 napa cabbage leaves, thinly shredded
1 cup store-bought shredded carrots, or 1 medium carrot cut into matchsticks
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
3-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons tamari (dark aged soy sauce)
5 scallions, thinly sliced
20 fresh basil leaves, chopped or torn (I only had about 10)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (I skipped this- I'm not a big fan of cilantro)
Juice of 1 lime

DIRECTIONS:

In a sauce pot, combine 1 1/2 cups of the chicken stock with 1 cup of the sweetened shredded coconut; bring the mixture up to a simmer, and add the rice. Return to a simmer over low heat and place a tight-fitting lid on the pot. Cook the rice for 18 minutes. (Mine burned, as usual...)

Heat a small skillet over medium heat, add the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded coconut, stir frequently, and toast until golden, about 2-3 minutes. Heads up: Once the coconut starts to brown it will go from golden to burnt quickly, so keep an eye on it. Remove the toasted coconut from the pan and reserve.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and add to the hot skillet. Saute the shrimp for 2 minutes on each side, until they turn pink but are not yet firm, then remove from the pan and reserve. Return the skillet to the heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add the onion,s cabbage, carrots, red pepper flakes, garlic, ginger, and bell peppers to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes. Add the tamari and the remaining cup of stock, then toss the shrimp back into the pan and stir to combine. Cook the shrimp and veggies for 2 more minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through. Add the scallions, basil, half the cilantro, and lime juice and taste for seasoning.

Add the reserved toasted coconut to the cooked rice. (I just topped everything with it instead). Fluff the rice with the fork to distribute the toasted coconut. Serve the Thai shrimp on top of the toasted coconut rice, sprinkled with the remaining cilantro.