Asian Risotto: Sushi Rice, Shrimp, Thai Basil, Shiso, Yuzu

asian risotto, shrimp risotto

Asian Risotto
Sushi Rice with Rosé & Sautéed Shrimp
Flavored with Thai Basil, Shiso, and Yuzu
Chiffonade of Shiso Garnish

asian risotto

This month our 5 Star Cooking Group is featuring dishes cooked with wine. My contribution to the event is this aromatic Asian Risotto with pretty pink shrimp deglazed with a dry Rosé. A chiffonade of fragrant Thai basil and minty-fennely shiso leaves brings distinctive racy flavors to the dish. Fresh yuzu zest and juice add balance and vibrance.

yuzu tree

Yuzu Tree

This is my first fruit of the season. The young green yuzu will turn a mellow golden yellow when ripened. Both the young green and the mature yellow fruits can be used in cooking, so we’ll have yuzu available for months! The rind is very aromatic, the juice is tart. It adds a unique bright note to the risotto.

sushi rice

Sushi Rice

Use premium sushi rice, such as koshihikari, as an Asian replacement for Arborio.

Asian Risotto Recipe

sauteed shrimp

  • 2 T. canola oil
  • 1 lb. medium-large shrimp (36-40’s), peeled deveined
  • 2 T. butter (I use Earth Balance)
  • 2 T. minced garlic
  • 1 small onion, 1/4″ dice
  • 2 c. sushi rice
  • 1 c. Rosé, dry pink wine plus a splash of red wine
  • 6 c. chicken broth
  • 6 Thai basil leaves, chiffonade
  • 4 shiso leaves, chiffonade, divided
  • Zest from 1 yuzu
  • Juice from 4 yuzu

Sauté shrimp in 1 T. oil until just cooked. Transfer to a platter, Season with salt and pepper. Add another tablespoon of oil and a tablespoon of butter to the pot with the shrimp juices. Then add the onion and sauté until soft. Add garlic sautéeing for one more minute. Add the rice and stir to coat. Cook for about 2 minutes.

rosé, pink wine

Add rosé and and a splash of red wine to deglaze the pan, cooking until all the wine has evaporated. I wanted the rice to have a pretty pale pink blush, hence this extra splash of red.

making risotto

Add hot chicken broth one ladle at a time, stirring and allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding the next.

yuzu zest

Meanwhile, zest one yuzu, and squeeze the juice from a total of four fruits.

shiso

Cut the Thai basil and shiso leaves into ribbons (chiffonade).

asian risotto

When the rice is al dente stir in 1 T. butter, yuzu zest, yuzu juice, basil and shiso. Reserving some shiso ribbons for garnish. Add a bit more hot broth for creaminess and add the shrimp to the rice. Salt and pepper to taste.

asian risotto, pickled ginger

Ladle into bowls and garnish with a chiffonade of shiso. For guests with a more daring palate, pink pickled ginger makes an interesting addition to the dish. Try a bite of ginger with each bite of shrimp.

Serve with pink wine, of course.

Inspiration from Simply Ming One-Pot Meals by Ming Tsai

39 thoughts on “Asian Risotto: Sushi Rice, Shrimp, Thai Basil, Shiso, Yuzu”

  1. A-MA-ZING! First off – you have a YUZU tree? You are a culinary goddess! How cool are you? This is stunning and I love what you made!

    …and as always – your pictures are a feast for the eyes!

  2. What a dish! This is a great use for wine and a really lovely meal…your Asian spin on risotto is brilliant! (And wow, your own yuzu tree? I’m green with envy. 😉 )

  3. Very creative! Shiso and yuzo are impossible to come in my area – in fact, I’m happy you showed the cut fruit so I could get to see what it looked like. It must have been incredibly fragrant in your kitchen with all those aromatics!

  4. Love that you used rose wine to deglaze. Really nice dish! Is that yuzu tree yours? That is just too cool. It must be so fun coming up with ideas on how to use them.

  5. This is just beautiful…and not just aesthetically speaking! Wow! I absolutely adore the balance of flavors here and although I am not familiar with yuzu, sounds like something I will want to try 🙂 Fantastic dish for the challenge!

  6. I’m planning a dish with seafood and yuzu for a guest post and would love to use fresh yuzu instead of bottled from the Asian market! Amazing flavors here – I love that you gave it an Asian twist that doesn’t include soy sauce (hubs can’t have it – even if it’s low sodium) – so pretty in pink 🙂

  7. This is exquisite Asian cuisine! I love the genius mix of flavors. This is probably something I won’t be able to create perfectly. The preparation seems simple but needs expertise…Great recipe!

  8. This is so gorgeous. What I love most about this dish is how elegant and clean it looks – representing the purest type of Asian cuisine – and yet, using wine in the perfect way to bring out the layers of flavors! It’s not easy to use wine this way and you’ve done such a beautiful job! I love love love it!!

  9. lovely, again! you rock. i love the risotto. it took me back to the 1st time I had risotto in Florence where I fell in love with the dish. I don’t do shrimp but I’m sure it gives it an amazing flavor. And, that basil is gorgeous! Brava!

    xo.

  10. Go Asian, Lori! I absolutely adore this risotto. I’ve had yuzu juice before but never seen its tree. This is so cool. Shiso and basil leaves are great additional touch. I so want this at right about now!

  11. This couldn’t be prettier. I want to print your photos and hang them by my computer for inspiration. The flavors seem to be both comfortable and exotic.

  12. Oooohh! I <3 yuzu/yuja and shiso/kkaennip. I'm waiting for the mature yuzu/yuja to come around again! I just wish they weren't so expensive.

  13. Wow your presentation is stunning. Combining a risotto dish with an Asian flair is brilliant. I have yet to try yuzu but I have been reading a lot about it. Love your dish and yeah tailgate should be…interesting lol?

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