Coconut Curry Barley Risotto

By jads8627

Ingredients

• 1 cup pearled barley
• 2 1/4 cups light coconut milk
• 1/2 tsp. curry powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/4 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 4 cardamom pods
• 8-10 coriander seeds
• pinch of allspice
• 6 oz. cooked edamame beans
• 1 cup chopped shitake mushrooms

Preparation

Step 1

Whisk together 2 cups of coconut milk and the spices in a large bowl or pot. Over medium heat, bring the spiced coconut milk to a low boil.
Once at a low boil, turn the heat to low and add the barley to cook in the spiced coconut milk. Stir regularly to keep the milk from scalding on the bottom.
While the barley cooks, prepare the edamame beans.
In a large pan, sautée the mushrooms in 1 tbsp. vegetable or olive oil, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper. Cook them for just a few minutes, as they will continue to soften once added to the risotto. If they are done before the barley, remove from heat and set aside.
As the coconut milk begins to thicken and reduce, test the doneness of the barley. If the barley is still too al dente, add some additional coconut milk to keep it from getting to sticky while the barley cooks. Continue to add small amounts of coconut milk as needed, until the barley is al dente and the coconut milk is still kept creamy.
Add the barley and edamame to the sautée pan with the mushrooms. Stir together over low heat, adding any additional coconut milk needed to maintain the right consistency. The end result should be creamy and a bit runny, but not thick and sticky.
Remove the cardamom pods before serving, and enjoy.