Il Cucinologo
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Arancini with Red Rice and Asian Vegetables

26/11/2023

Sure! The arancino is a typical dish of Sicilian cuisine, usually filled with ragù, mozzarella, and peas. However, the version you requested is a fusion reinterpretation that combines elements of Italian cuisine with Asian flavors. Here is a recipe for preparing Arancini with red rice and Asian vegetables:

Ingredients

  • 300 g red rice
  • 1 liter vegetable broth
  • 50 g grated Parmesan
  • 1 small onion
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt, to taste
  • Pepper, to taste
  • 150 g mixed Asian vegetables (for example, pak choi, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, shiitake mushrooms)
  • Soy sauce, to taste
  • Fresh grated ginger, to taste
  • 100 g flour
  • 200 g breadcrumbs
  • 2 eggs
  • Oil for frying

Preparation

  1. Start by cooking the red rice in the vegetable broth following the package instructions, until it is soft but still al dente. Once cooked, let the rice cool and then mix it with the grated Parmesan, adding salt if necessary.

  2. In a pan, heat the olive oil and sauté the chopped onion until it becomes translucent. Add the Asian vegetables cut into small pieces, a little soy sauce, and the grated ginger. Cook for a few minutes, until the vegetables are tender but still crisp.

  3. Take a portion of red rice and flatten it on your hand, placing a spoonful of the Asian vegetable mixture in the center. Close the rice around the filling, forming a ball or cone.

  4. Beat the eggs in a bowl. Coat each arancino first in flour, then in the beaten egg, and finally in the breadcrumbs, making sure it is well coated.

  5. Fry the arancini in hot oil until golden and crispy. It is important that the oil is hot enough to cook the arancini without absorbing too much oil.

  6. Drain the fried arancini on paper towels to remove excess oil.

Serve hot, perhaps accompanied by a soy-based sauce or a sweet and sour sauce.

Trivia

Normally arancini are made with white rice, typically arborio, which is suitable for preparing risotto. Using red rice not only gives the arancini a unique appearance and a slightly different flavor but also adds a nutritional element due to the richness of antioxidants typical of this type of rice.