Thai Barley Risotto

Ok folks, here is one of my favorite recipes of all time.  Seriously.  It has all the elements of Thai food that I love--aromatic ginger and lemongrass, flavorful jalapeno and cilantro, fresh garlic and green onion, soothing red curry and coconut milk.  All of that in a risotto made of pearled barley (a much healthier and heartier alternative to arborio rice) and a bunch of fresh veggies:  red bell pepper, sugar snap peas, and broccoli.  You can also add any others that you would like (I'm thinking carrots, cauliflower, water chestnuts, bok choy, or even squash/pumpkin could work nicely).

I modified this recipe to make it vegan and fat free:  Cooking Light Thai Barley Risotto.  But be forewarned that the prep for this recipe does take some time.  So get in the mood for chop chop chopping and believe me, your tastebuds and warm belly will thank you.

Here are just a few of the ingredients:

I like to chop my veggies in advance since they all go in the pan in quick order.

Ingredient list:

1 1/2 cups chopped green onions (green tops and bases), divided (1/2 cup and 1 cup)
2 tablespoons minced garlic, divided (1 tablespoon each)
1/2 cup uncooked pearled barley
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided (1/4 cup each)
fresh ground black pepper to taste
24 ounces reduced-sodium vegetable broth (may be more or less depending on how quickly barley cooks)
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced (leave a few seeds in for some heat, if you are into that like I am)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 1/2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce OR Bragg's liquid aminos
1-2 teaspoons red curry paste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh lemongrass
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 14-oz package of firm tofu, pressed/drained and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 1/2 cups sugar snap peas, trimmed
1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
1 cup light coconut milk (well shaken)
4 tablespoons chopped unsalted roasted peanuts

For the first time, I marinated the tofu in a mixture of coconut milk, red curry paste, Bragg's liquid aminos, lime juice, minced ginger and lemongrass for about a hour while I chopped up the veggies.  Then I tried to brown it ahead of time to give it some texture...FAILURE.  On both accounts.  It would not brown because there was too much liquid (which I anticipated but still thought it would eventually work) and once it was mixed in to the overall dish, the marinating did not add anything to the flavor.  So save yourself the 45-60 minutes and just brown plain old tofu (pressed and/or drained, of course) in advance which will then be tossed in at the end.

To start, spray a large saucepan--or wok, if you are like me and resign yourself to ruining the seasoning that has built up over the last few months :(--with fat-free olive oil cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat.  Add 1/2 cup green onions and 1 tablespoon of garlic and saute for 2-3 minutes until aromatic and onions begin to soften (add a splash of veg broth to keep pan from getting too dry).

Stir in barley, 1/4 cup of cilantro, black pepper, 1/2 cup veg broth, and jalapenos; bring to a boil.  This is where your patience comes in.  Cook this for 3-4 minutes, or until liquid is nearly absorbed, while stirring constantly.  Yes, constantly.  Add remaining broth every 3-4 minutes, 1/2 cup at a time, and stir away until each portion is absorbed before adding the next (about 35-40 minutes).  When ready, the barley will be chewy and slightly firm (i.e. not soft and mushy like arborio rice can be), the mixture will be "creamy", and it should look like this:

Then (and this part can be made beforehand, too) combine the fresh lime juice, brown sugar, water, rice vinegar, soy sauce/Bragg's liquid aminos, and red curry paste and set aside for later.

Heat a separate saucepan or large skillet, oiled with fat-free olive oil spray or a few splashes of veg broth, over medium-high heat.  Add 1 cup green onions, 1 tablespoon garlic, lemongrass, and ginger and saute for 2-3 minutes.  Add tofu (pre-browned or just plain, your choice), bell pepper, sugar snap peas, broccoli, and any other vegetables and saute for 3 minutes (veggies should not get too soft, since there is still another 5-10 minutes of cooking time left).

Stir in barley mixture, juice mixture, and coconut milk and bring to another boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 5-8 minutes or until the sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.  Stir in 1/4 cup cilantro.

This is slightly more liquid-y than it should be, but I got impatient and I generally prefer things to be more soupy than thick--totally your preference as to how thick you want it.  The longer you let it simmer at this stage, the thicker and more risotto-like it will become. 

Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with chopped peanuts.

The crunchy peanuts and crisp bell peppers, sugar snap peas, and broccoli really add a complementary texture to the tofu and risotto.  I could eat this dish every day and be happy.  Bon appetit!