Ginger Jar Food

Ingredients

• 300g arborio rice
• 1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
• 200g fresh white crab meat (or if you are on a budget, use half fresh and half canned)
• A large glass of white wine
• 1 can of coconut cream
• 1 stick of lemon grass, bashed then finely chopped
• A small bunch of coriander, including stalks, finely chopped
• 2 shallots, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 green chillies, deseeded and finely diced
• Some kaffir lime leaves
• The juice and zest of two juicy limes
• 1 teaspoon of curry powder
• 1 tablespoon of Thai green curry paste
• Butter & olive oil
• Salt & pepper
• 2 to 3 eggs, whisked
• 200g panko breadcrumbs (or dried white breadcrumbs if you can't find panko)
• Oil for deep-frying

Instructions

1. First you are making a simple risotto. In one large pan heat up your liquids - wine, stock & coconut milk, and infuse with the kaffir lime leaves. You want the liquid to boil then rest at a very light simmer.
2. In the another pan heat some oil and butter and sweat off the shallots, garlic, lemongrass and green chilli. After a couple of minutes add the curry powder and Thai green curry paste and cook the mixture out a little.
3. Now add the rice and stir to coat it in the oil and other ingredients before beginning to ladle in your liquids, a few ladle-fulls at a time.
4. Cook the risotto until the rice is al dente and the mixture is a little moist but not too runny, then add the crab meat and coriander. Stir to heat it all through and combine then check and adjust the seasoning, and when you are happy, turn out onto a flat tray to cool quickly.
5. Now to make the arancini. Get two tubs ready, one with whisked eggs and the other with the breadcrumbs. The first layer of breadcrumbing does not need the egg as the mixture will be sticky enough.
6. With wet hands, pick up some rice and shape a golf club sized ball, pressing the rice firmly together, then drop it into breadcrumbs to coat and out onto a tray. Repeat until you have used up all your mixture. Chill the arancini for around 30 mins (you can skip this step if you are running short on time).
7. Create a second layer of breadcrumbs by dropping the arancini into egg, draining and dropping into breadcrumbs. Once again you should ideally chill the arancini before frying.
8. Heat some oil in a deep fat fryer, or deep pan, to 180C. Fry the arancini in batches for 3 to 4 mins until golden brown. Eat immediately w/ a chilli dipping sauce if desired.