Lunch Box
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[Photograph: Suzanne Lehrer]

I love quinoa as much as the next grain, but I find it can sometimes be a little dry. I doubled the amount of liquid called for to cook the quinoa, using coconut milk, vegetable stock and curry powder to make a quick curry to simmer the grains in. Using extra liquid ensured that the quinoa was completely cooked, but that there was a little broth left over to poach the shrimp and serve as a sauce.

I used mushrooms here to beef this up a bit, but feel free to throw in whatever vegetables you have on hand. If you have curry paste, add about a tablespoon or so with the curry powder to give the dish deeper curry flavors (and colors).

About the Author: Suzanne Lehrer is a writer and recipe developer in New York and a recipe editor for Cooking Channel. When not curating her budding hot sauce collection, she puts her French Culinary Institute education to good use in kitchens all around town. On twitter and instagram @suzerbruiser

Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil, more if needed
  • 5 ounces cremini or baby bella mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder
  • 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1 cup vegetable stock
  • 1/2 cup quinoa
  • 8 ounces shrimp, peeled and deveined, sliced in half lengthwise if very large
  • 1/4 cup torn fresh basil leaves (about 10 large leaves)

Procedures

  1. Melt butter in saucepot, then add mushrooms and onions and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are browned and crispy. Add more butter or oil if pot gets too dry. Add curry powder and garlic and cook until garlic is fragrant and curry is toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in coconut milk and stock, bring back to simmer. Add quinoa, cover, and cook over low heat, about 12 minutes, then remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.

  2. Uncover quinoa and stir. Stir in shrimp to submerge in curry broth, then cover and cook over medium-low heat until just pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in basil. Serve hot, or let cool slightly, then ladle into an airtight container for later use. Reheat in microwave until broth is hot.