Thai Red Lobster Curry With Chinese Black Rice

Chef #300159's Note:

I saw this recipe on "united states of reza" on uktv food on 8/3/06. this recipe was prepared by female chef, allyson thurber, who works in the "lobster" restaurant on santa monica beach in l.a. now let me tell you, it looked divine when she made this dish, but ultimately, it tasted the way it looked! check it out & tell me what you think!... also, if you could, take a picture of the dish once finished, as it would be interesting to see if it differed at all from the original!

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 1

• 1 ½ lbs fresh lobster meat
• 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
• 2 (350 g) cans coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 200 g shiitake mushrooms , sliced
• 5 -6 garlic cloves , peeled & left whole
• 1 red pepper , deseeded & diced
• 10 baby carrots , blanched
• 2 large broccoli florets , halved & blanched
• 200 g frozen peas , blanched
• ½ cup chinese black rice
• butter
• freshly ground sea salt
• freshly ground mixed peppercorn
• olive oil
• 1 lobster head , to garnish
• shredded Thai basil , to garnish

Directions:

1. Please bear-in-mind, these are just approximations. you can vary the ingredients & cooking times to vary your taste.
2. firstly, peel the garlic cloves, but leave whole. place the peeled garlic cloves onto an oven tray, drizzle with a little olive oil & place in a pre-heated oven - 180degrees; gas mark 4 - for 15-20 minutes approx', or until the garlic has become golden & caramelised.
3. next, prepare the thai red curry sauce. in a large, non-stick saucepan, heat up a little olive oil until hot. add the thai red curry paste to the pan & stir. add the tins of coconut milk & the fish sauce & stir well. bring the sauce to the boil & then reduce the heat. simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes approx', or until the sauce has reduced & thickened.
4. whilst the sauce is thickening, in a large non-stick frying pan, saute off the shitaki mushrooms, roasted garlic cloves, diced red pepper, baby carrots, halved broccoli florets & the peas in a little olive oil, for 3 minutes approx'.
5. add the fresh lobster meat & continue to saute for a further 3-5 minutes approximately.
6. add the thickened sauce to the lobster & vegetables in the pan & season to taste. stir well & then bring to the boil. reduce the heat once again & then simmer for a further 5 minutes approx', or until the lobster meat has been lightly poached in the sauce.
7. to serve, stir a knob of butter through the cooked chinese black rice - cooked using instructions on the packet - until thoroughly melted through. place the rice into a rammekin dish & press down firmly to mould the shape. out-turn the rice onto the centre of a warmed serving bowl. pour the thai red lobster curry around the rice.
8. garnish with a lobster head placed on top of the rice & a dusting of shredded thai basil.