Recipe Arancinotto - How to make “Oriental” arancine

Introduction to the recipe

The part of the world once known as “the Orient” is number one in the world in terms of rice consumption. Rice is eaten on a regular basis there, and considered the principal source of carbohydrates.

The most widespread variety of rice is basmati, with a long grain and a low amount of starch. Rice is consumed in combinations with vegetables, meats, fish and shellfish, almost invariably in the company of soy sauce and ginger, which lend the food saltiness and savour without the need for additional salts. These “Oriental” arancine are a delicious reinterpretation of those classic flavours that we all will have tasted when dining at an Asian restaurant.

From the world

Medium

160 grams

Fish

Ingredients for about 12 arancini

For rice:

500 gr of basmati rice
1 liter of vegetable stock
2 tablespoons of turmeric
10 grams of salt
60 grams of butter
2 tablespoons of rice starch

For the finish:

100 gr of flour
180 ml of water
2 eggs
150 gr of bread crumbs

For the filling:

300 grams of prawns
half onion
1 carrot
1 zucchini
50 ml of soy sauce
1 small doll of powder ginger
extra virgin olive oil

Preparation of rice and filling

Rice

How to prepare the rice:

In a saucepan, put the broth, the butter, the turmeric and the salt
When the stock is boiling, add the rice and mix well
Cover and cook over low heat until the rice absorbs all the broth and is cooked but al dente
When cooked, stir, pour the rice on a cold surface and spread evenly to allow rapid cooling
When the rice is cool down, it is ready to prepare the arancini

Important

It is important to let the rice dry well during cooking. It should not be too hot or too wet, or it could stick to the mold.

For more informations about rice, Click here.

The filling

To clean the shrimp, remove their heads, legs and shells, then rinse them well and pat them thoroughly dry
Trim the ends off of the courgettes and julienne them into thin strips
Peel and julienne the carrots
Cut the onion into paper-thin slices
Using a wok or a frying pan, heat a drizzle of oil and add the onion and the ginger
After a few minutes, add the carrots, courgettes and soy sauce
Let the vegetables cook for about ten minutes, then add the shrimp and cook them over high heat for a few minutes until the liquid has reduced, then remove the pan from the heat and allow it to cool

How to shape the arancini

1 - Fill the base of the Arancinotto with rice and use a spoon to pack it down firmly.

2 - Put the lid on the base and insert the plunger as far as it will go.

3 - Remove the plunger and spoon your filling into the central hole, packing it in with a teaspoon to ensure there is a generous amount.

4 - Cover the top with a thin layer of rice and press it down using the other end of the plunger.

5 - Take the cover back off of the Arancinotto and gently remove your arancino.

How to frying the arancini

The finishing touch

Put the arancini in the batter and in the bread crumbs as follows:

In a bowl, place the flour
Add the egg and water and beat well with whips
When the batter is smooth and dense, pass the arancini
Immediately after having passed them in the batter, pass the arancini in bread crumbs

Frying

Fry in plenty of oil until golden brown, to ensure your arancini fry up perfectly, use one of the following oils: peanut oil, olive oil, or palm oil.
Heat the oil to the ideal temperature, 190°C, either in a frying pan or by setting the temperature on your deep fryer.
If using a pan, you can make sure that the oil has reached the proper temperature by dropping in a bread crumb. If it sizzles, then the oil is ready.
Immerse the arancini gently in the oil, only a few at a time, so as to prevent the temperature of the oil from falling too low.
When they are done, place the arancini on absorbent paper, then serve.
Serve the arancini with sauce on the side.

For more information about Finishing and Frying, Click here.

Enjoy your arancini!

Varation

If you wish, you can substitute the shrimp with thin slices of meat (straccetti) or omit them altogether for a delicious vegetarian version.

Bonus idea

Serve the arancine with soy sauce for dipping.

The first Europeans to describe soy sauce were the German medical doctor Engelbert Kaempfer and the French abbot Antoine Furetière, in the 1600s. However, Dutch merchants had already been exporting small quantities of it from Japan into Europe for several years, even supplying the court of the Sun King. A number of different 18th-century French writers, including Diderot and d'Alembert, described it in detail, but they often made the mistake of believing it was obtained from meat broth. What a difficult time it would have been to be a vegan.

What do you think of the recipe? Send us the photos!