Shallot

Frozen lima beans may be substituted for fava beans; start with the second step.

Baby spinach is easy to find—either loose at farmers’ markets or prewashed and bagged at supermarkets. If possible, get the curly-leaf (crinkled) type, as it doesn’t shrink as much during cooking as the flat-leaf variety does.

Look for fresh lemongrass in Asian markets and some supermarkets.

This dish is also delicious with mussels. Decrease the amount of chiles if you like it less spicy.

This recipe was developed by Christopher Israel, formerly the chef and a co-owner at one of Bruce Carey’s restaurants.

Because this recipe makes a large quantity of risotto, be sure to use a wide, shallow saucepan or skillet to let the rice cook evenly.