Having just returned from Southeast Asia, I’m missing my daily dose of broths and curries made with ingredients like coconut milk, lemongrass, and Thai Basil. Here’s an easy-to-make stew I created to satisfy this longing.

You may not think about pairing an Asian-inspired soup with wine. However, one of my favorite white wines, Spanish Albariño, crisp and saline, works like a dream, with each sip adding a hint of lemon lime freshness.

Coconut Shrimp Stew

Ingredients

Serves 2

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 cup broccoli florets

1 teaspoon ground lemongrass or, preferably, 1 stalk of fresh lemongrass (The softer, fleshier part of the lemongrass, which is what you want to use, is located under the tough outer leaves. Peel away the outer layers and discard them, using the pale yellow stalk underneath).

1 teaspoon ground coriander

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon ginger, peeled and finely minced

1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Albariño

1/2 cup coconut milk

3 cups chicken broth

1 cup frozen spinach or 2 cups fresh spinach

1 cup cooked white quinoa

1 cup canned pinto beans, rinsed

3/4 pound shrimp, shelled and deveined

1/4 cup Thai basil, minced (Thai basil, found at Thai grocery stores, has a unique, spicy anise flavor, but it can be substituted with the more commonly found sweet basil)

Instructions

1) Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large soup pot. Sauté onion for five minutes. Add broccoli, lemongrass, coriander, cayenne, salt, and pepper, and sauté another five to eight minutes, constantly stirring, until the vegetables are lightly browned. Add garlic and ginger and cook for one minute.

2) Add white wine and simmer one minute, scraping anything stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add coconut milk and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, and cook five minutes. Add spinach, quinoa, beans, and shrimp and simmer three to five minutes.

4) Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with basil. Serve with a glass of Albariño wine.