Shallot

You can make the dressing through step 2 a day ahead; refrigerate in an airtight container. Just before serving, stir in oranges, pine nuts, and parsley.

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.

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.