Experiment: TSC© Risotto

Ever since I had a rather awesome risotto at Da Vinci's, I've been wanting to make it myself. With the recent weather in Dubai being all cold and rainy, I figured I'd take a shot at making it myself.

I found an awesome recipe for risotto at a food blog I frequent called The Pioneer Woman. I would advise all who try my version (more later) to please try hers first, with time and ingredient permitting - it looks so delicious.

Back to me. As it was raining, plus I was home sick due to a migraine, I figured I'd take the lazy way out and make it loosely based on the recipe above. So here goes:

• 1cup basmati rice (used a water measuring cup so that's about 250gm)
• 1.5 chicken stock cubes (there was an extra half I didn't want to waste - 1 should be fine)
• 4cups water (same cup as the rice)
• 1 small onion, chopped finely
• 1tsp garlic paste (the minced garlic variety)
• 1/2cup milk
• 1pkt Philadelphia light cream cheese
• 170gm parmesan cube, grated
• 1tbs olive oil
• 1tbs butter
• pepper to taste

Yes, before purists cry foul, I know risotto is made with Arborio rice, or the thick fat one. But considering all I had in the house was Basmati, Basmati it is. Also, as this is meant to be comfort food, forget going on a diet for this. Also, buying ready made chicken stock/broth in Dubai is difficult, and most people make broth buy boiling chicken stock/bullion cubes in the required amount of water. Even lazier way is to add the cube in with the spices, and later adding the water to simmer.

So heat the olive oil and butter in a non-stick pot on medium flame until they melt and blend and then add the onions and garlic. Cook till the onions turn pale and then add the chicken stock cubes, cooking till the cubes melt and coat the onion and garlic. Now dump the rice, stirring till all the rice gets coated with the oil, stock, and all that jazz.

Here comes the time-consuming bit. Add 1cup of the water in, stirring gently and adding 1 more cup after the rice has absorbed all the water. Keep doing this until the 4th cup and the rice has cooked 'al dente' (I know that's a pasta term).

Meanwhile, make your cream mixture to add. My secret to using cream when I don't have cream is to thin the cream cheese with the milk so it becomes creamy but pourable, and tastes almost the same, with a slightly sour kick. Once that is done, add that to the rice mixture and stir until blended. Then dump all the Parmesan in and blend all that gooey goodness. Once stirred in, add pepper to taste and salt, but only if you're the type to quench your thirst with sea water. The chicken stock cubes and cheese is quite salty, so salt is not required.

Now serve hot, with a dash of herbs (which I also didn't have so I left it out - sue me). I like it plain, but if you want to throw it in with a steak, or burger patty, or anything, be my guest.


As for the taste test, here's a few things I learned:

1) Even though Basmati did pretty fine, please use Arborio instead. It makes the difference.

2) Make enough to eat immediately. It is very difficult to remove from pot to a storage container once it is cold and has turned to superglue.

3)Make sure the pot is non-stick. It will be a bitch to clean later if it isn't. It will be a bitch to clean anyway.

So here's to my first experiment. Do give feedback, and if you would try my version.