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2 years ago
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Every Grain of Rice
It was in class eight that Zee Cafe became responsible for getting me addicted to the Gilmore Girls.
They talked so fast, and they talked so true, it was hard for me to not be in a total awe of them.
It was during one of those early school days Sundays, when I used to be glued to the sofa in my pyjamas all day, that I heard Sookie freaking about how her risotto was sent back by a customer. She then went on to make risotto for the rest of the episode. Back then, I thought "Wow. Such intricate things people eat. There is so much of sophistication to be experienced in life."
6 years later.
"Oh pish posh! Let's make risotto today!"
You can say I have started my sophistication journey earlier than I had expected, or that engineering has made me become more fearless to try out supposed 'intricate' food. But the explanation I like best is, I have a 2 month break, I want to cook and Italian food for the win. :P
So here it goes.
Apparatus required
2 tb spoon oil and butter each, 3-4 cloves of grated garlic, 1 chopped onion (maybe more if you'd prefer), about a cup of rice, 4-5 cups of chicken/vegetable stock, 3 tb spoon of cream, salt, pepper, and cheese svad anusaar!
Procedure
Heat a pan, add the oil and the butter.
Once it heats up, dump in the garlic and then the onion. And watch them sizzle, and give out one of the best aromas imaginable.
Once it all starts looking greasy and translucent, pour in that cup of rice. Coat the rice with this oil, butter, garlic and onion mess.
Once this is done, start adding small cups of the stock into ze rice.
If you want, you can pretend the rice are people and have a loud sadistic laugh pretending to be an evil clown drowning a city full of people.
(Though it is advised that you skip this step if there are people at home. Else, you will be at the receiving end of uncomfortable questions from your mother. Er, um. No. I have never done this.)
Keep stirring the stock and the rice. Within a minute or so, you shall see that the rice has very conveniently absorbed all the stock.
yetipaw">Is i just me, or does this freakishly look like the Yeti's paw? Subliminal messages, you say?
*shudder*
After all the stock disappears, add another cup full. Keep repeating this, till the rice is soft and cooked. That will take about 20 odd minutes.
You'll also notice, that the rice will have grown. It's absorbing all that chicken stock no?
The little rice people will be fighting for space.
While this is happening, keep some grated cheese ready.
If you show great self restraint, and don't steal a few bites of the cheese at this point, they say you go straight to heaven.
So of course, I am going to hell. (I mean, look.at.teh.cheese!) *drool*
Anyway, once the rice is cooked, add the cream and the cheese, and stir it around for 2 min or so.
Just, the creaminess and the smoothness of it all makes you want to cry a bit.
Now, don't forget to add salt and pepper in the end.
Serve it out. To feel extra Italian, sprinkle on some mixed herbs or any herbs that you have.
It's all about the taste really, who cares about precision?
And, the final touch of coriander will make it look oh so pretty.
And you're done.
Now, please. Do yourself a favour, and go make yourself a plate.
Fearlessness is the only quality you truly need to in the kitchen :)
And now, please excuse me, while I scrounge on left overs.
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7 Comments (+add yours?)
This. I am definitely making. No excuses of no-oven-at home that I make to myself! :P I made pav bhaji,toh Italianwalo ka risotto toh ban jaaega!
Hahahahaha. I think that is the fastest and the nicest comment on any of the food posts so far!
No life threats or anything :P
And now, there's a conscious effort to add 'ginger' to our cooking write-ups too !!
Now, we are very versatile cook. We can take very graceful snaps. And we write well too.
Anything else that you are good at as well :)
Awesome humor Ashmita! Go to the next level - Make a video! :P It'll be easier for me to follow. Ok on a serious note- Any substitute for the chicken broth? Do you buy it or make it or what?
Video is little too daunting an option at this point. Not to mention, after all this, I'll take up more camera space than the food itself :P
Well, you can substitute chicken stock for vegetable stock if you want. But nothing else. I mean, the stock is the essence of the risotto really.
And I make the stock. It's dead simple. Dump in a couple of chicken pieces(preferably the bones and cartilage bits. Gives better flavour) in a pressure cooker. Add water depending on the amount of stock you want. Some vegetables like carrots, onions can be added, but you'll do fine without. Salt and Pepper. Three whistles. And you're done.
After I got to know the secret before hand,I had to be waiting right!
I have a plan. I'll shoot for you-the videos. In return I would politely accept the food. Seriously,will not demand a penny. :)
This is it??
Is it actually THIS simple??
these italians come up with the best of stuff pasta,pizza which I've tried!
Risotto, you are next :D
(and cmon, who can help eating that cheese! )
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