Dried Mushroom Risotto

Shallow Kyoto-style donabe makes the perfectly delicious risotto with Japanese short grain rice

Equipment

Classic-style donabe (medium) - Shallow style Kyoto Ame-yu is preferred

Servings

3

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 rice cups (270 ml) short grain rice
• 1 cup (240 ml) hot water
• 1/2 oz (15 g) dry mushrooms (such as morel, trumpet, porcini etc. I like to use a mixture of a couple of kinds.), rinsed
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 medium onion, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) white wine
• 3 cups (750 ml) plus some extra vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup plus grated Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper
• For garnish…extra olive oil, Parmesan cheese, chopped shiso leaves (optional)

Procedure

1. Rinse the rice and drain through a fine-mesh colander. Leave the rice for 30-60 minutes to dry completely.
2. Pour the hot water over the mushrooms in a bowl. Let them soak for 15-30 minutes. Separate the mushrooms from the soaking liquid. Make sure to squeeze out the liquid from the mushrooms well. Keep the soaking liquid hot.
3. Heat the vegetable stock and keep it hot.
4. Heat the olive oil in the donabe, and sauté the onion and garlic over medium heat for a few minutes until softened.
5. Add the mushrooms and sauté for a couple of minutes, then add the rice and sauté for a few more minutes until the rice is translucent.
6. Add the white wine and stir. Cook until the liquid is absorbed almost completely. Add the soaking liquid for the mushrooms and stir. Cook until the liquid is absorbed almost completely.
7. Add 3 cups (750 ml) of the vegetable stock and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir. Cover, and as soon as it starts to boil, reduce the heat to simmer. Cook for 12-15 minutes or until the rice is al dente. Meanwhile, stir every few minutes to make sure the bottom doesn’t get burned. If there is not enough liquid before the rice is done, add extra stock, a ladleful at a time.
8. Add the butter and Parmesan cheese and stir. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
9. Bring the donabe to the table and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, extra Parmesan cheese, and shiso leaves. Serve immediately.

Addition of the butter at the end gives the nice richness to the dish.

So creamy and delicious donabe risotto, made with Japanese short grain rice.

• Rinsing the short grain rice will remove the tiny bran particles and its smell. Make sure to let the rice dry before adding to the doanbe.
• Unlike the authentic Italian-style risotto, the broth is added all at once in this recipe. The result is just as delicious. Just make sure to stir sometimes during cooking.