Risotto is a slow-cooked Italian rice dish. It takes longer to make with brown or black rice but it's inactive time so you can prepare the rest of the meal while it cooks slowly on the stovetop. For a quicker version check out our Weeknight Brown Rice Risotto which uses par-boiled rice.
Black rice is also known as 'Forbidden Rice' in ancient China since only those belonging to the upper class could afford to eat it. Fortunately, it is now cultivated so that we all can enjoy it - though sometimes it can be hard to find. The city I live in has a high Cambodian population and they sell this rice in large quantities inexpensively. However, many grocery stores offer Lundberg Family Farms brand, which is also available on Amazon. It has a wonderful rich, nutty flavor!
Serves 4
Ingredients
3 TB olive oil
6 garlic cloves (minced)
1 cup (140 g) onions chopped
1 cup (190 g) black rice
0.5 cup dry white wine (recommend Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon blanc)
4-5 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth (we like Better Than Bouillon paste - this is particularly fantastic with their roasted garlic bouillon)
1. Pour olive oil into a medium saucepan and turn to medium heat. When oil is hot add in the minced garlic and chopped onions. Cook until soft and almost caramelized.
2. Add dry rice and fry in the oil until you can see the grains are toasted - they should get darker but do not let them burn. You will need to mix the rice constantly during this time to evenly toast all of the grains. (This is hard to see with the black rice to try to focus on the lighter grains.)
3. When all grains are evenly toasted pour the white wine over the mix. Continue to mix until all of the wine has incorporated/evaporated (should only be a few minutes).
4. When the wine has incorporated/evaporated and the mix is now dry add broth to cover the rice mixture and mix well. You can mix less frequently now - just make sure not to allow the mixture to dry and stick to the bottom of the pan.
5. When the broth has incorporated/evaporated, add more to cover the rice and mix well. Continue this process until rice is fully cooked.
Alterations
For a creamier risotto you can add grated parmesan or shredded mozzarella.
You can also add a cup of cooked spinach or mushrooms to add more vegetables to the mix.
Nutrition Facts (approx.)
Calories: 294
Total Fat: 11.5 g
Saturated Fat: 1.7 g
Sodium: 275 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 41.5 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.9 g
Added Sugar: 0 g
Total Protein: 5.7 g
Black rice risotto pairs really well with roasted white fish for dinner! In the below photo we paired the black risotto with a butter-based cod loin.
