Ma Necessity: How To Make Risotto With Brown Rice
You know how sometimes you are home alone for the evening and it is 10:30pm and you just really, really want risotto?
No? That’s just me again?
Sigh.
Well, in case that ever happens, and in case you–like me–only have the wrong kind of rice on hand, here’s how to make it work (and avoid having to go out to the 24-hour grocery store in your pj pants. Which I have also done.)
Oh, and in case you’ve never made risotto before, a quick primer:
How to Make Risotto
- Heat oil in a skillet or pot and add rice. Mix it around for a bit.
- Add a splash of white wine if you have it (I did not.)
- Add a ladle of hot stock (any stock will do). Stir.
- Repeat previous step until rice is creamy.
Tips for Making Risotto from Brown Rice
- Add soft things. Brown rice needs help to become creamy. So as add-ins, I used mushrooms, spinach, and lentils. As an added bonus, this made it even tastier–and slightly healthier.
- Use more stock than you think you need. I had three cups of veggie stock on hand and I only used a half-cup of brown jasmine rice. I ended up adding a significant amount of water to the stock to make it last. Brown rice is a very thirsty grain.
- Be patient. Be so very, very patient. I stood and stirred for maybe an hour and a half. It was legitimately ridiculous. But in the end, it was also legitimately very good. So there’s that.
- Maybe consider going out in your pj pants to buy the proper rice.
