Help! I can't make risotto with brown rice

[clairea]

I have tried twice to make the Monterey Jack, Corn and Roasted Red Pepper Risotto using brown rice, and DH liked the flavor so much he wants me to try again this week. But . . . both times I have increased the liquid (by about a cup) and still wound up with crunchy rice after all the liquid was absorbed. I ended up adding even more liquid, putting a lid on the pot, and letting it simmer until absorbed. The rice got soft, but also really mushy. Also, I am winding up cooking the risotto for close to 1 1/2 hours to get the rice done. I have made risotto successfully lots of times using white (Arborio) rice, and am using the same technique here (adding simmering liquid a little at a time and stirring almost constantly until absorbed). Does anybody have any idea what I am doing wrong? I am determined to figure this out, as I am really trying to stick to using whole grains almost exclusively (and so refuse to even buy white rice, pasta, etc. so I am not tempted to use it).

BTW -- I am using brown basmati rice. Is there a better type to use in risotto?

[emilycat]

Aha! Claire, I read your entire post, absolutely stumped -- until you mentioned the type of rice you were using. You need to be using short-grained brown rice -- it looks just like arborio, but tan-colored. You're not going to get results even close to those of risotto using basmati, or any other long-grained rice, because they don't release starches in the same way that short-grained ones do.
Try the short-grained rice, figure on a ratio of 1:4 rice to water and 45 minutes cooking time, don't cover the pot, and don't stir constantly -- it's not necessary, and the rice will absorb the water/broth just as well -- stir it every time you add the broth, instead, which should be about every 5 minutes or so.
Hope it works well for you next time! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif



[This message has been edited by emilycat (edited 04-30-2001).]

[funnybone]

Here's some info from Cook's Thesaurus:

rialone rice

risotto rice = Piedmont rice Varieties: This plump white rice can absorb lots of water without getting mushy, so it's perfect for making risotto. The best comes from Italy. Arborio is very well-regarded, but Carnaroli, Roma, Baldo, Padano, and vialone nano = nano are also good. The highest Italian risotto rice grade is superfino. Lesser grades are (in descending order) fino, semi-fino, and commune. You can sometimes find brown risotto rice, which has more fiber and nutrients, but it isn't nearly as creamy as white risotto rice. Never rinse risotto rice--you'll wash off the starch that gives it such a creamy consistency. Substitutes: Granza rice (shorter grain, works fine in risottos or paellas) OR short-grain white rice OR pearl barley (works well for risotto, but gives it a chewier texture) OR medium-grain white rice (may make risotto mushy)

[clairea]

Thanks for the help. I have never seen short-grain brown rice so didn't even think to try it, but I am on my way to the grocery store today and will look for it.

Claire

[SusanT]

Risotto gets it's creamy texture from the starch on the outside of the rice mixing with the broth (that's why you stir it while it's cooking). Brown rice still has the bran on it so the starch won't loosen and form the creamy texture you get with white rice. You can try a brown arborio rice but you can't expect the same results.

[doggerham]

BTW:

I made this dish on Friday night (using traditional arborio), but using the microwave technique from the March(?) issue. I was pretty dubious about it, but it turned out great -- super easy and no standing and stirring forever.

One thing I noticed though, is that the recipe calls for 1C risotto to equal 4-1C servings. I ended up with more like 6-1C servings.

Amy

[KValley]

Claire,

I made this recipe twice, once using short-grain sweet brown rice, once with traditional white arborio.

ALthough the arborio resulted in true, creamy risotto and it was still delicious, I was completely won over by the sweet brown- it gave it a texture and a rich, nutty flavor that made this risotto spectacular. It did take more liquid and a longer cooking time, but so worth it! Next time I will do as Emily suggests, and not stir it so often. That may impart a creamier, more risotto-like texture.

You may have better luck finding the rice at a natural foods store, or look in the bulk foods section of your gorcery store.

Cheers, Julie

[BosunsWife]

I too was wondering if there was a substitute for arborio rice. I can't seem to find it in the Commissary and when I asked for it they looked at me like I had two heads! I thought I would make a trip to a local grocery to see what I could find. For goodness sakes, I live in Hawaii and they have just about every type of rice known to man here - just not arborio so far. May have to hit the health food store and see what I can find or maybe Safeway will have it. I generally avoid the local groceries here after my first time of going. When I noticed that milk was close to $6.00 a gallon I got kind of scared LOL!

[clairea]

I found short-grain brown rice at the grocery store, and am looking forward to trying this recipe again with the right kind of rice. DH must really like it if he wants me to keep trying after 2 failed attempts! For those who are looking for the short-grain brown rice, I found it in the health food section at my local Publix. They only had long grain brown rice with the regular rice (although they had white arborio rice here). I also saw medium-grain brown rice with the Asian foods -- maybe this will work better than the long grain if you can't find short grain.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

[ama47369]

I had a similar problem with long grained brown rice recently. I was trying to make spanish rice. My expirience was almost exactly like clairea's, cooking time and all.

Does anyone have expirience with this type of rice? What ratio should I be using?

Thanks
http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif Amanda

[SusanT]

You may all have more luck finding arborio rice at an Italian market than at a health food place since it's usually sold (gasp!) as white rice.