Content

• Ingredients
• Plain boiled rice
• Microwave rice
• Simple risotto
• Arborio rice pudding
• To step
• Method 1 of 4: Plain cooked rice
• Method 2 of 4: Microwave rice
• Method 3 of 4: Basic risotto
• Method 4 of 4: Arborio rice pudding
• Necessities
• Regular rice
• Rice for in the microwave
• Basic risotto
• Arborio rice pudding

Arborio rice is a short grain rice named after its place of origin, Arborio in Italy. It is most commonly used for risotto, but you can also prepare it as regular table rice or use it for other dishes such as rice pudding.

Ingredients

Plain boiled rice

For four people

• 1 cup (250 ml) Arborio rice
• 2 cups (500 ml) of water
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil or margarine
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt (or to taste)

Microwave rice

For four people

• 1 cup (250 ml) Arborio rice
• 2 cups (500 ml) of water
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil or margarine
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt (optional)

Simple risotto

For four people

• 1 cup (250 ml) Arborio rice
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped onion or chopped shallots
• 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) minced garlic
• 3 cups (750 ml) of chicken stock
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) of dry white wine
• 1 cup (250 ml) Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) salt
• 1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) ground black pepper

Arborio rice pudding

For four people

• 1/2 cup (125 ml) Arborio rice
• 1 cup (250 ml) of water
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 tablespoon (7.5 ml) of butter
• 2 cups (250 ml) of whole milk
• 4 tablespoons (60 ml) of sugar
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp (1.25 ml) cinnamon

To step

Method 1 of 4: Plain cooked rice

1. Boil the water. Pour the water into a medium saucepan and place it on the stove over medium heat. Let the water come to a boil.
   • Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan for best results. Do not stir the rice too often while it is cooking; if the bottom of the pan is too thin, the rice can easily burn and stick to the bottom.
   • Vary the amount of water per 1/4 cup (60 ml) to change the consistency of the rice. Adding less water will make the rice drier, but adding more water will make the rice more moist. Note that these changes can also change the final cooking time.
2. Add the oil and salt. Once the water starts to boil, add the oil (or butter). If you also want to add salt, do this now.
   • The water may take a little longer to boil after adding these ingredients, but it should start bubbling again in 30 seconds. At that point, you can move on to the next step.
3. Stir in the rice. Add the Arborio rice to the boiling water. Cover the pan and reduce the heat (normal setting or low).
   • After adding the rice, the water will bubble a little less violently. During this time, stir the rice while you wait for the water to return to a boil. When the water comes to a full boil, turn the heat down as directed.
4. Let the rice simmer for 20 minutes. Let the rice simmer undisturbed until the rice has absorbed all the water. This usually takes about 20 minutes when the water is gently boiling.
   • Remove the lid as little as possible from the pan, as this will release steam. Also, don't stir the rice as much as possible, as this can break the grains.
   • When the rice is ready, the rice should be creamy, but still have some firmness or "bite" in the center of the grains (also called "al dente").
5. Serve. Remove the rice from the heat and let it cool for another minute before serving as a side dish.
   • You can serve the rice as is, or sprinkle with some Parmesan cheese and black pepper as desired.

Method 2 of 4: Microwave rice

1. Stir the ingredients together. Place the rice, water and oil (or butter) in a two liter microwave dish. Add the salt, if desired. Stir everything together.
   • Only prepare 1 cup (250 ml) of dry Arborio rice at a time when using the microwave method.
   • You can add an extra 1/4 cup (60 ml) of water if you prefer creamier rice or 1/4 cup (60 ml) less if you prefer drier rice. The cooking time should remain more or less the same, but it is best to remove the rice as soon as it looks cooked, even if the full recommended time has not passed.
2. Microwave on full power for five minutes. Cover the dish loosely and place it in the microwave. Cook the rice on 100 percent power for five minutes.
   • If you are cooking the rice in a bowl with a lid, open any vents or leave the lid slightly ajar to avoid creating too much steam and pressure.
   • If the bowl doesn't have its own lid, cover it with a sheet of microwave-safe plastic wrap.
3. Microwave on half and cook the rice for 15 minutes. Reduce the microwave setting to 50 percent and cook the rice for an additional 15 minutes.
   • Keep in mind that cooking times can vary depending on microwave power, so keep a close eye on the rice for the last few minutes. Remove the rice as soon as you see that all moisture has been absorbed.
   • Check the texture of the cooked rice to check the consistency. The grains should be moist, but still firm in the center.
4. Serve. Remove the bowl from the microwave and let it rest for another minute. Loosen the grains with a fork before serving.
   • You can serve the rice as is or add some extra butter, Parmesan cheese or black pepper.

Method 3 of 4: Basic risotto

1. Let the stock boil. Pour the stock into a three-quart saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring the stock to the boil slowly.
   • Once the stock is simmering, turn the heat to medium or low. It should continue to steam for the rest of the process, but should no longer simmer.
2. Heat the oil. Pour the oil into another heavy 4-liter saucepan or cast iron pan. Place the pan on the stove over medium-low heat.
   • Allow the oil to heat up for 30 to 60 seconds before continuing. There should be no smoke, but it should get warm enough to spread easily across the bottom of the pan.
3. Boil the onion. Add the chopped onion (or chopped shallot) to the hot oil. Cook, stirring often, for about four minutes or until the onion softens.
   • In addition to softening, the onion should also become slightly more translucent and fragrant.
4. Boil the garlic. Add the garlic to the oil and onion. Cook for another 30 to 60 seconds, or until the garlic becomes more fragrant.
   • Note that the garlic is allowed to turn golden brown, but no darker than that stage. Burnt garlic can easily ruin the flavor of the dish.
5. Add the rice and salt. Add the dry Arborio rice to the onion and garlic. Sprinkle everything with the salt and stir well.
   • Continue to stir for another 2-3 minutes. The rice should be well coated with oil and salt, and the edges should start to turn translucent. Note that the center should remain opaque, however.
6. Spoon in a small amount of stock and wine. Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup (125 to 185 ml) of the warm stock to the rice, immediately followed by a splash of white wine. Cook for a few minutes, or until the rice absorbs the liquid.
   • Keep stirring frequently while the rice is cooking. Make sure to stir the rice that collects along the sides of the pan back to the center.
   • When it's time for the next step, the rice should start to stick together. Drag the spoon along the bottom of the pot; the resulting track must hold its shape for at least a few seconds before collapsing again.
7. Gradually add the remaining moisture. Add the remaining stock in 1/2 to 3/4 cup (125 to 185 ml) increments, following each addition with another splash of wine.
   • Stir and cook after each addition, allowing the moisture to absorb between the additions.
   • After 25 to 35 minutes, almost all moisture should have been used and absorbed. The rice should be creamy and tender, but still al dente. In other words, it should have some firmness in the center of the grains.
8. Stir in the cheese and pepper. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Add the Parmesan cheese and black pepper to the risotto and stir to combine.
   • Cover the pan with a lid and let the risotto rest from the heat for another five minutes.
9. Serve with extra cheese. Place the risotto on plates while it is still warm. If desired, add some extra Parmesan cheese on top.

Method 4 of 4: Arborio rice pudding

1. Boil the water, salt and butter. Combine the three ingredients in a medium saucepan. Place the pan on a medium heat and let the water boil.
   • It is best to use a heavy saucepan. You can't stir the rice much while it's cooking, and thin-bottomed pans will burn the rice quickly.
2. Add the rice and let it simmer. Stir the Arborio rice into the boiling water. Reduce heat and simmer the rice for 15 minutes.
   • When you add the rice to the water, it will cook a little less. Wait for the water to come back to a boil before lowering the heat.
   • Do not stir the rice while it is simmering. Instead, gently move the pan from side to side every few minutes. This will help prevent the rice from burning.
   • Continue to cook the rice until all the moisture has been absorbed. Test for doneness by tasting the rice; it should now be "al dente", meaning it still has some firmness in the center of the grains.
3. Combine the milk, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Add these four ingredients to a separate medium saucepan. Place the pan on a medium heat and bring it to a gentle boil.
   • You can do this step while the rice is cooking or wait for the rice to finish cooking. If you wait until after cooking, remove the pan of rice from the stove while the milk mixture is heating.
4. Add the cooked rice and continue cooking. Add the cooked rice to the simmering milk mixture. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook the mixture for 10 to 15 minutes.
   • When the rice is ready, the rice should have absorbed most of the milk. The resulting pudding should be thick and shiny.
5. Serve with extra cinnamon. Spoon the rice pudding onto plates. Garnish the top of each serving with a little cinnamon. You can serve the pudding warm, at room temperature or cold.

Necessities

Regular rice

• Heavy or medium saucepan
• Wooden spoon

Rice for in the microwave

• Microwave safe two liter bowl
• Fork

Basic risotto

• Heavy saucepan of three liters
• Heavy saucepan of four liters
• Ladle
• Wooden spoon or spatula

Arborio rice pudding

• Two heavy or medium saucepans
• Wooden spoon