Recipe - Palak Risotto

Rice and Grains

Palak Risotto

Palak paneer is a classic Indian dish, often found in northern regions; however, love for this dish reigns throughout the country. Palak paneer has been a staple dinner in countless Indian homes for centuries. It has more recently been adopted by Indian restaurants globally. This vibrant green dish is typically made as paneer cooked in a spicy spinach gravy enriched with heavy cream. Although Palak Risotto is a modern take on this age-old dish, it is still reminiscent of the comfort and reminder of home many find in the original dish. Instead of cooking paneer in spinach gravy, the Campanini Arborio Rice simmers in a spinach vegetable broth with traditional Indian spices. The spinach adds a silky quality to the dish, and the cream mellows the aromatics, allowing each bite to melt in your mouth.

Ingredients:

2 cups Arborio Campanini Rice
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion (finely diced)
4 to 6 garlic cloves (minced)
1 inch piece ginger (minced or grated)
2 teaspoons garam masala
¾ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ to 1 teaspoon chili powder (to taste)
8 oz. spinach
4 cups (32 oz./960 grams) vegetable broth
½ cup heavy cream
Lemon juice (to taste)
Cilantro (to garnish)
Salt (to taste)

Preparation:

Time: 1 hour

Yield: 4

Make the risotto

1. Begin by blending ¾ of the spinach with the vegetable broth in a blender until smooth. Then, transfer the liquid into a pot and bring it to a simmer.
2. While the spinach broth simmers, heat up a large pot and then add in the olive oil. Mix in the onions, garlic, ginger, garam masala, turmeric, chili powder, and a generous amount of salt. Once the onions turn translucent and the garlic and ginger begins to soften, add in the Campanini Arborio Rice and leftover spinach. Keep mixing until the rice begins to turn translucent and mixes with the spices.
3. Once the rice turns slightly translucent, begin adding in your spinach broth 1 cup at a time into the rice pot. Keep mixing on a low heat. Once the broth is absorbed by the rice, then add the next cup of broth. Repeat until there is no more broth and the rice is fully cooked. You may need to add more than the allotted broth. This extra broth can be substituted with water.
4. Once the rice is fully cooked, taste it to add extra salt and chili powder if necessary. Mix in almost all of your cream (reserve a couple of tablespoons) and lemon juice to taste.
5. Transfer the risotto to a serving dish, top with the remaining cream and chopped cilantro. Serve warm with a side of naan if desired.