Risotto is an amazing creamy cheesy Italian rice dish. Here instead of Arborio rice we use local barley, yet maintained the flavor. This one is loaded with fibre, antioxidants and taste. It’s an easy recipe to adapt into a one dish meal and esp. great for weekdays too as its not overly time consuming yet unique!
Ingredients for 2 servings
- 1/2 cup Barley- soak for atleast 4-5 hours
- 1.5 cup ready tomato puree/ homemade puree/leftover tomato soup
- 1 cup mixed vegetables of choice – all diced, (Peppers/mushrooms/ corn boiled / beans/zucchini / broccoli etc. )
- 1/4 cup onion med chopped
- 1 cup veg stock/chicken stock/ plain water
- 2-3 cloves Garlic crushed
- 1/4 cup milk ,mixed with 1/2 – 1 cube cheese(as per choice)
- 2-3 tsp Parsley torn/crushed by hand
- 1.5t oil
- Butter and cheese chunks to top/ garnish
- Chili flakes/dried oregano as per liking
- Salt to taste
Method
- Microwave the soaked barley for 2 mins on high, stirring in between. Keep aside.
- In a pan, heat oil, add garlic, dried oregano, onion and sauté.
- Once onion is little soft, add the other vegetables of choice and sauté again. Cover for about a minute and then add barley, salt,little parsley sauté well (like for any Chinese rice).
- Now add the tomato puree and stock/water, taste for salt, cover and cook till barley pearls are aldente/ cooked to a perfect bite.
- Add the milk and cheese, mix and cook again for 30 seconds.
- Top with fresh parsley, butter, chilli flakes, cheese chunks and serve piping hot.
- Enjoy with a side of garlic bread!
Tips
- Soaking barley and then steaming in microwave helps in faster cooking.
- Maintain crunchy texture of veggies. Do not OVERCOOK.
- Can add dices of choice of cooked/ steamed meat/chicken/seafood when sautéing.
- You can add more cheese if your health/diet permits 🙂 🙂