The Perfect Risotto Masterclass [Food Memories #11]

A small reminder before we begin: I write foodie romcoms. One of them is Oops My Heart Did a Somersault. You can read it at: https://www.authoravirupabasu.com/

My boyfriend had demanded to eat risotto for dinner, and I was super frustrated. I have always been a quick cook, and I was pretty angry that risotto demanded such rapt attention. Add broth. Stir. Add broth again. Stir. My impatience ruined it. The rice was overcooked and greasy. And my boyfriend had to order in from Zomato, as I lay on the sofa wailing.

That experience of a nightmare made me stubborn. I had to prove that I could whip up a perfect risotto. Attempt two did not go too well either. I was so fixated on cooking the rice perfectly that I rushed through the broth. Chopped up vegetables roughly, just added some salt hurriedly, and thought I was done. I put all my determination into coating the rice with as much patience as a monk. When I tasted it, the risotto was an ode to salt. The broth tasted like a mug of seawater, and I felt another tantrum coming on.

But I took a deep breath. I would not give up. Attempt three would be today itself. I had to conquer this recipe. I knew I had to wait for this rice to look as glossy as my new lip gloss. I had to make this broth as creamy as my grandma's moisturizer for her nightly beauty regimen. Somewhere around my thirteenth round of ladling the rice in broth, I did wonder if I was a masochist. Why was I torturing myself to bring perfection to this dish? Was this risotto recipe a scam? My shoulder ached as I continued to dab the rice with spoonfuls of broth, and I gritted my teeth to control my anger. No, I would do it! I would not be defeated by this Italian bully.

When I sat down to a solo dinner, I smiled happily like a politician who had won his maiden election. I had conquered the opposition. I had submitted my rival to creamy indulgence. The first mouthful hit like a victory lap. The rice was soft because it carried the weight of shoulder cramps I had sacrificed to get it cooked. Parmesan cheese stormed in like a victorious general, shining in every bite. At the same time, the broth lingered like the foot soldiers I had conquered into doling out each note of the vegetables I had so meticulously added.

Do you want to go to battle? Here is the recipe you need to win against.

Ingredients for Vegan Risotto:

• 2 cups Arborio rice

• 6 cups vegetable broth

• 1/2 cup dry white wine

• 1 shallot, finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1/2 cup mixed wild mushrooms (such as shiitake, oyster, and chanterelle), cleaned and sliced

• 1/4 cup vegan butter

• 1/4 cup vegan parmesan cheese

• 1 tbsp truffle oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Fresh herbs for garnish (such as parsley or thyme)

Your Sunday risotto

Instructions:

1. Heat the vegetable broth in a separate pot and keep it simmering.

2. In a large, heavy-bottomed pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped shallot and garlic and sauté until softened and translucent, about 3-4 minutes.

3. Add the Arborio rice to the pan and stir until each grain is coated with the oil mixture. Toast the rice for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.

4. Add the white wine to the pan and stir until the liquid is absorbed.

5. Begin adding the simmering vegetable broth to the pan, one ladleful at a time, stirring frequently and allowing each addition to be fully absorbed before adding the next. Continue this process for about 20-25 minutes, or until the rice is cooked through but still slightly firm.

6. While the rice is cooking, heat a separate pan over medium heat and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté until golden brown and crispy, about 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

7. Once the rice is cooked, add the vegan butter, vegan parmesan cheese, and truffle oil to the pan and stir until fully incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

8. To serve, ladle the risotto onto individual plates and top with the sautéed mushrooms. Garnish with fresh herbs and an additional drizzle of truffle oil, if desired.

I hope you have a less difficult time making this than I did. Yet, I hope it tastes better than the version I created.

See you next week, fellow cook heads.

Why Tangy Apricot Chicken is Super [Food Memories #10]

For readers who believe love and food are rarely separate, my foodie romcom Oops My Heart Did a Somersault awaits at https://www.authoravirupabasu.com/

I made a plan to cook apricot chicken for my pals as a surprise during the summer. But as dinnertime drew near, I realized I'd neglected to pick up apricot preserves. In a fit of panic, I decided to use a jar of apricot jam as a stand-in. I anxiously made the dish, unsure if it would turn out. To my astonishment, the impromptu apricot jam's sweet and sour flavors harmoniously matched the delicate chicken. The joy on my friends' faces was contagious, and the evening became a triumph to remember. I learned the value of creativity from this experience, as well as how life's unforeseen turns may result in great surprises.

So, you should try my apricot chicken gravy recipe too!

Ingredients for Apricot Chicken:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 cup chicken broth

• 1 cup apricot preserves

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

• 1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (optional, for a bit of heat)

• 1/4 cup sliced almonds (optional, for garnish)

• Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions:

1. Chicken preparation:

Chicken breasts should be rinsed in cold water and dried with paper towels. Add salt and pepper to the chicken's both sides.

2. Chicken Dredge:

Each chicken breast should be well covered in flour before being shaken off.

3. Make the chicken brown:

Olive oil should be heated over medium-high heat in a sizable skillet or frying pan. When the chicken breasts are golden brown, add them to the pan and cook for about 3–4 minutes on each side. The chicken should be taken out of the pan after browning and placed aside.

4. Sauté the garlic and onion:

Add the minced garlic and onion to the same skillet. The onion should be sautéed for about 2 minutes, or until it turns translucent and smells good.

5. How to prepare apricot sauce

Add the chicken stock, apricot preserves, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and dried red pepper flakes (if using) to the skillet along with the onion and garlic. To thoroughly incorporate all the ingredients, stir well.

6. Chicken in Sauce: Simmer the chicken:

Add the apricot sauce and the browned chicken breasts back to the skillet. When the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has slightly thickened, reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the chicken simmer in the sauce for about 15-20 minutes.

7. Serve and garnish:

Remove the skillet from the heat when the chicken is thoroughly done. To give the chicken more texture and colour, top it with chopped fresh parsley and sliced almonds (if using).

For a satisfying and full meal, serve the apricot chicken with roasted veggies or over steaming rice.

Enjoy your homemade apricot chicken, which has the ideal harmony of sweet and savory flavors to wow your family and visitors!

Grandmama's Fish Curry [Food Memories #9]

If you enjoy stories where food quietly carries emotion, you may like my foodie romcom Oops My Heart Did a Somersault at https://www.amazon.in/Oops-My-Heart-did-Somersault-ebook/dp/B0D3NG7M7M

This week, I decided to turn to my maternal grandmother's recipe diary for inspiration. I have never liked fish, except when it was her maacher jhol, aka fish curry. In our family, this dish represented togetherness, tradition, and love. Everyone would congregate in the kitchen every Sunday for a family dinner as the enticing aroma of this fish curry filled the house.

I think this is precisely why I love food. It brings us together. It brings us closer together. And it leaves lasting memories for life. Grandmama is no longer there, but I can feel her presence around me whenever I cook her fish curry. Makes me feel she is smiling at me and approves of the flavors.

Ingredients for Fish Curry:

For the marinade:

• 500 grams of firm-fleshed fish (such as Hilsa, Bhetki, Salmon, or Cod)

• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder

• 1 teaspoon red chili powder

• Salt to taste

• 1 tablespoon mustard oil

For the curry:

• 2 tablespoons mustard oil

• 1 teaspoon nigella seeds

• 2-3 green chilies, slit lengthwise

• 1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped

• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 teaspoon ginger paste

• 1 teaspoon cumin powder

• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder

• 1 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste)

• 2 tablespoons mustard paste (prepared by grinding mustard seeds, green chilies, and water)

• 1 cup water (adjust as needed)

• Salt to taste

• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

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Method:

1. Marinate the fish first. Salt, mustard oil, turmeric powder, and red chilli powder should all be combined in a bowl. Making sure the fish pieces are evenly coated, rub this mixture onto them. For 15 to 20 minutes, let the fish marinade.

2. Heat the mustard oil in a large, deep pan or kadhai. Green chiles and nigella seeds are added, and they are sautéed for a minute to release their perfume.

3. To the pan, add the minced garlic, ginger paste, and onion that has been chopped. The onions should be sautéed until they are golden brown and have released their fragrant aroma into the oil.

4. Reduce the heat and stir in the red chilli, turmeric, and cumin powders. To help the spices blossom and unleash their flavours, thoroughly stir them into the onion mixture.

5. Gently mix the mustard paste into the spices in the pan as you cautiously add it. Give it a minute to cook so the mustard flavour may permeate the curry base.

6. Pour the water in gradually, varying the amount to achieve the appropriate consistency. Add salt and cook the curry for a short while.

7. sure the marinated fish pieces are completely soaked in the curry before placing them in. For a period of 10 to 15 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through and flakes readily, cover the pan and cook it over low heat.

8. Transfer the curry to a serving dish gently once the fish has finished cooking. Fresh coriander leaves make a colorful garnish.

Recipes are never really about instructions. They are love letters left by our ancestors, to cherish, nurture and hold close.

I love you Grandmama.