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Tomato Risotto

This recipe is packed with techniques to make risotto from raw rice at home without any failures. Learn how to make a rich and flavorful tomato cream risotto with a fluffy texture, just like at a restaurant.

📖Cooking Basics

dry（tantanmen）

Steps

Thaw the frozen seafood mix (130g).
🕒 00:19
In a large bowl, mix 500ml of water with 15g of salt to create saltwater. Submerge the seafood mix in the saltwater to thaw. (This is the key!) Thawing in saltwater helps retain the seafood's moisture due to osmosis, resulting in a plump texture. Using too little water will take longer to thaw, so using plenty of water is recommended.
🕒 00:25
Heat a frying pan over low to medium heat. Once warm, add about 1 tbsp of oil.
🕒 00:51
Add 1 (approx. 150g) of uncooked rice to the frying pan and stir to coat it evenly with oil. (This is the key!) This step removes moisture from the surface of the rice, preventing it from becoming mushy when cooked and ensuring a fluffy texture.
🕒 01:12
Once the rice is hot and slightly opaque, transfer it to a rice cooker pot.
🕒 01:39
Add water to the pot until it reaches slightly below the 1 (approx. 150g) marking.
🕒 01:57
Add 2 tsp of consommé granules, stir well, and start the rice cooker on the quick cook setting. (This is the key!) Cooking the rice in a flavorful broth will impart a subtle taste to the rice, so you won't need to over-season the sauce later.
🕒 02:04
Finely chop 1/2 onion. Make vertical cuts that don't reach the root end, then make similar cuts on the opposite side.
🕒 02:33
Place the onion with the root end facing up and the tip facing you. Make diagonal cuts from the tip towards the root, but do not cut all the way through the base.
🕒 02:48
Once diagonal cuts are made, turn the onion on its side and make about 3 horizontal cuts. You don't need to cut all the way to the root.
🕒 03:12
Starting from the edge, finely chop the onion along the horizontal cuts to mince it.
🕒 03:24
Peel and remove the tough end from 1 clove of garlic, then thinly slice it.
🕒 03:43
Turn the sliced garlic on its side and finely chop from the edge to mince it.
🕒 03:54
Crush the tough stem from 1/2 can of whole tomatoes. (This is the key!) Whole tomatoes are easy to use as they retain their shape when cooked. The tough stem is less prone to breaking down, so crush it beforehand.
🕒 04:48
Place the drained seafood mix on a plate lined with paper towels and pat dry the surface. (This is the key!) If you don't dry it, it will steam instead of sauté. To prevent flavor loss, remove the paper towel once the surface moisture is wiped off.
🕒 05:14
Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add a little oil.
🕒 05:59
Once the oil is hot, add the seafood mix and stir-fry briefly until cooked through, then remove. (This is the key!) Overcooking will release moisture and make it tough, so don't simmer it together; remove it after sautéing. Since it was thawed in saltwater, pre-seasoning is not necessary.
🕒 06:08
Transfer the seafood mix to a small bowl or dish along with the liquid released from it. Turn off the heat under the frying pan.
🕒 06:34
Add oil to the same frying pan, add the minced garlic, and spread it around to coat with oil before turning on the heat.
🕒 06:42
Heat the frying pan over low heat and sauté until the garlic is fragrant. (This is the key!) Be careful not to brown the garlic too much, as it will become bitter.
🕒 06:54
Add the chopped onion and sauté over low to medium heat until softened.
🕒 07:05
Sprinkle a little salt to help the onions soften faster due to osmosis. (This is the key!) Cook until the pungent compounds in the onion turn into sweet ones.
🕒 07:14
Once the onions start to sweeten, add 20g of butter and melt it completely until fragrant. (This is the key!) Because the onions release moisture, you can use slightly higher heat without burning the garlic.
🕒 07:34
Once the butter is melted, add 1/2 can of crushed whole tomatoes, 1 tsp of sugar, and 2 tsp of oyster sauce. Simmer while stirring until the liquid from the tomatoes reduces to about 2/3. (This is the key!) Simmering concentrates the tomato flavor, creating a rich sauce.
🕒 07:54
Once the sauce has reduced by about 1/3, add 150ml of milk and bring to a boil.
🕒 08:24
Once warm, add half of the Parmesan cheese and the sautéed seafood mix.
🕒 08:35
Bring the sauce back to a boil, as its temperature will have dropped.
🕒 08:44
Once the sauce is boiling well, add the cooked rice and mix thoroughly with the sauce. (This is the key!) Adding warm rice prevents the sauce from cooling down and becoming watery, preserving the texture of the rice.
🕒 08:51
Plate the risotto once the center is thoroughly heated.
🕒 09:25
Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese on top. For a more colorful presentation, you can add ingredients like basil, rapini, spinach, komatsuna, or asparagus.
🕒 09:47