Mushroom Risotto

Isn’t mushroom risotto one of the yummiest things for a cold winter evening? The only problem is the labor involved – you have to stand in front of your stove for a long time, slowly adding liquid to the arborio rice, to get that super creamy texture. It’s so time consuming! So, I came up with this risotto inspired porridge – it’s infinitely easier to make, and all you need is a rice cooker! 

Porridge is a staple in so many cultures – whereas it’s usually oats or barley in the West, rice-based porridges are more common in Asia. In Japan, we have okayu, and in Chinese cuisine, congee is a popular dish. Both are relatively simple to make: it’s just short grain rice in extra liquid than what you’d use to make regular steamed rice, usually at a 1:9 rice / water ratio. So, making a mushroom risotto based on that is relatively easy.

This porridge, a spin on a standard okayu / congee recipe, is to make it full of mushrooms, use mushroom broth instead of water, and shredded Dubliner cheese and some crème fraiche at the end to give it that extra creamy flavor that mimics traditional mushroom risottos. Parmesan is obviously a good, traditional substitute for the Dubliner, if you prefer. 

For other rice cooker dishes, check out my Japanese Beef Stew, Nikujaga, and Daigaku Imo recipes!

Note

One gou (the Japanese measurement of rice, approximately 3/4 cup) cooked in the traditional manner serves 2. The same measurement of rice makes 4–6 servings in this mushroom risotto inspired porridge, simply because it’s cooked in so much more water. For something that is just as filling, it has considerably less starchy carbs, and is packed full of flavor. I think you’ll love having this as an easy, filling, healthy dinner recipe, the next time you feel like risotto! 

Ingredients

• 1 gou (3/4 cup) short grain white rice 
• 32 oz mushroom broth 
• 1/2 tbsp thyme 
• Cracked black pepper 
• 1 tsp torigara chicken stock powder 
• 2 cups assorted mushrooms, roughly chopped 
• 1 cup shredded Dubliner cheese (can substitute parmesan) 

Toppings: 

• Crème fraiche / sour cream 
• Mushrooms sautéed in butter, cracked black pepper, and 1 tsp thyme 
• Parsley 

Directions

Into the rice cooker, add 1 gou (approx 3/4 cup) short grain Japanese rice. 

Add: 

• Mushroom broth 
• Roughly chopped assorted mushrooms 
• Cracked black pepper and thyme 
• Torigara chicken stock powder 

Give everything a quick stir; then turn the rice cooker on and wait until done. 

Mix in cheese. Set aside until plating. 

In a frying pan, sauté assorted mushrooms in butter, freshly cracked black pepper, and thyme. Cook until slightly crisped and browned. Set aside until plating. 

To serve, top porridge with crème fraiche, parsley, and sautéed mushrooms. This is fantastic as a main dish with a side salad, or as a side dish for grilled chicken or salmon. Enjoy!