I know, risotto made with kimchi, Gruyère and sushi rice sounds like a non sequitur, but before you write me off as delusional, hear me out. This risotto has a stunning color and pleasant tang not unlike a tomato risotto, but the fermented kimchi adds dozens of layers of complexity which are all unified by the rich texture and nutty flavors of the gruyere.
Kimchi is one of those marvelous foods where time and lacto-fermentation turns ordinary veggies and some salted shrimp into a pickle of immense depth that’s at once briny, savory, sweet, tangy, nutty, pungent and piquant. It’s often called the Korean equivalent of sauerkraut, but it’s so much more than that. A more accurate description might be that kimchi is the Korean equivalent of sauerkraut, dijon mustard, anchovies, balsamic AND an aged cheese, but that still wouldn’t be doing it justice. If I’ve piqued your curiosity with this description, why not take the plunge and try making kimchi at home? I have a fairly simple and flexible Small Batch Kimchi recipe that will satisfy your cravings without taking over your refrigerator.
We already know that kimchi and rice go together thanks to dishes like kimchi bokkeumbap , and I’ve done kimchi-Italian combos before with my kimchi pork belly pizza and kimchi pasta (which are both pretty delicious). But mincing and caramelizing the kimchi before slowly churning it together with rice and vegetable stock takes this wonder pickle to a whole new level. Tart, salty, sweet, and brimming with umami, the thick creamy nature of risotto helps those tastes coat your tongue, maxing out your taste receptors before slowly tapering off until the next bite.
Okay, perhaps I’ve convinced you of the merits of using kimchi as an ingredient, but you probably still have your doubts about using Japanese rice to make risotto. Since making sushi involves pouring a liquid (seasoned vinegar) over cooked rice, Japanese short grain rice has been bred by generations of rice farmers to be able to absorb water while retaining its texture and shape. Since it’s a short grain (high starch) rice, it’s also capable of becoming just as creamy as Italian varieties of rice, but because of its remarkable ability to absorb liquid, it’s much harder to screw up. Arborio, for instance, is infamous for being finicky, with the difference between crunchy and mushy being a few tablespoons of stock. Even the more resilient Carnaroli, considered “il re dei risi” (the king of rice), will swell up and turn into a gummy paste if you wait too long to eat it after it’s done. Japanese rice, on the other hand, will still continue getting softer as you cook it and add more liquid, but you would really have to overshoot your mark before the rice starts to lose its shape. I’ve also found that letting it sit doesn’t ruin its texture. In fact it’s not unpleasant to eat at room temperature (though it obviously tastes better when freshly made)
While this risotto can certainly stand on its own, it’s really incredible topped with my gochujang braised pork belly .
📖 Recipe
Equipment
Units
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ½ cup kimchi juice (squeezed from kimchi)
- 100 grams kimchi (minced)
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons lard
- 7 grams garlic (minced)
- 1 cup Japanese short-grain rice
- 15 grams Gruyère cheese (grated with a microplane)
Instructions
- Squeeze the juice out of the kimchi using your hands to make ½ cup of juice and then weigh out 100 grams of squeezed kimchi. Mince the kimchi.
- Pour the 3 cups vegetable stock into a pot and bring to a simmer over high heat. Turn down to low to keep warm.
- In another pot, add the 2 tablespoons lard and 7 grams garlic and sauté until fragrant.
- Add the 100 grams kimchi and continue sautéing until the kimchi is translucent.
- Add the 1 cup Japanese short-grain rice and stir until the rice has evenly absorbed all the oil.
- Add the ½ cup kimchi juice along with a ladleful of hot vegetable stock and stir the rice until most of the water has been absorbed.
- Continue adding vegetable stock a ladleful at a time and stirring until the rice is your desired consistency. You may not need all the stock.
- When the rice is done, add the grated 15 grams Gruyère cheese and stir into the risotto.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
Kimchi Risotto
Equipment
- Liquid Measuring Cup
- Small Glass Bowl
- large non-stick saucepan
- Spoonula
- ladle
- small non-stick saucepan
- microplane
Ingredients
- ½ cup kimchi juice (squeezed from kimchi)
- 100 grams kimchi (minced)
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons lard
- 7 grams garlic (minced)
- 1 cup Japanese short-grain rice
- 15 grams Gruyère cheese (grated with a microplane)
Instructions
- Squeeze the juice out of the kimchi using your hands to make ½ cup of juice and then weigh out 100 grams of squeezed kimchi. Mince the kimchi.
- Pour the 3 cups vegetable stock into a pot and bring to a simmer over high heat. Turn down to low to keep warm. 3 cups vegetable stock
- In another pot, add the 2 tablespoons lard and 7 grams garlic and sauté until fragrant. 2 tablespoons lard, 7 grams garlic
- Add the 100 grams kimchi and continue sautéing until the kimchi is translucent. 100 grams kimchi
- Add the 1 cup Japanese short-grain rice and stir until the rice has evenly absorbed all the oil. 1 cup Japanese short-grain rice
- Add the ½ cup kimchi juice along with a ladleful of hot vegetable stock and stir the rice until most of the water has been absorbed. ½ cup kimchi juice
- Continue adding vegetable stock a ladleful at a time and stirring until the rice is your desired consistency. You may not need all the stock.
- When the rice is done, add the grated 15 grams Gruyère cheese and stir into the risotto. 15 grams Gruyère cheese
- Serve immediately.
