Eesha Kulkarni

It’s no secret that the Bachchan family members are big time foodies; but can you guess which classic Italian dish they especially love gorging on? It’s pumpkin risotto! This hearty and delicious rice dish is like a hug in a bowl and makes for the perfect comfort food on a chilly winter day.

Pumpkin risotto is a real institution in Italian cuisine: a first course prepared with pumpkin encompassing all the warmth of slow cooking, genuine flavours and good homey aroma. A dish of peasant origins, like many of the best dishes of the Italian tradition: only intuition, practice and imagination have been able to transform pumpkin and rice into a dish celebrated today by gourmets and loved by connoisseurs. Its simplicity is what makes it a perfect meal for any and every occasion. Here’s how you can make it at home.

Ingredients

Olive Oil

10 gm chopped Onion

120 gm Risotto Rice

10 ml White Wine

Vegetable Stock

15 gms chopped Pumpkin (Brunoise)

Pumpkin Puree

10 ml Saffron Water

25 gm Parmesan Cheese

15 gm Butter

Method

1. Start by chopping your pumpkin into tiny cubes.
2. Add olive oil to a pan and heat it up. Saute the onions in the oil for a few minutes.
3. Pour in the risotto rice and let it toast in the pan for a couple of minutes.
4. Then, add the white wine to your rice and mix well. Throw in a bit of fresh rosemary for flavour.
5. Cook the rice down in the wine for a while and then pour in the warm veggie stock.
6. Meanwhile, transfer the chopped pumpkin pieces to a hot pan with some oil and saute them over low heat until they are nicely caramelised.
7. Add two large tablespoons of pumpkin puree to the rice mixture and stir well.
8. Pour in the saffron water and let everything simmer together on low heat until the rice is almost cooked.
9. Drop in some parmesan cheese and butter to the risotto and let everything simmer together until the rice is done.
10. Once the risotto is nicely cooked and looks starchy, creamy and delicious, transfer it to a plate.
11. Garnish with the browned pumpkin pieces, micro greens and some more parmesan, and voila!