Arancini is an Italian dish made of stuffed rice balls coated with breadcrumbs and deep fried, resulting in gold colored arancinis that are crispy on the outside and creamy and cheesy on the inside. The golden arancinis go well with black rice, which, though less well known, is one of the healthiest versions of rice available. Black rice is loaded with antioxidants, iron, fibers, and protein, and is known to help lower blood sugar, cholesterol, and triglycerides.
Ingredients:
For arancini:
- Chicken stock 100ml
- Risotto rice/long US basmati rice 100g
- Whole eggs 2
- Shredded mozzarella cheese 50g
- Chopped parsley 20g.
- Parmesans cheese 20g
- Breadcrumbs 50g
- Oil for frying 250ml
- Salt 5g
- Pepper 5g
- For black rice:
- Black rice 200g
- Water
- Salt
- Olive oil 20ml
- Potato 200g
- For tomato sauce:
- Tomato puree 100ml
- Rosemary 5g
- Garlic 10g
- Cream 50ml
- White onion 100g
- Basil leaves 10g
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions:
For arancini:
- Bring chicken stock and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the rice, reduce the heat to low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. let cool completely.
- Combine mozzarella, parmesan cheese and parsley in a bowl; set aside.
- Beat the eggs in a large bowl, then stir in the cooled rice, the parmesan and 2/3 cup breadcrumbs. Shape the mixture into sixteen 1 1/2-inch balls.
- Place the remaining breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. Press your finger into the center of each rice ball, insert 2 teaspoons of the mozzarella mixture, then pinch the rice around the filling to enclose. Roll the balls in the breadcrumbs and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Loosely cover and refrigerate, at least 1 hour or overnight. (If refrigerating overnight, roll in more breadcrumbs before frying.)
- Heat 1/2-inch vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Working in batches, deep-fry the rice balls for about four minutes, turning, until golden brown on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels, season with salt.
For black rice:
- Rinse the rice to help remove starches that can cause clumping during cooking
- Add the rice to a saucepan, stir in 1 3/4 cups of water for every cup of rice, along with 1 teaspoon olive oil.
- Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Allow the rice to steam.
- Remove it from the heat and let it sit, covered, for 10 more minutes.
For gratin potato:
- Thinly slice the potatoes and arrange in a layer.
- Apply butter to a layer, sprinkle with seasoning
- Add another layer of potato slices and repeat the above until all slices are used
- Roast the layered potatoes along with a sprinkling of rosemary or any other herbs.
For creamy tomato sauce:
- Sauté the garlic and onion and add tomato puree and cook it wellAdd the cream along with herbs and other seasoning.
For plating:
Place the black rice on a plate using a mold or small plate to portion. and near rice Place the arancini balls and roast potatoes next to the rice. Add sauce to the center of the rice. Serve hot.
Creative, enthusiastic and with a passion for food, Chef Binu Joseph is currently Chef at The Regency Hotel Kuwait. With over 17 years of experience serving in luxury five-star properties in the region, Chef Joseph has an in-depth knowledge in preparing multiple cuisines, including Arabic, Asian, American, Continental and Indian dishes. In addition, his culinary skills in putting his own stamp on traditional dishes to create new combinations of flavors, textures and tastes allows him to prepare dishes that meet the tastes of the most discerning patrons. Chef Joseph now brings his versatility and 5-star culinary creativity to the pages of The Times Kuwait, with simple recipes that anyone can prepare using ingredients that are readily available in Kuwait.