Indian Spiced Creamy Broccoli Risotto

Does that sound like the last thing you want on your dinner menu?

I loved it, and more importantly for many readers, my husband loved it (as a side to his turkey burger *gags in disgust*).

When I saw this Saffron Risotto with Broccoli recipe on Vegetarian Times, it reminded me of Angela's delicious Spicy Broccoli Dal (that turned out surprisingly good).  And throw a little inspiration from Ali's Barley Risotto on top, and you have this beautiful and healthy meal in a dish.  And plus, I felt I owed you a healthy recipe after fried food day yesterday (which, by the way, I felt fine today...last time I ate that much fried food I thought I came down with the flu).

I am actually very proud of this dish for it's delicious flavor, it's smooth and creamy risotto-like texture, and it's healthful-ness.

Indian Spiced Creamy Broccoli Risotto

serves 3-4

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of brown rice (I used brown basmati)

1 medium broccoli stalk, plus the stem of another (peel stalk and dice everything but not too small)

1 red onion

1 cup (about a handful) of shitake mushrooms

1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (optional)

3-4 kale leaves (I used crinkly purple kale)

1 box of vegetable stock (roughly 4 cups)

extra water (roughly 4 more cups...I actually saved the boiling water from some chard I had boiled for another dish)

spice mixture (combine in small bowl and set aside for end): 

-1/2 teaspoon tumeric

-1/2 teaspoon coriander powder

-scant 1 teaspoon curry spice blend

-few grinds of black pepper

-1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

-2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Method:

Rinse rice well and place in a shallow pan (I used a saucier).  Add enough broth to cover rice.  Bring to just boiling (medium or medium-high).  Optionally, in a separate pot, simmer broth while it is waiting to go into the rice.  While waiting for broth to boil, dice broccoli stems and florets and red onion and place into pot with the rice along with the fenu greek seeds.  Once rice absorbs most of the liquid, add more broth and continue to stir in broad strokes to avoid sticking, adding more broth each time the rice has absorbed most of it.  When the broth runs out, begin to add water (you can simmer this as well in the broth pot).  

[Now, I have to warn you that at this point it's not going to fill your kitchen with a delicious aroma.  It's broccoli, onion, and brown rice, so there's going to be a broccoli-onion-and-brown-rice smell.  Just keep on cooking and don't worry.  Know that you'll have a delicious and healthy vegan gourmet dish waiting for you at the end.]

When the rice is almost the consistency that you want, add chopped shitakes (you can do this earlier in the process, too, but I wanted the mushrooms' flavor to stand out more).  Continue stirring and adding water or broth.  Once the rice is at the right consistency (up to 30 or more minutes later), stir in the spice mixture.  Mix well.  Then throw chopped kale leaves right on top and then cover and turn off heat.  Let sit for 10-15 minutes until kale leaves are wilted but not overdone.  

I'm really proud of this recipe : )

***

Have you had your 9 servings for fruits and veggies today?  Here's me:

Breakfast: 5 frozen peach slices, 1 banana, 1/2 cup blueberries, 3 dried dates

Lunch: 3 carrots, 1 banana

Dinner: broccoli and a few pieces of kale from our dish above, 1/4 cup collard greens, 1/8 cup raisins

Night time snack: (below) 6 strawberries, 1 banana

Total: too much fruit and not enough vegetables.

And geez, I guess I had enough bananas today.  I took that magnesium-potassium supplement for nothing.  I could have just eaten some chocolate and it's a done deal.

***

After a long day of house-cleaning, fish tank drama (still in progress--I'm praying they maintain their life force!), a long hike with the hubby and dogs, and cooking dinner/cleaning the kitchen, I deserve this strawberry ice cream*, right?  I'm eating it while I blog.  But it's too cold...I can't finish it.  Want the rest? (Haha, gross, I hate sharing stuff like that).

*6 frozen strawberries, 1 frozen banana, 4 pecans, and 1/4 cup water [yields enough for two]

***

And a little glimpse of our hike (the reservoir there in the background).  These two collapsed when we got home!