Vegan Squid Ink Risotto

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SQUID INK VEGAN RISOTTO FEATURED IIIIII
Vegan Squid Ink Risotto looks amazing with its deep black color. The stock is balanced with umami, sweetness, salt, and hints of the ocean. When cooked together it all melds together to create a huge amount of flavor in the stock.

The black sesame seed paste which doubles as our “squid ink” was such a huge surprise to me, I had a basic idea of what it would taste like, but I really underestimated it. The amount of earthy notes in the black sesame seeds is over the top, it almost has a bitter taste that I was worried about. But, it turns out that once cooked it is creamy and delicious. 

The addition of Thai basil and garlic paired with the king oyster mushroom adds a punch of brightness to the rich risotto. The texture of the fried garlic and Thai basil is much needed.

King oyster mushrooms always deliver with umami-rich flavor and the lengthwise scoring adds to the aesthetic. 
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Wooden Spoon

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Cast Iron Pan

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WHAT YOU NEED…

  • Arborio rice is a starchy, short-grain rice varietal used for making risotto.
  • Black sesame paste can be found in Asian stores or online. 
  • Kombu is a type of kelp that is dried and pressed into sheets. We love the flavor kombu sheets give, reminiscent of the sea.
  • Sweet Soy Sauce: can be found in Asian stores, online, and in some specialty sections of select grocery stores. You can also make your own by adding brown sugar to soy sauce (1 to 1 ratio).
  • Mirin: is a rice-cooking wine that is generally low in alcohol. As always there are many types of mirin on the market ranging from the very expensive boutique styles to the more mainstream types.

How To Make Vegan “Squid Ink” Stock

BURNING ONION AND GARLIC_
Char half onion and garlic.
BURNT ONION AND GARLIC_
REDUCED SOY SAUCE_
Next, reduce the soy sauce.
ADDING KOMBU TO STOCK
Once reduced, add water, sweet soy sauce, and a kombu sheet.
VEGAN SQUID INK STOCK
Add the celery, charred onion, and garlic.
ADDING BLACK SESAME SEED PASTE_
Then add the black sesame paste.

How to Make Fried Garlic Chips & Fried Thai Basil

FRIED GARLIC THAI BASIL INGREDIENTS
Begin by thinly slicing the garlic.
FRIED GARLIC AND THAI BASIL_
Fry in batches until lightly golden. Next, repeat the process with the Thai basil leaves.

How to Cook King Oyster Mushrooms

CUTTING KING OYSTER IN HALF
Cut the mushroom in half lengthwise.
CUTTING KING OYSTER SECTIONS
Next, flip over and score the mushroom following the natural gills of the mushroom.
COOKING KING OYSTER MUSHROOMS
Sear both sides of the mushroom.
COOKING KING OYSTER MUSHROOMS WITH THAI BASIL
Cover with Thai basil and finish in the oven.
COOKED KING OYSTER MUSHROOMS WITH THAI BASIL
The Thai basil should be dried and crispy and the mushroom cooked through.
COOKED KING OYSTER MUSHROOMS WITH THAI BASIL II

How to Make Vegan “Squid Ink” Risotto

VEGAN SQUID INK RISOTTO INGREDIENTS
All of the ingredients you’ll need to make vegan “squid ink” risotto.
COOKING ONION AND GARLIC FOR RISOTTO_
Sweat the garlic and onions with the rest of the garlic/basil oil.
COOKING RICE, ONIONS AND GARLIC FOR vegan squid ink risotto
Next, add the arborio rice and one bay leaf. Stir to coat the rice.
COOKING RICE, ONIONS, GARLIC AND RED WINE FOR vegan squid ink risotto
Continue to cook the rice and add the red wine.
COOKING RICE, ONIONS, GARLIC, RED WINE, BLACK SESAME PASTE FOR vegan squid ink risotto
Stir to incorporate then add the black sesame paste. Continue to stir the risotto.
ADDING BLACK SESAME STOCK TO vegan squid ink risotto
You will add the stock and continue to stir. When the rice has absorbed the liquid, add more and continue to stir.
ADDING BLACK SESAME PASTE TO vegan squid ink risotto
Add more black sesame paste at the end.

Chefs Tips

  • Take your time when cooking the risotto, this is a dish that requires your full attention. Great care is needed to maintain the stirring and cooking of the stock to almost reduced without burning. You will learn how the rice responds to heat and how fast the liquid is absorbed. It is a wonderful time to share a glass of wine with a friend and have a chat while cooking risotto. 
  • You can substitute regular basil for Thai basil.
SQUID INK VEGAN RISOTTO FEATURED IIIIII

Vegan “Squid Ink” Risotto

Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Risotto, Squid Ink, Vegan
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 490kcal
Author: Those Vegan Chefs
Vegan "Squid Ink" Risotto is amazing with its deep black color. The stock is balanced with umami, sweetness, salt, and hints of the ocean.
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Ingredients

Black Sesame Stock

Vegan ‘Squid ink” Risotto

  • 1 cup Arborio rice
  • ½ yellow onion small dice
  • 3 Tbsp garlic peeled, thinly sliced
  • ⅓ cup red wine
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil extra virgin
  • ½ tsp sea salt plus more to adjust during cooking and at the end of cooking
  • 3 Tbsp black sesame paste

Thai Basil Roasted King Oyster Mushroom

  • 2 king oyster mushrooms large
  • 8 garlic fresh cloves, sliced thinly.
  • 5 sprigs Thai basil plus 15 leaves
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • 4 Tbsp olive oil extra virgin

Instructions

How to make Black Sesame Stock

  • Place the onion in a very hot pan, and gently press down on the onion. Cook the onion for 5-10 minutes. The onion should be black and charred.
  • 5 minutes into cooking add the garlic cloves, cooking until charred.
  • Heat a stock pot over medium heat. Add the soy sauce, cooking until reduced and thick.
  • Add the water, sweet soy sauce, mirin, Kombu sheets, celery, chard onion, garlic, bay leaf, and black sesame paste.
  • Bring the stock to a boil, and stir to dissolve the sesame paste. Reduce the heat to a low simmer cooking for 20 minutes.
  • Just before starting the risotto add Thai basil and salt.

How to make Vegan “Squid Ink” Risotto

  • Heat a pot over medium heat, add the extra virgin olive oil, and add the small dice of onion and sliced garlic. Season with seas slat. Cook for 3 minutes, the onion needs to be soft and tender.
  • Add the Arborio rice, and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Stirring the wholesome, I want to keep all color off the ice.
  • The red wine is added to the rice, stirring and cooking reducing the red wine over about 2 minutes.
  • Over the next 30 to 45 minutes, add a 4-5 ounce of black sesame seed stock at a time. Cook the stock until it has almost reduced, then add another ladle of stock.
  • The rice should be creamy, yet have the slightest crunch when you bite down.
  • Finish the risotto with an additional tablespoon of black sesame paste, and 4 ounces of stock. The risotto should be loose and flowing when you place it on a plate.

How to make Thai Basil Roasted King Oyster Mushrooms

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees
  • Cut the king oyster mushroom in half lengthwise.
  • Cut strips into the mushroom lengthwise only cut about 3/4 deep into the mushroom.
  • Heat the extra virgin olive over medium heat, and add the garlic, cooking until a light brown. Place the garlic on a paper towel to dry, and season with sea salt.
  • Place the Thai basil leaves in the pan cooking until the leaves become crispy. Place the leaves on the paper towel with the garlic. Set aside
  • Place the cut side of the mushroom down in the pan, cooking for 2-3 minutes, the mushrooms should be light brown. Flip the mushrooms, and place the remaining Thai basil sprigs on top of the mushrooms, cooking for 10 minutes.
  • Remove the dried Thai basil stems.

Plating

  • Spoon the vegan Squid Ink risotto in the middle of the plate. Place the roasted king oyster mushroom on top of the risotto in the middle. Gently place 3 leaves of fried basil and crispy garlic on top of the mushroom.

Notes

Nutritional values are an estimate

Nutrition

Calories: 490kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 2898mg | Potassium: 435mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 355IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 3mg

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