Mung Bean and Baby Basmati Risotto with Green Cardamom, Wild Mushrooms, and Shahi Jeera

Recipe by Floyd Cardoz

• Level: Easy
• Yield: 6 servings
• Total Time: 1 hr 45 min
• Prep: 1 hr
• Cook: 45 min

Nutritional Analysis Per Serving

Serving Size: 1 of 6 servings

• Calories: 196
• Total Fat: 12 g
• Saturated Fat: 2 g
• Carbohydrates: 20 g
• Dietary Fiber: 3 g
• Sugar: 3 g
• Protein: 5 g
• Cholesterol: 5 mg
• Sodium: 448 mg

Ingredients

• 1 cup baby basmati rice
• 1/4 cup mung beans
• 1/8 cup canola oil
• 6 green cardamom pods
• 1 clove
• 1 teaspoon minced shallots
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Ground green cardamom, to taste
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 inch piece of whole ginger
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 shallots piquet (whole shallot, studded with a whole clove and bay leaf)

Mushroom Fricassee

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/4 teaspoon shahi jeera
• 2 cups cooked mixed mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon minced shallots
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons tarragon
• 1 tablespoon chopped chervil

Instructions

Rice and Mung Bean Mixture

1. Rinse the baby basmati rice thoroughly and drain. Do not soak. In a separate bowl, wash and sort the mung beans, then soak them in warm water for one hour.
2. Heat the oil in a pan and add 4 green cardamom pods and the clove. Add the minced shallots and saut until softened.
3. Add the basmati rice and cook gently, stirring. Gradually pour in the vegetable stock, a little at a time, seasoning with salt, pepper, and ground cardamom as you go.
4. Continue cooking until the rice is al dente, adding more stock as needed. Finish by stirring in a tablespoon of butter.
5. In a small pot, combine the soaked mung beans, ginger, garlic, and shallot piquet. Cover with vegetable stock and cook until the beans are tender. Remove the spices and the shallot piquet.
6. Add the cooked mung beans with their stock to the rice mixture. Adjust the seasoning as needed.

Mushroom Fricassee

1. Heat a saut pan and add the oil and shahi jeera, cooking until fragrant.
2. Add the mushrooms and quickly saut until golden brown. Stir in the minced shallots and cook until softened.
3. Season with salt and pepper. Add the tarragon, remove from heat, and garnish with chopped chervil.

To Serve

Place a small mound of the rice and mung bean mixture in a bowl and top with the warm mushroom fricassee for an elegant, aromatic dish that showcases the delicate spices in every bite.