Why is my risotto not soft throughout?

[Batsypatsy]

A new favourite in our house is risotto. However, no matter how much liquid I use or how long I cook it I always find some bits of rice are still a bit hard.

What am I doing wrong?

Are you stirring too much/not enough?

Are you letting the risotto crack before you add the stock? When you add the rice, med/high heat, make sure the rice is coated in the oil/butter and cook for a few minutes before adding stock.

Tell us exactly what you do.

I melt butter or heat the oil, then add the rice and stir, leave for a few mins, then gradually add the stock, leave until absorbed before adding more.

Maybe I've been stirring it too much. Also I tried frying sliced mushrooms first, then adding the rice, maybe I need to fry the mushrooms separately and add at the end?

What else should I add? I tried it with a little cream stirred in, but it seemed too creamy. I add a little parmesan at the end, I also add peas.

I've been making it in a nonstick wok, because my frying pan isn't great and needs replacing, would that cause problems?

Sounds like you are doing it right.
I also add white wine before the stock, also
I fry carrot onions and celery first and add mushrooms and peas later and throw in Parmesan at the end.

Perhaps the wok isn't heating it evenly...?

I dunno, I find risotto very forgiving. I don't tend to use oil, just rice and a ladle full of stock at a time. Constant stirring, I probably stir it way more than other posters, I think the stirring helps the rice break down slightly and produce that creamy texture. I don't add any cream, just some parmesan on top once served, or a soft poached egg is lovely. I use a normal saucepan.

A wok has a smaller base area - the stock will sink to the bottom and probably not evenly dissipate throughout the rice so some bits at the edges might not cook as well?

Are you sure you’re not just making it al dente?

You need to add s glass of wine with the stock and then drink the rest of the bottle whilst you are stirring the thing. Doesn’t make it cook any better but you do mind a little less!

I only make risotto if I've got plenty of time and can give it my full attention. It needs plenty of time and stirring.

You need to fry the rice (in with onions and mushrooms is fine) until it changes and swells a bit, then add wine and then hot stock bit by bit.

Then just keep stirring, usually for about 20-30 mins.

You need a pan with a wider base. A wok just wont do it. Also how long do you cook it for?

It needs to be in a proper pan not a wok

A wok will not cook rosotto properly. Use a saucepan instead. My risotto pan is approx 7" x 7". The base is not too large and the heat is evenly distributed.

Right, I've probably not been stirring enough for a start. I thought the rule with rice was not to stir.

I had the same problem in the frying pan, so I don't think it's the wok, but I'll try in the frying pan again. Maybe I'm not cooking long enough - how long should it take and how high should the heat be (gas)?

I never have wine in, so haven't been using that, but will try it.

I've also not been measuring how much rice I use, maybe I'm not using enough stock for the amount of rice I'm cooking.

Yesterday I must have been cooking it for over half an hour, and some bits of rice were still a bit hard.

Agree - it'll be the wok. Only part of the rice is near direct heat at any one time, so will cook unevenly.

My general estimate for cooking time is about 20 minutes. That's after mixing the rice with butter oil and wine - so purely stock cooking time, from the first ladle of stock to the last - about 20 minutes. Stirring continuously.

Stirring in a wide bottomed pan and drinking a glass of wine at the same time.

Do you leave it to stand with the lid on for 10 mins after cooking?

I also heat my stock in a separate pan so that it is warm. Warm stock, not cold, added in a ladle at a tome. Stirring constantly.

Have never had under-cooked rice.

I'll go against the grain and say don't stir. I think the wok is the problem.

My pan doesn't have a lid.

It's odd, because I used to make it and never had this problem. Can't work out what I'm doing differently.

I had the same problem making it in the frying pan.

Didn’t realise you were using a wok. Try using a flat bottomed pan, even just a big saucepan or a big frying pan. Obvs a rissotto pan is bear! Use a plate as a lid to stand at the end?

It'll be the wok, wrong shape and not hearing evenly. Get a cheap non stick deep sided sauté pan.

You stir risotto, it's normal rice you don't stir.

You are meant to stir, to break down the starch and make it creamy.