Ryuji's "Ultimate Tomato Risotto," 15 Minutes from Raw Rice

The only ingredients are garlic, onion, a can of whole tomatoes, and rice. Anyone who wants to add mushrooms or other toppings is free to, but since this is the "basic risotto," Ryuji leaves them out and keeps it simple, with just the tomato flavor.

Ryuji's earlier recipes were often for two servings, and people kept saying they "couldn't figure out the amounts for one," so this time Ryuji makes one serving. The rice is about 90 g, a bit more than a single serving. Ryuji says 80 g is fine too, since appetites vary. The onion is about 60 g, and chopping it finely is enough.

For the tomatoes, Ryuji uses canned whole tomatoes. There was no frozen stock this time, so a can was opened. Only half, 200 g, is used; Ryuji explains that the rest can be put in a bag and frozen for another batch.

When the staff member asked how to scale it up for two servings, Ryuji replied, "It's different from my one-pan pasta theory." The key is to have plenty of hot water ready; as long as you have that, you can make it.

Separately from the pan, bring 500 cc of water to a boil. This is what the risotto will be cooked in.

Put olive oil and garlic in a frying pan and start sautéing over high heat. What Ryuji calls "really important" is browning the garlic. In Italian risotto the garlic generally isn't browned, but Ryuji says browning it a little gives an aroma that suits Japanese tastes, and the toasted aroma goes well with tomato sauce. Burning it too much makes it bitter, though, so aim for about the color of garlic chips.

Next, add the onion. That day the onion made Ryuji's eyes sting, and Ryuji said it might have been because the knife was dull. A dull knife crushes the onion's fibers, which is what makes your eyes sting. With a freshly sharpened knife it doesn't sting at all, apparently, and Ryuji recommends sharpening your knife, even with a simple sharpener.

Once the onion is sautéed, add the raw rice and stir-fry until it's coated in oil. Then add the whole tomatoes directly to the pan as well. According to Ryuji, recipes that simmer the rice in "tomato water," tomatoes diluted with water, are more common. Ryuji still puts them straight into the pan because the rice absorbs the tomato flavor, and it tastes better that way.

Then pour in the boiled water until the rice is just barely submerged. After that, all you do is keep it at a constant boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

Ryuji also explains why hot water is used. If you add cold water, it takes time to come to a boil, and meanwhile starch is released, resulting in a poorly finished risotto. That's why boiling water in a separate pot is "extremely important."

Start seasoning with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Since tomatoes can be sour, add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar too, just as with pasta. For umami seasoning, Ryuji uses six shakes of Hi-Me; if you don't have it, Ajinomoto is fine.

Kombu dashi can be used instead. However, kombu dashi adds a kombu aroma. Ryuji explains that a seasoning that adds only umami gets you closer to a "pure tomato risotto."

Simmer over medium heat, and when the rice has absorbed the liquid and you can see the bottom of the pan, add more hot water. Ryuji says, though, that the timing is "pretty much irrelevant"; simmering for 15 minutes matters more.

Ryuji also explains why you don't add a lot of water from the start. With too much water, the rice "dances" in the pan and the grains knock against each other, releasing too much starch and making it heavy and gluey. That isn't bad either, but Ryuji prefers to top up gradually rather than add it all at once.

Behind this method is a difference in rice. Authentic risotto is made not with Japonica rice but with a variety called Carnaroli, which has less moisture than Japanese rice. Making risotto with Japanese rice isn't a "difficult technique," Ryuji says, but the method is different.

How quickly the liquid evaporates depends on the frying pan. A large pan has a wider heated surface, so liquid evaporates faster and you use more hot water. A small pan needs less. That day, Ryuji used a large pan on an induction cooktop at power level 7.

So there's no need to worry about how many cc of hot water you've used. Sometimes you'll use all 500 cc, and sometimes it won't be enough. It varies with each household's heat, so Ryuji's explanation is that if you boil plenty of water and simmer the rice just barely submerged for 15 minutes, you'll always end up with risotto. Time matters more than quantities, and it's the same for two servings.

When the staff member asked whether you have to stay by the stove the whole time, Ryuji answered, "You can leave it alone." You do need to add more when the liquid runs out, though. Once you get a feel for this, you don't have to hover over it for the full 15 minutes.

Midway through simmering, Ryuji mentioned being told on X (formerly Twitter) that "my food lacks nutrition." A risotto of just tomato and rice doesn't have enough vegetables, and it's hard to cover everything with one dish. So Ryuji makes another dish while the risotto cooks.

Ryuji tears about 100 g of king oyster mushrooms left over in the fridge by hand and stir-fries them with butter and yuzu kosho. Partway through, Ryuji realized "there's not enough protein" and added two chikuwa cut into rings.

Add about 2/3 teaspoon of yuzu kosho. Butter and yuzu kosho go together really well, and adding chikuwa brings seafood umami too. The jarred yuzu kosho Ryuji uses is well seasoned, and the chikuwa itself has umami, so Ryuji skipped the umami seasoning and finished with a light drizzle of soy sauce. Ryuji presents it as an easy "accompaniment" you can make while preparing the risotto.

At the 15-minute mark, it's still watery, or "shabai," and Ryuji says it isn't done yet. Always taste it. At this point the rice is quite al dente, so if you'd like it softer, simmer for about five more minutes.

From there, turn up the heat to cook off the liquid and adjust it to your liking. Ryuji prefers it a bit thicker, so they cooked it further. Some people like it sticky and some like it loose, so this part is something each person has to adjust. Ryuji's preference is for it to be thick enough that when you tilt the pan, it flows slowly and you can draw a line through it. That day, a little of the boiled water was left over.

For the finishing cheese, Ryuji uses shredded pizza cheese rather than the grated cheese many people use, about a handful, 30–40 g. The reason is cost: according to Ryuji, a container of grated cheese costs about 300–400 yen. Adding a generous amount to risotto would cost around 100 yen per serving. With pizza cheese, if you buy a cheap one, it comes to just a few dozen yen. That day, too, Ryuji used cheap pizza cheese from the supermarket. Authentic risotto would call for grated Parmigiano, but Japanese pizza cheese is tasty and coats the risotto well, so Ryuji has been using it lately.

Once the cheese is in, don't stir roughly with the spatula; fold it in lightly. Stirring isn't wrong, but stirring too much wears down the rice and gives it a heavy, gluey texture. Finally, drizzle with some good olive oil. A cheap one is fine if that's all you have. Plate it, sprinkle with parsley, and it's done. Speed matters with risotto, so plate it quickly. The side dish was topped with chopped green onion.

The staff member who tasted it said it had tomato flavor and rich cheese, and was completely different from what they make themselves. According to Ryuji, this finish is al dente. The salt is kept on the light side, so you can add a pinch when eating if you like. The staff member also said a pinch seems to tighten up the flavor. Both of them described it as "light."

The chikuwa and king oyster mushroom stir-fry was also a hit. The staff member said, "This one's the winner," and Ryuji reflected that the umami seasoning wasn't needed. Ryuji says yuzu kosho is delicious whether it comes in a jar or a tube.

As for quantity, the risotto made from 90 g of rice is quite a lot. In a course meal it would be about two servings, but Ryuji would eat it all alone, and if you're hungry, it works as one serving. To make a double batch, double all the ingredients, have plenty of hot water ready, and keep it bubbling, just barely submerged, for 15–16 minutes. Ryuji said it might be even easier than one-pan pasta.

This risotto isn't spicy, so children can eat it too. If you want it spicy, add chili oil, ichimi chili pepper, or the like. Adding toppings is easy as well; mushrooms are fine if added about five minutes before it's done. Broccoli goes well too, and you can also add seafood, bacon, ham, and so on. Since this recipe is the "foundation," Ryuji encourages viewers to add their own favorite ingredients.

Ryuji ate risotto all the time when younger. Ryuji often makes it when people come over, and it goes over well. Since it's not a dish people often serve to others, Ryuji also said that being able to say, "I'm making risotto from raw rice today, so hang on a bit," is kind of cool. As for why they were so focused that they forgot to drink during the recording, Ryuji explained that it's because nobody makes risotto even though it's such an easy, convenient cooking method, and said they want people to make risotto the same way they'd make pasta.

To close, Ryuji touched on how their pasta had been criticized on social media as having "poor nutritional balance because there are no toppings," which had become a topic of discussion. Ryuji's view is this: each person eating a dish should develop the ability to think for themselves, such as adding protein if they think there isn't enough. If you can think that way, you can enjoy any dish. Rather than Ryuji making a nutritionally complete meal in a single dish, Ryuji believes that viewers changing their way of thinking would let them enjoy a wider variety of meals.

For that reason, Ryuji stated clearly that they have no intention of changing this view. At the same time, Ryuji said they will continue to introduce side dishes like this one going forward.