The moment you take a bite of this rich-tasting, aromatic risotto you'll forget how healthy it is. The secret to its incredibly appealing texture is the liquid-absorbing rice starch.
Parmesan cheese is not truly vegetarian, as it contains animal rennet. To make this dish 100% vegetarian, omit the cheese or find a suitable vegetarian substitute made without animal rennet. In supermarkets look for the 'parmesan style hard cheeses' which are suitable for vegetarians.
*For a deeper colour and a more Spanish flavour, add a pinch of saffron threads to the stock mixture in step 3.
*This is a good dish to make when you have friends or family in the kitchen with you. You can have one of them do the stirring for you!
*The beta-carotene in carrots that is so good for vision is equally important for healthy skin and hair. 140g (5oz) of cooked carrots provides three times the recommended daily intake of beta-carotene.
*Carrots were known to the Greeks and Romans, although they were not widely used in Europe until the Middle Ages. Early varieties were red, purple or black; the familiar orange variety was developed in Holland in the 17th century.