Thai Risotto

DEAR SOS: I enjoyed a Thai version of risotto at Tommy Tang’s in Old Town Pasadena. Could you wrestle the recipe from the chef for me?

--TILLIE

DEAR TILLIE: This Thai improvisation of an Italian risotto dish was created by Tang because of his love of risotto. What a great opportunity to become acquainted with Thai ingredients, which are widely available at most supermarkets and Asian grocery stores.

TOMMY TANG’S THAI RISOTTO

LEMON GRASS STOCK

6 cups water

1 stalk lemon grass

4 pieces dried galangal root

4 kaffir lime leaves

1 onion, cut in half

1 large carrot, cut in half

1 celery rib, cut in half

Place water, lemon grass, dried galangal, lime leaves, onion, carrot and celery in large stock pot and bring to boil. Cook over medium-high heat until stock is reduced to 1 quart.

RISOTTO

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon Thai curry paste (panang)

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 1/4 cups Thai jasmine rice, rinsed and drained

1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk

2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce

1 teaspoon honey

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1 cup diced tomato

1 1/2 cups diced oyster, shiitake, portobello or white mushrooms

2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

1 tablespoon diced mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup half and half

2 teaspoons thin-sliced kaffir lime leaves

1/2 cup thin-sliced Thai or regular basil

4 sprigs basil

Combine olive oil, curry paste and garlic in large skillet and saute over high heat until mixture turns red. Add rice, stirring constantly, 1 minute.

Add lemon grass stock and simmer 10 minutes, stirring every minute to keep rice from sticking to skillet. Add coconut milk, fish sauce, honey, bell pepper, tomato and mushrooms and cook 5 minutes, stirring every 1 minute. Add pine nuts, mozzarella and half and half and cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add lime leaves and basil and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and serve in bowls garnished with basil sprigs.

Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

630 calories; 570 mg sodium; 12 mg cholesterol; 38 grams fat; 68 grams carbohydrates; 11 grams protein; 4.11 grams fiber.

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DEAR SOS: I am having a small wedding and would like to serve Broken Glass Cake. Do you have the recipe?

--CHARLENE

DEAR CHARLENE: The gelatin squares added to the whipped cream cake give the semblance of stained glass. Plan on serving the cake chilled. Allowing the cake to stand too long without refrigeration will cause it to melt and fall.

BROKEN GLASS CAKE

1 (3-ounce) package orange-flavored gelatin

1 (3-ounce) package cherry-flavored gelatin

1 (3-ounce) package lime-flavored gelatin

3 cups boiling water

2 cups cold water

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup pineapple juice

1 (3-ounce) package lemon-flavored gelatin

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/3 cup melted butter

2 cups whipping cream

Separately prepare orange, cherry and lime gelatin, using 1 cup boiling water and 1/2 cup cold water for each. Pour each flavor into separate 8-inch square pans and chill until firm.

Stir sugar into pineapple juice in saucepan and heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Dissolve lemon gelatin in hot juice, then add remaining 1/2 cup cold water. Chill until slightly thickened.

Mix crumbs and butter and press into bottom of 9-inch springform pan.

Cut firm gelatin into 1/2-inch cubes. Whip cream until stiff and blend with lemon gelatin. Fold in gelatin cubes. Pour into crumb-lined pan. Chill at least 5 hours. Run knife or spatula between sides of dessert and pan and remove sides of pan before serving.

Makes 16 servings.

Each serving contains about:

348 calories; 264 mg sodium; 51 mg cholesterol; 16 grams fat; 50 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.10 gram fiber.

Only recipes of general interest will be printed. Send request to Culinary SOS, Food Section, The Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles 90053. Include restaurant address when requesting recipes from restaurants. We are unable to answer recipe requests by mail. You may also reach Rose Dosti on the TimesLink Wining & Dining bulletin board, or by TimesLink e-mail at wesd47e. For TimesLink information, call (800) 792-LINK, Ext. 274.