Creamy, cheesy and super delicious this Barley Prawn Risotto with Dil Pesto hits all the right notes. The post includes both Thermomix and stovetop recipe!
This Creamy, cheesy and super delicious this Barley Prawn Risotto with Dil Pesto is what dreams are made of. I love Risotto but you still won’t find many risotto recipes on the blog because I think the real deal is the arborio rice. And that rice is so expensive that I hardly end up making risotto at home. Till I figured out that barley works as a fantastic alternative. It is starchy, plumps up nicely and makes everything nice and creamy.
I initially designed this particular recipe for my workshop with Thermomix India, so it is essentially a Thermomix recipe. But I am also sharing the instructions for the stovetop version in the recipe steps for everyone. The recipe is really easy to make and super delicious. So do try it out!
If you want to try the rice version here is the Leek & Mushroom Risotto. And if you make this one, please share a picture with me on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook? I would love to hear what you have to say about it

Barley Prawn Risotto with Dil Pesto : Thermomix Recipe
Ingredients
- 200 gm Barley pearls
- 200 gm medium prawns cleaned and deveined
- 300 ml chicken/sea food stock or 300ml water + stock cube
- 100 ml dry white wine
- 30 gm butter
- 30 ml olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 100 gm Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp dil chutney
- Salt to taste
For the dil pesto
- 100 gm dill leaves
- 100 gm coriander leaves
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 Green Chilies
- 1 gooseberry
- 50 gm almonds
- 20 ml oil
- 50 ml cold water
- Salt to taste
Instructions
For making the Dil Pesto (Thermomix)
- Add Oil, green chilli and garlic to the mixing jar and run for 20secs at speed 4. Then run it for 2 mins at 90C and reverse-1. Add Almonds and run for 4 mins at 90C and Reverse-1. Add the leaves, water and salt and run for 1 minute at speed 9. The pesto is ready keep aside.
For Risotto (Thermomix Method)
- Grate cheese for 15 seconds at speep 10. Remove and set aside
- Add Oil & butter and run for 3mins at 120 and Reverse-1
- Add Garlic and first chop it for 20s at speed 4 and then sautee it for 4mins at 100C and Reverse-1
- Add Barley and roast for 6mins at 120C and Reverse-1, Add Wine and cook for 1 minute at 100C with Reverse-1 (without the mixing jar)
- Add Stock, Dil Chutney and cook at 16min at 100C with Reverse-1. Remove the measuring cup and add the simmering basket to control spills.
- Add prawn, cheese and cook further for 4mins at 100C and Reverse-1. Serve immediately topped with more butter and parmesan cheese and a glass of wine, you will have enough left from the bottle after using 100ml for the risotto 🙂
For making the Dil Pesto
- In a small pan heat Oil and roughly choppped green chillies and garlic. Sautee for 3-4 minutes. Add Almonds and roast till lightly browned. Add to greens and grind to smooth chutney like consistency.
For Risotto (stovetop)
- In a heavy bottom saucepan, heat Oil & butter. Add finely chopped garlic and sautee for 1 minute.
- Add barley pearls and slowly roast them for 5-6 minutes till they change a bit of color.
- Add wine little by little constantly stirring with love. Once the wine is over, start adding stock/water little by little constantly stirring the risotto while you do so. This will take around 15 minutes or so roughly.
- Now add prawns cook for another 3 minutes, add the grated cheese and let it all melt and become creamy.
- Serve immediately topped with more butter and parmesan cheese and a glass of wine, you will have enough left from the bottle after using 100ml for the risotto 🙂
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