That happened to me when I first started to make risotto, too. After the first couple of times, I'd make some extra stock so that if it was still too hard after the cooking time, I could still cook it longer.
It helps me to think of the risotto like rice. It needs to cook for about 25 minutes (or so) over medium/low temperature (maybe a tad closer to medium). Finding the right temp is what can be difficult, because I think if varies depending on what type of stove and pot/pan you're using. I normally use a dutch oven, because I find that it retains heat evenly and well, but I've also had good success with a good, large pan (but it has to be a good one - if it heats unevenly, it's going to make cooking the risotto much more difficult).
I'd say experiment. Have a little extra stock on hand (and make sure it's simmering - you don't want to add anything to the risotto while it's cooking that's not hot). You want the risotto pan to be hot enough that it's absorbing ladle/cupfuls of stock relatively quickly (I'd say every two to three minutes) but not so hot that you're feeling the rice stick to the bottom of the pot unless you're madly stirring.
I've found that once you find the right temperature, you don't need to be stirring every seconds, and that the risotto can be a little forgiving.
Hope this helps!
P.S. You're toasting the rice first, right (adding it to the pan without any liquid...)?
It helps me to think of the risotto like rice. It needs to cook for about 25 minutes (or so) over medium/low temperature (maybe a tad closer to medium). Finding the right temp is what can be difficult, because I think if varies depending on what type of stove and pot/pan you're using. I normally use a dutch oven, because I find that it retains heat evenly and well, but I've also had good success with a good, large pan (but it has to be a good one - if it heats unevenly, it's going to make cooking the risotto much more difficult).
I'd say experiment. Have a little extra stock on hand (and make sure it's simmering - you don't want to add anything to the risotto while it's cooking that's not hot). You want the risotto pan to be hot enough that it's absorbing ladle/cupfuls of stock relatively quickly (I'd say every two to three minutes) but not so hot that you're feeling the rice stick to the bottom of the pot unless you're madly stirring.
I've found that once you find the right temperature, you don't need to be stirring every seconds, and that the risotto can be a little forgiving.
Hope this helps!
P.S. You're toasting the rice first, right (adding it to the pan without any liquid...)?