Posted on May 08, 2018 by Emily Forbes

I’ve always said I don’t like risotto. But it’s weird, when I think about it, I’m not sure I’ve ever eaten risotto. I don’t know if I’ve got it into my head that I don’t like it. Or if I have actually tried it once, didn’t like it and blocked it from my mind. With just a memory of dissatisfaction, it always seems like the vegetarian option on the menu is mushroom risotto; and I love mushrooms but I can’t think of anything worse. So when I went over to my sister’s, and she told me she was making sweet potato risotto for tea, I was less than enthused.

I didn’t want to seem too ungrateful and just commented “I don’t usually eat risotto”. But my brother-in-laws excitement on “mushy rice” was enough for me to give it a try. And I was pleasantly surprised. More than pleasantly surprised. This is now a recipe that is on my staple meal list.

Ingredients 

(I have halved the recipe that my sister gave me. And it does me 4 portions)

For the rice:

  • 250g short grain rice (recipe calls for brown. I use white because that’s what they had)
  • 400ml can of coconut milk (I didn’t halve this)
  • 1Tbs apple cider vinegar

For the sauce:

  • 1 large sweet potato (500-600g)
  • 1.5 Tbs olive
  • Salt & pepper
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 100g pine nuts
  • Half Tbs apple cider vinegar
  • 1 Tbs tahini
  • 2 Tbs nutritional yeast
  • Half Tbs ground cumin
  • Lemon juice
  • 2 Garlic cloves
  • 100g spinach
  • Fresh coriander (optional, for serving)

Method

  • Put the rice into a pan with the coconut milk and add 350ml boiling water and vinegar. Bring to the boil and after a minute bring it down to a simmer. Cook for the length of time mentioned on the packet.
  • Using a third of the potato, peel and cut into small cubes. Coat in oil, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with cinnamon. Roast in the oven for about 30 min. 5 minutes before the end of cooking, add the pine nuts to the tin. Allow them to cook until they are golden brown.
  • Cut the remaining sweet potato and boil in a small amount of water until cooked.
  • Add the cooked potato with the water (about 100ml) into a blender. Then add vinegar, tahini, nutritional yeast, cumin, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Blend into a smooth mix.
  • Mix the blend into the rice once it is cooked. Also adding the roasted sweet potato and pine nuts.
  • Finally, add in the spinach and stir until it is wilted.
  • Serve sprinkled with fresh coriander.

Hope you enjoy this as much as me.