Photo of Kashotto by Edyta Linert (www.edytalinert.com)
Grains, in one way or another, have always been a part of our diet, but in recent years they really have come to the spotlight.
Given their high nutrition content across all grain types, they have become very popular as an alternative to our so called ‘everyday carbs’ such as potatoes or in some cases rice. Well, as you may have probably figured it out already, this recipe is actually about that ‘some case’. I’m going to show you how to make a delicious Kashotto…sounds familiar? That’s because Kashotto is a risotto-like dish, but made with a grain, rather than Arborio rice.
The grain that I’m going to cook with is buckwheat groats, which is not only my favourite one, but it actually works really well with the rest of the ingredients, when it comes to absorbing the flavours and combining the whole dish together. But each to their own, if you think this recipe would work better with another grain – don’t be shy, give it a try!
KASHOTTO
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Serves 2
Recipe by Bill
INGREDIENTS
- 1 medium size sweet potato (approx. 150 g)
- 10 tbsp olive oil
- 100 ml boiled water
- 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp sweet paprika powder
- 1 tsp thyme
- 100 g buckwheat groats
- 120 g button mushrooms, sliced
- 80 g sweetcorn
- 80 g spinach
- 100 g red kidney beans
- 2 pak choi
- Sea salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cut sweet potato in half, lengthwise, then place each half onto a separate sheet of tin foil.
- Drizzle each one with 1 tbsp of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, wrap it up, put on the tray and bake in the pre-heated oven, 180 degrees Celsius, for 35 – 40 minutes.
- Once cooked, unwrap the foil and spoon the flesh out into a large bowl (be careful, it will be hot as it’s straight out of the oven).
- Mash the flesh using a fork, then add 6 tbsp of olive oil, water, Cayenne pepper, sweet paprika powder and thyme.
- Slowly whip with a whisk into a thin puree. Check the seasoning.
While sweet potatoes are in the oven, let’s get ready with buckwheat groats and the rest of the ingredients.
- Bring a small pan of salted water to the boil.
- Simmer buckwheat groats for 15 minutes, then drain and set aside.
- Take a large pan and heat up the remaining olive oil (2 tsbp), throw in mushrooms and cook for a few minutes until nicely brown.
- Add sweetcorn, spinach, kidney beans and cook for further few minutes or until the excess liquid has evaporated.
- Add sweet potato puree and buckwheat groats into veg mix, combine altogether, check the seasoning and keep hot.
- Cut pak choi into quarters and blanch in salted simmering water for two minutes, then set aside.
- Grab a couple of plates, put half of kashotto in the middle of each plate, top with pak choi and dig in 🙂
NOTES
- You can use other spices or herbs for sweet potato puree.
- Buckwheat groats can be replaced with a different type grain, just pick up your favourite one (remember cooking time may vary).
