Derek Sarno's vegan 'cheese' sauce
Derek Sarno, Tesco's director of plant-based innovation, has used sweet potatoes in this vegan cheese recipe. It works well as a creamy sauce for fries, nachos and macaroni cheese.
Makes 800ml (serves 6)
Takes 20 mins
Ingredients:
- 200g fresh or frozen cauliflower florets
- 1 large (200g) sweet potato, scrubbed, trimmed and cut into 1cm pieces
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled
- 50g salsa
- 100g Applewood vegan cheese alternative, diced
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp onion granules
- 3 tbsp Wicked Kitchen Garlic & Herb Flavoured Nooch Seasoning
- 400ml Oatly oat milk-alternative
Method:
1. Boil the cauliflower, sweet potato and garlic in a covered pan for about 10 mins until tender. If using frozen cauliflower, add it after 7 mins.
2. Drain the vegetables and transfer to a blender. Add the salsa, cheese-alternative, paprika, onion powder, nooch seasoning and oat milk-alternative.
3. Blend on high for at least 2 mins until smooth and silky. Season to taste. Add another 100ml oat milk-alternative for a thinner sauce, if you prefer.
Cook's tip: Add 1 tsp ground cumin when blending the 'cheese' sauce, for extra spice.
Romy Gill's Sweet potato parathas
Chef and author, Romy, mixes sweet potato with fragrant herbs and spices and uses it as a filling between homemade parathas. Her easy-to-make recipe makes a wonderful starter or lunch.
Makes 4-6
Prep time: 10 mins plus resting
Cooking time: 12 mins
Ingredients:
- 150g chapatti flour (if you can’t find chapatti flour, use half plain flour and half wholemeal flour), plus extra for dusting
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp sunflower oil, plus extra for brushing
For the filling:
- 200g sweet potato, peeled, roughly chopped, boiled and drained
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 2 green chillies, chopped, or 1 tsp red chilli flakes
- Handful fresh coriander, chopped
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp salt
Method:
1. To make the dough, sieve the flour into a bowl, add the salt then slowly add 80ml water. Mix everything with your hands until it comes together into a dough. If it feels dry, add 20ml more water.
2. Dust your work surface with flour and knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Coat the bowl with oil, then place the dough inside and cover with a cloth. Leave it to rest for about 15 mins at room temperature
3. For the filling, mash the sweet potatoes, then add the rest of the ingredients, mix together and set aside
4.Divide the dough into 4-6 equal balls, depending on what size parathas you want. Sprinkle a dough ball with flour, roll into a thick disc using a rolling pin, then spread some mash onto it. Bring the edges of the dough into the centre, pinch to seal and form a pouch, then carefully flatten the pouch in your hands. Sprinkle the parathas again with flour and roll carefully, flattening into a disc. Repeat with all the dough balls and place the parathas on a tray with baking paper so they don’t stick together
5. Heat a nonstick frying pan or pancake pan over a medium heat and dry-fry the parathas, one at a time, for around 1 min each side until small blisters form on the surface. Then brush oil on the side facing you and flip over, frying until crispy, and repeat with the other side. Repeat with all the parathas. Serve hot with pickle, chutney and raita.
This video was shot in February 2021 following COVID-19-compliant guidelines.