Pumpkin cardamom risotto

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Peel the butternut squash and cut half into cubes and half into half-rounds. Spread the squash on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil. Roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic. Chop the anchovies. Crush 6 cardamom pods and remove the seeds. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan and sauté the onion, garlic, and anchovies, but do not brown them. Add the risotto rice and cook for 3 minutes. Gradually pour the stock into the risotto, stirring constantly. Add more stock only when the rest of the stock has been absorbed. Meanwhile, add the cardamom seeds to the risotto. Continue adding stock until the risotto is cooked through.

Add the pumpkin cubes to the risotto along with 75g Parmesan cheese and 50g butter and stir well. Keep warm.

Remove the sage leaves from the stems. Heat the remaining oil in a pan and fry the sage for 1 minute until crispy. Remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel. Coarsely chop the walnuts.

Heat and melt the remaining butter in a pan. Keep stirring the butter as it melts. Add the remaining whole cardamom pods to the butter once it has melted. Stir constantly and remove from the heat once the butter has browned.

Divide the risotto among plates and top with the pumpkin halves. Garnish with the charred butter, walnuts, sage, and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Do you know the difference between cardamom and cardamom? They might seem the same, but behind the same herbs and spices lies a world of difference. Origin, cultivation process, attention, processing—these are all factors that determine whether cardamom is truly cardamom.