Sweet Potato Lentil Curry
From: Ian Seddon's Cookbook
🥘 Ingredients
- sweet potatoes 1 ½ lb
- red lentils 1 cup
- coconut oil or neutral-flavored oil 1 tbsp
- or shallot 2 piece
- Kosher
- garlic cloves 4
- piece fresh ginger 2 inch
- peeled & finely chopped fresh turmeric or ground turmeric 1 tsp
- serrano peppers 1-2
- Curry Spices 2.33 tbsp
- vegetable broth 3 cup
- Cooked White Rice 3 cup
- full-fat coconut milk 1
- creamy peanut butter or almond butter 3 tbsp
- baby spinach 3 ½ oz
- cilantro leaves and tender stems 1 handful
- medium lemons ½
If you bought split red lentils, they may soften a bit faster than the time listed in the recipe. If using “lite” coconut milk, note that the curry will be thinner in consistency. For extra veggies, fold in more chopped baby spinach (up to 5 oz total) in step 7. Not a fan of cilantro? Use fresh mint. Storage: Store leftover curry and rice separately in airtight containers in the fridge for 4 days. The curry will thicken as it rests, so reheat on the stove to loosen, adding a splash of water to reach your desired consistency. Reheat the rice as listed in step 5. Add fresh chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lemon juice to finish, if desired. Storage: Got more leftovers? This curry is freezer-friendly! Store in single-serve portions and defrost in the fridge. For quicker defrosting, I recommend these Souper Cubes. If it is very thick, thin out with a splash of broth or water while reheating. Nutrition boost: Serve with brown rice or a whole grain like farro or quinoa instead of white rice. Fold in more chopped baby spinach (see Note 3). For added protein, stir some hemp seeds into the curry during the last few minutes of simmering.
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1Gather: sweet potatoes , red lentils , coconut oil or neutral-flavored oil , or shallot , Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. For the curry aromatics (from vegetable prep): garlic cloves , piece fresh ginger , peeled & finely chopped fresh turmeric or ground turmeric , serrano peppers , Curry Spices , vegetable broth , Cooked White Rice , full-fat coconut milk , creamy peanut butter or almond butter , baby spinach , cilantro leaves and tender stems , medium lemons .
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2Rinse the sweet potatoes, then peel them. Cut into ¾- to 1-inch (2 to 2.5 cm) cubes.
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3Rinse the lentils in cold water until the water runs mostly clear.
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4Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high with the oil. Once shimmering, add the shallots with a pinch of salt. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring a couple times. Add the Curry Aromatics. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning and sticking. Add the Curry Spices. Cook for 30-60 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly to prevent burning and sticking. Pour in a splash of broth as needed to deglaze the pan and scrape up any browned bits.
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5Pour in the broth and scrape up any browned bits. Stir in the sweet potatoes and rinsed lentils. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes , stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a simmer, until lentils have mostly softened and sweet potatoes are tender or nearly tender (they’ll cook more in step 6).
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6While the curry cooks, reheat the rice. Add the Cooked White Rice to a microwave-safe bowl, toss in a couple ice cubes, cover the bowl, and microwave until heated through. (The ice keeps the rice tender.)
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7Uncover the pan. Stir in the coconut milk and peanut or almond butter, plus a couple pinches of salt. Simmer uncovered on low heat for 5-8 minutes , stirring occasionally, until the curry has thickened and is creamy. Meanwhile, roughly chop the baby spinach. And chop the cilantro.
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8Add the chopped spinach to the curry. Stir until wilted, about 1 minute. Add in 1 tbsp lemon juice and the cilantro, then turn off the heat. Taste, adding more lemon juice or salt/pepper to taste.
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9Serve the curry with warm rice on the side.