Sweet Potatoes with Curried Lentils

Sometimes it is really, really difficult to figure out what the heck to make for dinner. Thankfully, Suzanne searches the internet for inspiration, and then posts about her ideas for what they might eat. She recently linked to this recipe, which is originally vegan, though I used yogurt instead of coconut milk near the end. I think you could use regular milk or something else instead of coconut milk in the lentils as well, if you don’t want to buy a can and then only use 1/2 cup. I didn’t like throwing away the rest of the can but wasn’t sure I would use the rest of it. I think next time I will plan better so I don’t waste it. I liked this recipe a lot, which surprised me because I’m not thrilled with sweet potatoes. They’re often too sweet, though I like butternut squash. The addition of the curried lentils really helped to make the dish more savory.

Ted liked it, Maya was so so on it. Meaning she would eat it if I made it, but I doubt she would make it on her night to cook. I think we’ll have this again soon. The original recipe is here.

Sweet Potatoes with Curried Lentils

Ingredients

• 4 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¾ cup finely chopped onion (about ½ medium onion)
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 cup lentils du Puy (French green lentils)
• 3 cups water
• ½ cup coconut milk
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon red or white wine vinegar
• ¼ cup plain yogurt or coconut milk
• Cilantro leaves, for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Pierce the sweet potatoes several times with a knife. Place them on a lined baking sheetand bake in the oven until soft, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

While the sweet potatoes are baking, make the lentils. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook a few minutes until they start to soften. Add the garlic and curry powder and cook another minute until fragrant. Add the lentils and water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the coconut milk, salt, pepper and vinegar and simmer another 5-10 minutes until the lentils are creamy and fully cooked (they will still have a little bite).

Cut a slit lengthwise down the sweet potatoes and spread them open. Mash the flesh with a fork to soften it and spoon the lentils on top. Add a dollop of yogurt or a drizzle of coconut milk to each one and top with fresh cilantro.

If you are lucky enough to have some leftover lentils, they make a delicious brunch topped with an egg. Both Ted and I did this, and we both liked it a lot.