Sweet Potato and Lentil Dal
I love ethnic cuisine. Indian food, in particular, is one of my favorites! I love the warming herbs and spices that are abundant in the dishes. I mean, is there anything more cozy and comforting than a warm and spicy dal or curry dish? It is a favorite and staple in our home- especially in the winter months. This dal dish is so comforting and savory. The sweet potatoes are soft and creamy, simmered in coconut milk and the warming spices of garam masala, turmeric, cumin and chili flakes. They are, without a doubt, my favorite part of this dish! What I really enjoy about making Indian food dishes is that you can adjust the amount of spiciness and flavor so easily, truly making it your own. Taste testing while making any kind of curry or dal dish is so necessary! This dish is extremely easy to make and we always have plenty of leftovers (which I love! :)).
We love it served with rice. You can also make it more soupy by adding more broth. Which serves more as a hearty, creamy stew!
Sweet Potato and Lentil Dal
Prep time Cook Time Serving Size
10 minutes 25-30 minutes 8
INGREDIENTS
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* 1 tablespoon oil
* 1 medium yellow onion, diced
* 5-6 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 tablespoon garam masala
* ½ tablespoon ground turmeric
* 1 teaspoon cumin
* Chili flakes to taste ( we like it spicy, so I use about 1 teaspoon +)
* 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
* 2 medium sweet potatoes
* 1 and ½ cup lentils
* 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)
* 3 cups veggie broth
* 1 can full-fat coconut milk (13 oz)
* Squeeze of lemon juice
* Salt, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
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1. Chop sweet potatoes into small half-inch squares, set aside. Dice onion and mince garlic. Place oil in a large pot, over medium heat, and saute the onions until tender (about 2-3 minutes) then add the garlic, and saute a couple more minutes, until fragrant.
2. Add garam masala, turmeric, ginger, chili flakes and cumin. Add a couple tablespoons of water to ensure the spices don’t burn, stir.
3. Add in the sweet potatoes, tomatoes, lentils, coconut milk, and veggie broth . Bring to boil, then place lid and simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the sweet potatoes are cooked through, it is done. Finish it off with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, enjoy!
Tips-
*Depending on how big or small you cut the sweet potatoes, the cooking time will vary. But usually between 20-30 minutes is what I find. The bigger you cut them, the longer they will take to cook through, of course. :) The lentils will be cooked around 20 minutes.
*Green or brown lentils take longer to cook. I have only used red in this recipe because I like the texture. If you use green or brown, just keep in mind it will take longer to cook as well. They also have a firmer texture than red.
Nutrition
Serving size: ¾ Cup Calories: 224 Protein: 9g
Fat: 8g carbohydrates: 29g Cholesterol: 0mg
Sugar: 3g Fiber: 7g sodium: 208mg Iron: 4mg