Sweet Potatoes with Curried Lentils

A favorite staple in our fall CSA share each week is sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are a fantastic fall and winter food. They are packed with vitamin A, vitamin C, manganese, B vitamins, potassium, fiber, and more. They are healthy, delicious, and can be dressed hundreds of ways. They can be baked, boiled, added to stews, stuffed, and used in savory or sweet dishes.

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A simple yet delicious way to enjoy sweet potatoes is baked with a filling in the middle. This recipe is simple and the taste is warming and rich.  I often bake a bunch of sweet potatoes at once over the weekend, and then keep them in the refrigerator for daily lunches. It is easy to re-heat and top with whatever you like. Perfect "fast food" ~ yum.

Sweet Potatoes with Curried Lentils

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{wholly rooted}

This recipe takes advantage of the smoky sweetness of sweet potatoes by combining with lentils and curry. This is a rich and warming meal, perfect on a chilly day.

{ingredients}

• 2 sweet potatoes

• 1 cup dried french lentils

• 1 3/4 cup veggie or chicken stock

• 1 - 2 tsp yellow curry powder

• 1 black cardamom pod (optional)

• sea salt for simmering lentils

• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

• 1 Tbsp molasses

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• salt & pepper to taste

Sweet Potatoes:

Scrub your sweet potatoes and prick them all over with the tines of a fork.

Roast them in a 400ºF/200ºC/gas mark 6 oven on a foil lined sheet until soft and baked through, around an hour.

Let cool slightly before slicing open to fill.

Filling:

Rinse and de-pebble your french lentils.

Bring your veggie/chicken stock to a boil in a pot with the lentils and a pinch of sea salt.

Add your curry powder and black cardamom pod.

Boil 2-3 minutes, reduce heat, and simmer 10-15 minutes.

Remove from heat.

Remove the black cardamom pod and discard.

Let your lentils sit while your sweet potatoes are finishing up the roasting.

Drizzle in 1 tsp of toasted sesame oil and stir.

Plate:

Once you slice open your sweet potatoes, spoon in your lentils.

Combine the molasses and smoked paprika in a small bowl - stir together - then drizzle over the top of the lentils. Salt & Pepper to taste.

If you do dairy, top with some crumbled goat milk feta. Another tasty topping is toasted pecans.

Serve warm!

Published October 29, 2015

Sweet potatoes are great for autumn and winter potlucks. Try setting up a create-your-own-sweet potato bar. Roast the sweet potatoes and serve them next to an assortment of toppings and let everyone make their own.
 
I use sweet potatoes a few times a week in fall and then worry I won't have enough to last all winter long. I know we have a few more fall CSA shares before our season is over, so I plan to stock up!

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Black Cardamom::

Black cardamom is a spice which is a pod like green cardamom, but it has such a unique flavor. Black cardamom is dried over open flames, giving it a rich smoky flavor and aroma.

It is not interchangeable with green cardamom. If you cannot find black cardamom at your local Asian or Indian Market, substitute a teaspoon of smoked paprika to retain some of the deep smoky flavour that really compliments sweet potatoes.