Hello December! I am ready for you! I am already knee deep in peppermint everything. I am pretty darn excited. I always have so many things that I want to make for the holidays, but my family and I are only capable of eating so much. Unfortunately. Every year there always ends up being dishes I so wanted to make, but just couldn’t squeeze in. Oh well, just something to look forward to making next year! Since December is incredibly dessert based, I thought it would be best to start the month out with a healthy dish. Enter this fabulous curry.
Any of my close are friends are totally rolling their eyes right now. They know how much I love curry, and nearly always order it when it’s on the menu when we do a girls dinner. I can’t help it, it’s so darn good! It’s basically mashing a whole bunch of really fabulous ingredients together to form one bowl of pure amazingness. And the flavor options are endless! And it can be as healthy as you want it to be. Win!
So are you already feeling maxed out for the holidays? Or are you just getting into the swing of things? I always find it crazy how squished together all the major holidays of the year are. Halloween, then a month later, Thanksgiving. Then another month alter- Christmas! It’s like bing bang boom. Definitely a whirlwind. Now that we have that covered, let’s talk about this curry.
So this is filled with my all-time favorite- sweet potatoes! I could eat sweet potatoes every single day. Coconut milk makes this dish rich and creamy. Red lentils round out the dish with a lovely kick from the Thai red curry paste. Don’t let the list of ingredients deter you, it is well worth the effort. And you’ll quickly realize that this actually comes together fairly quickly and easily. If you’re pressed for time, you can omit the crispy chickpeas. Curl up with this healthy curry and watch the snow fly!
Recipe adapted from Half Baked Harvest
Sweet Potato Lentil Curry with Crispy Sesame Chickpeas
This hearty curry is comfort food at its' healthiest. Sweet potatoes lend to a creamy filling while lentils and rice make it filling and satisfying. With pomegranate seeds and chickpeas sprinkled on the top, there is a combination of creamy and crunchy to satisfy all palettes.
Ingredients
For the curry
- 2 Tablespoons grapeseed oil
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 4 Tablespoons Thai red curry paste
- 3-4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or water
- 3/4 cup dried red lentils, rinsed
- 3 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1 rounded Tablespoon creamy peanut butter
- 1 (14 ounce) can full fat unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 cups baby spinach
- juice from 1 lime
- 1/3 cup fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped plus more for serving
- cooked basmati rice for serving
- pomegranate arils for serving (optional)
For the chickpeas
- 2 Tablespoons sesame or extra virgin olive oil
- 1 can chickpeas, drained and patted dry
- 2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon raw sesame seeds
Instructions
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Once shimmering, stir in the shallots. Cook until soft, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the ginger and sweet potatoes, and cook for another 2 minutes. Mix in the curry paste and stir until coated.
Pour in the 3 cups broth, lentils, soy sauce, and peanut butter. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the lentils are soft and the sweet potatoes are tender.
Meanwhile, make the chickpeas. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the 2 tablespoons oil and the chickpeas. Cook, stirring occasionally until the chickpeas are crisped all over, about 5-8 minutes. Add the soy sauce and sesame seeds, tossing to combine. Cook 1 minute, remove from the heat.
Once the lentils have cooked, stir in the coconut milk, spinach, and lime juice, and cook for another 5 minutes. If the curry is too thick to your liking, then add a splash or two of water or broth . Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro.
To serve, divide the rice among bowls and spoon the curry overtop. Top with chickpeas, cilantro, and pomegranates seeds.
