Thai Sweet Potato and Lentil Curry

A bowl of Thai Sweet Potato and Lentil Curry with 2 wedges of fresh lime
Thai Sweet Potato and Lentil Curry
The other day my sister showed up with a bag of unique ingredients and a magazine I had never heard of. Some people bring flowers or chocolates or wine; my family brings me ingredients. They know me so well!  It was the perfect gift.
The magazine is Arabia Food and Travel. It has a picture on the cover of a gorgeous Pumpkin and Coconut Laksa. In the bag were some of the more exotic and interesting ingredients I needed to make it, and I could not wait to see what I could come up with.  Although my recipe is quite different from the original, it definitely provided inspiration.  
The curry paste is strong and spicy with lots of lemon grass and ginger and just enough heat that everyone in the family will enjoy it. The fresh turmeric, ginger, chili peppers and cilantro give it an extra brightness. Make the curry paste first and the rest comes together quickly.
This soup is truly delicious. The fresh lime leaves elevate this lovely curry so that it saturates your taste buds with sweet, spicy, sour and salty components. It is almost like a health tonic and perfect for giving the immune system a boost to stave off a cold or flu.  A great winter lunch or dinner.
Thai Sweet Potato and Lentil Curry
Curry Paste
3 stalks lemon grass, chopped, outer tough leaves and ends trimmed
1 1/2 fresh small red Thai chilis deseeded (or more for extra heat)
1 small onion, peeled and roughly chopped
5 garlic cloves, peeled
3 inch piece of fresh young ginger, washed, roughly chopped
1/4 cup cilantro
5 small fingers of turmeric (about 5 inches) washed and trimmed and roughly chopped
Pinch salt
water
Directions:  Place lemon grass in small bowl of food processor along with 1/4 cup water.  Process, stopping regularly to scrape down the bowl until it is a paste.  (This will take a little time) Add everything else and process until everything is  mixed well.  Add more water if necessary.  You will not need all of the paste for this recipe. It is a wonderful curry paste to have on hand and you will find all kinds of ways to use it.
Sweet Potato and Lentil Curry
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 medium onion, diced small
1/3  cup curry paste
1 liter vegetable stock
1 small can (160ml) coconut milk 
6 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (about 4 cups)
1/2 cup yellow lentils (toor dal)
4 lime leaves
Directions:  In a large saucepan, heat coconut oil.  Add onion and cook a few minutes.  Add curry paste and cook until fragrant.  Add vegetable stock, coconut milk, lime leaves, sweet potatoes and lentils and cook until sweet potatoes are tender and the lentils are cooked, about 25-30 minutes.  Remove lime leaves and serve. Garnish with minced fresh red chili peppers, coconut butter, cilantro,and lime wedges. Serve with rice, other grain or noodles.

 


 

Vegetable Stir Fry with Cashews

Vegetable Stir Fry with Cashews - a simple super healthy meal with broccoli, peppers, carrots, mushrooms, cashews and rice or noodles
Vegetable Stir Fry with Cashews

I love the colours in stir fry dishes.  This is one recipe where the vegetables are the stars of the plate.  Crisp, vibrant colours of red, green, orange, yellow; they are a feast for our eyes and taste amazing! They are incredibly versatile and easy to change up based on what is in season, on sale or what ever strikes you to add.  There are never any left overs and everyone has a satisfying meal made up of more than half a plate of vegetables and protein rich cashews, completed with rice, barley, noodles, or alternative.

Vegetables cup up for stir fry

There is a knack to making stir fries and it is all in the prep. Wash and chop all the ingredients and have everything ready right beside your wok.  Have your sauce mixture ready to go in and start heating up the pan.  Once the cooking begins, dinner will be on the table in less than 10 minutes.

Stainless Steel Wok with stir fry carrots

I love my heavy stainless steel wok.  It heats so well and so evenly.  I recommend stainless steel or cast iron pans.  It was an investment many years ago and was money well spent.  Many woks are not suitable for high heat cooking and are coated with a non stick coating which can have health risks. For more information on non stick cookware see the guidelines from Cancer.ca

Vegetable Stir Fry with Cashews (Serves 4)

4 cups broccoli florets

4 carrots chopped

1 red pepper chopped (or mix of colours to make approx 1 pepper)

10 mushrooms

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 tablespoon grated ginger

3 cloves garlic

1/2 cup vegetable stock

2 tsp corn starch

3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

1 tsp rice vinegar

2 pinches red pepper flakes

1/2 cup roasted cashews

Rice, barley, quinoa or noodles of choice

Directions:  In a small bowl stir together vegetable stock, corn starch, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and red pepper flakes.  Set aside while you wash and chop all the vegetables.  Heat coconut oil in wok over medium high heat and add garlic and ginger.  Cook until fragrant.  In order add carrots, mushrooms, broccoli, peppers and cook, stirring the vegetables gently so that they cook quickly, remaining firm and with bright colours.  Add stock mixture which will thicken, glaze and coat the vegetables. Top with cashews.  Serve with rice, barley, quinoa or noodles of choice.

This recipe is adapted from Whole Foods Recipes.