Lentil and Sweet Potato Curry

Ah, curry. Delicious, declicious curry. Britain has had a love affair with this versatile dish for over two hundred years and there doesn't seem to be an end date for this affection with the jalfrezi variety recently overtaking the classic chicken tikka masala as the national favorite. However, much to my chagrin, I think it's fair to say that curry house versions are hardly the world's healthiest dishes with the average calorie bomb reaching astronomical heights. For example, a takeaway (or delivery) version of chicken tikka masala with rice and naan comes in at an amazing 1,300 calories on average. On. Average. Yikes.

So, I thought for a homecooked option, I'd like to try and accomplish two goals. The first was to keep those calories more in check while the second goal was to find a recipe that delivered the same amount of flavor and enjoyment of a takeaway curry in a shorter amount of time. With this vegetarian version, which has only about 300 calories in each portion when divided into four, I think we've cracked it. I've listed the prep time as five minutes but honestly, it definitely took less than that since all you have to do is chop the onion and then peel and chop the sweet potato. The only fiddly part of this recipe is the fact that you need to find cumin seeds and mustard seeds in addition to your curry powder - which was a bit of a mission since neither of the small grocery stores near my house had them. However, wandering to a larger Tesco proved wise and I found them easily so this might be something to keep in mind. The rest of the ingredients were super easy to source and, aside from the sweet potatoes, are primarily found in canned form and therefore might already be in your cupboard.

We served this curry with a bit of wholegrain rice and shared a simple Tesco naan bread between us but I think this would be equally delicious with some paneer thrown in to bulk it up a bit. I think this dish is best thought of as a more robust option to compete with chana masala. I've kept the recipe pretty much the same although I added the frozen peas to give it that nice burst of freshness. I really hope you'll give this a try since it takes less time than a delivery would and you'll have plenty to go around for weekly lunches or dinner the next day. Finally, the original recipe is supposedly for two portions but I didn't change any of the measurements and ended up with definitely enough for four people. If you were serving this alongside another curry or additional dishes, you could easily stretch this to at least six portions.

Original recipe via www.bbcgoodfood.com

Prep Time:   5 min

Cook Time: 25 min

Serves:       4-6

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp medium curry powder

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp mustard seeds

100g red lentils 

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size pieces

500 ml vegetable stock

1 can chopped tomatoes (400g)

1 can chickpeas (400g)

1 cup frozen peas

To Serve:

Yogurt

Mango chutney 

Fresh coriander

Rice/Naan bread 

Method:

In a large pot, heat the oil over a medium heat before adding the chopped onion. Leave to soften, stirring frequently. When the onion is translucent and soft, add the spices, lentils, sweet potato, chopped tomato and vegetable stock.

Bring to a boil then cover and leave to simmer for 20 minutes. 

When the sweet potato has softened, add the peas and chickpeas over a low heat. Cover again and leave for five minutes to allow to heat through.

Serve over rice or alongside naan bread with a yogurt, mango chutney and a sprinkle of fresh coriander. 

Cookbook Challenge: Spicy Pork Stew

It's finally starting to feel like autumn around here so for this week's Cookbook Challenge I thought it was the perfect time to crack open a book I purchased several years ago and completely forgot about. Seriously though, how cosy does this cover look?! Really looking forward to trying more dishes as Britain settles into the colder seasons. I'd never tried using pork in a stew before since I usually fall back on my favorite beef stew recipe when I'm feeling like something warm and comforting. Therefore, this recipe was a delicious revelation. The spices add a nice background of heat while the sweet potatoes bring that addictive sweetness.

Fireside Feasts and Snow Day Treats: 

Indulgent comfort food for winter eating and entertaining

Edited by Ellen Parnavelas

Ryland Peters and Small, 2012

This recipe was also great because it includes kidney beans which serve to keep you full for longer. After talking to my sister about it, we decided that you could easily add in a can of black beans for added protein if you're looking for a low carb option. I served the stew with couscous because it was easiest but I also had the leftovers on their own and they were equally tasty. Definitely give this one a try - particularly since pork shoulder is one of the cheaper cuts of meat so it won't be causing any pain to your wallet. I'll warn you though, this recipe makes an absolute ton of food! I froze half of it and still struggled to finish all the leftovers before they went off. As a result, I think this could be a great option for easy entertaining or if you want to have leftovers for work week meals. 

Prep Time: 5-10 min

Cook Time: 75 min

Serves: 4-6 

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 tsp ground cumin

1 1/2 tsp dried oregano

700g/1 1/2 lbs pork shoulder, cubed

1 tsp clear honey

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 red chili, sliced

1 can chopped tomatoes

500ml chicken stock

800g / 1 3/4 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed 

1 bay leaf

1 can red kidney beans

a handful of fresh coriander/cilantro, chopped

Salt

Pepper

Plain yogurt, to serve 

Method: 

Preheat the oven to 150C / 300F.

Over a medium heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil to a large casserole dish. If you don't have a dish that is safe to use on both the stove and in the oven, then start this recipe off in a large pot and then decant into a casserole dish. Add the onion and cook until it starts to soften. Next add in the ciim and oregano and cook until fragrant. Remove the onion mixture from the dish and set aside.

Add the remaining oil and the pork into the dish and cook for 5-7 minutes or until it starts to brown. Next add in the honey, garlic, and chili. Season with salt and mix well. When everything has combined nicely, add in the onion mixture along with the canned chopped tomatoes, stock, sweet potatoes and bay leaf. Bring to the boil, then cover and move to the preheated oven. Cook for forty minutes.

When forty minutes have elapsed, remove the dish from the oven and add in the red kidney beans. Cover and return to the oven for a final twenty minutes.

To serve, sprinkle with fresh coriander/cilantro and a dollop of yogurt. Enjoy! 

Weekday Dinner: Bulgur Wheat Leftover Salad

Obviously there are some nights when you just don't feel like making dinner. And there are nights when you have lots of leftover bits and bobs but nothing is really looking all that appealing. The best nights are when those two elements come together. Tonight was one of those. I was hungry but everything looked super boring and I didn't have any new and interesting groceries. So I had to make do with what I had: leftovers! This is a great recipe to jazz them up and make something completely different and it's easily adjusted to whatever you have on hand. For example, I used bulgur wheat because that's what I had but couscous would be equally nice. I also had some leftover chicken breast and sweet potato but sausages and roast veg might also go well here. The secret is the dressing: spicy, takes seconds to make and can completely change the whole flavor of a dish. I had hoped to make a recipe from Smitten Kitchen but I didn't have lemons (since I used the last of them to clean my shower glass... seriously, try it. Amazing) so I went with cider vinegar and it was still delicious. So use what you have and give it a go - leftovers reborn! I also made 1/2 a cup of bulgur wheat so that I'd have some for my lunch as well.

Inspired by www.smittenkitchen.com

Prep Time: 10 min

Cook Time: 30 min

Ingredients: 

1/4 cup bulgur wheat
1/2 chicken breast, chopped
1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/4 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 sweet potato, chopped
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp - 1 tbsp honey
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil

Method: 

Place the bulgur wheat in a heat proof bowl and cover with boiling water. There should be about a centimeter of water above the top of the bulgur wheat. Cover with a plate and leave for half an hour.

Meanwhile, place the chopped chicken breast, bell pepper, onion and garlic into a pan over medium high heat with a splash of olive oil. Saute for a few minutes until the chicken is heated through, the pepper and onion is softening and the garlic is fragrant. Add the sweet potato and turn the heat to medium-low. Continue to saute gently until everything is warmed through.

When the bulgur wheat is ready, start on the dressing. Mix the cider vinegar, honey, cumin and cayenne in a small jar. Add the salt and pepper before slowly pouring in the olive oil while mixing continuously. When the dressing is ready, mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Add more salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!