You can actually see the steam rising off of the lentils…

There are a few dishes that my husband requests on a rotational basis - my signature couscous dish, homemade ice cream, and Ina Garten’s Outrageous Oreo Brownies come to mind. But I’m fairly certain that my Lentil and Sweet Potato Curry tops the list. Daniel’s an over-the-top meat lover, so who would imagine that he would be endlessly in love with this vegetarian comfort meal?

Another strange thing about this recipe is that it’s the only recipe I’ve ever received from my dad. He doesnt really cook for the masses but surprisingly, one Thanksgiving, he brought it to share at our family dinner and it was an immediate hit. He culled it from Sunset Magazine and photocopied it for me with a note that said something similar to: “Boy, we’re a real family now! We’re even sharing recipes!” It didn’t say exactly that because my dad is an engineer and he rarely is so verbose. But the sentiment is the same. You get the idea.

This recipe is in our family’s Hall of Fame for a multitude of reasons: it couldn’t be easier to prepare, it yields a huge amount and lasts for days, it’s creamy and spicy and healthy and delicious and comforting and filling and everything you could want from a meal. If you don’t have sour cream and mint and basmati rice, don’t even bother making it. Each ingredient is a key component to the meal’s success.

As for variations, Daniel requests that I put way 50% more sweet potato than the recipe calls for. The sweet potatoes become a creamy and delicious consistency, made fresh and even tastier by the mint. I’ve served this curry with brown basmati rice, as well, but my husband really only loves it with white. Either way is good, in my opinion.

Be aware - this recipe makes a huge amount of food. Unless you have an army to feed, I would recommend halving it. I think the suggested 6 servings is almost certainly on the low side of accurate.

Enjoy!

Oh and P.S. - I’ll share my famous couscous dish after the next time I make it.

Lentil and Sweet Potato Curry

Serve over hot basmati rice and sour cream on the side.

Prep and Cook Time: About 1 hour
Makes: 10 cups, 6 servings

1 onion (8 oz.) peeled and chopped
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp salad oil
2 cups dried lentils (about 13 oz.)
2 lbs. sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and diced (1/4 in.)
2 tbsp. curry powder
1 tbsp. ground cumin
About 1 tsp. salt
About ¼ tsp. pepper
1 ½ quarts vegetable broth or fat-skimmed chicken broth
Chopped fresh mint leaves

1. In a 5-to-6 quart pan over medium heat, stir onion and garlic in oil often until onion is limp, about 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, sort lentils and discard debris, then rinse and drain lentils. Add lentils, sweet potatoes, curry powder, cumin, salt, pepper and broth to onion mixture. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat, cover, and simmer until lentils are tender to bite and sweet potatoes are tender when pierced, 25 to 30 minutes. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped mint.