Oh those dark, cold winter nights, when by 5 pm, it feels more like 9. All you want to do is nourish your body with something warm, grounding and cozy and then cuddle fireside with a book. (ok back to reality- hello 3 kids, homework, bedtime and most nights a lot of noise and chaos, lol). I do find one pot dinners like soups, stews and curries really hit the spot. And this sweet potato, chickpea and lentil dahl is right on point. Those beautiful grounding herbs, silky coconut milk and nourishing legumes bring this dish together in the most delightful way. And I have to be honest, this is the first time my kids actually ate sweet potatoes without complaining (I don’t think they even knew they were in the curry). That counts for something right? Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion – diced
• 2 cloves garlic – minced
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
• 1 tablespoon garam masala or curry powder 
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
• ½ cup dry red lentil – rinsed 
• 1 large sweet potato – peeled and cubed into 1 inch pieces  
• 1 14-ounce can chickpeas – drained and rinsed
• 3 cups vegetable stock 
• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 14-ounce can full fat coconut milk 
• 1 cup chopped cilantro

Directions

1. 01. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onion, garlic and ginger until translucent (about 5 minutes).
2. 02. Season with garam masala, cumin, turmeric, coriander, chili flakes and salt. Cook and keep stirring for 2 minutes or until fragrant.
3. 03. Add lentils, sweet potatoes, and chickpeas; stir to coat in spice mixture.
4. 04. Next, add the vegetable stock and cover. Bring to a boil, remove lid, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the sweet potato is tender and the mixture has thickened.
5. 05. Add the diced tomatoes and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for another 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and mix in the cilantro. Serve right away with a side of basmati rice.