Sweet And Spicy Indian Curry

Sometimes I just love to cook out of pure joy, without any paper and pen next to my pot and, as usual, without knowing what exactly the result would be. That in mind, I really loved to hear my husband’s statement after only a few spoon-fulls of this curry “I hope you wrote down this recipe!” Yes, I did, and I’m happy to share it!

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium size sweet onion, diced
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cumin seed (whole), or more to taste
• ~ 1.5 lb (700 g) red potatoes, cubed into ~ 1 inch/2.5 cm pieces (I left skin on)
• about 2 medium size sweet potatoes (1 generous lb/550 g), peeled and cubed into ~ 1 inch/2.5 cm pieces
• 3 medium size tomatoes (generous 10 oz/300g), diced
• 2 large carrots, cut into 1/2 inch (1 cm) slices
• 1 oz (30 g) fresh ginger, minced
• 1 cup mixed lentils (remember to sift through them! You don’t want to bite on a pebble!)
• 2 – 3 cups plain, unsweetened plant based milk (I used soy)
• 2 cans full fat coconut milk (each 13.66 fl oz / 403 ml)
• 1/2 cup (80 g) raisins
• 4 Tbsp homemade veggie broth concentrate or store-bought to taste
• 2 cups (280 g) cooked chickpeas/garbanzo beans
• 1 cup (100 g) petite green peas (I used frozen)
• 1 cup (240 ml) plain, unsweetened plant based yogurt (I used homemade)
• chopped cilantro galore

Preparation:

Wash and cut veggies, then line up your ingredients.

Preheat large pot on medium heat, add olive oil with diced onion, and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add spices (paprika, garam masala, turmeric, cumin seeds), and sauté 1-2 more minutes until fragrant.

Add potatoes, and fry for about 5 minutes while stirring frequently. Now add sweet potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, ginger, and lentils. Stir well, then combine everything with the plant-based milk. Start with 2 cups, you can always add more later. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Stir occasionally.

After 10 minutes add the coconut milk, raisins, and veggie broth concentrate. Bring to a boil, then again to a simmer. Cook for about 15 to 20 more minutes, and stir occasionally. Keep checking, and add either more plant-based milk or water, if needed.

When the potatoes and lentils are soft, add the chickpeas and the green peas. Bring everything back to heat and simmer briefly until peas are thawed and hot. At the very end, stir in yogurt (keep a dollop for garnish), season to taste, and turn off heat immediately. The yogurt should not come to a boil! Garnish with the remaining yogurt and as much cilantro as you like. Enjoy!

Notes:

• I served this curry with brown basmati rice, but it would also be perfect just by itself.
• If you like it hot, you could either add 1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes with the spices or season individually with hot sauce. We added hot sauce, and it was delicious.
• Don’t use light coconut milk, because it tends to make your curry soupy.