Sweet potato Dahl and spinach gratin

Name: Sweet potato Dahl and spinach gratin
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Asian, Indian
Ingredients: vegetable or sunflower oil, for frying 1 onion, sliced; 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds; 3 garlic cloves, sliced; 250g red lentils, rinsed; 2-3 dried chillies, crumbled (optional); 4 tomatoes, roughly chopped; 800ml coconut milk; 250g spinach; 700g sweet potatoes, cut into 5-mm thick slices; salt and pepper; For the curry powder; ½ tablespoon garam masala; 1 teaspoon turmeric; 1 teaspoon ground coriander; 1 teaspoon ground ginger; ½ teaspoon ground fenugreek; To serve naan breads; Indian chutneys and pickles; Raita (optional, see page 62)

7 steps

Prep:10minCook:45min

This is a hearty and complete meal in a tray - all your greens, protein, fats and carbs in one delicious dish. The gratin mixture seems very wet when it goes into the oven, but don't worry - it'll thicken as the lentils plump up and absorb the coconut milk. If chilli isn't your thing, omit it and leave the whole thing mild and fragrant. I've added a recipe for curry powder here, but if you want, simply use 1½ tablespoons of a good-quality, shop-bought mild curry powder instead.

Updated at: Thu, 21 Mar 2024 18:44:47 GMT

Nutrition balance score

Good

Glycemic Index

Low

Glycemic Load

High

Nutrition per serving

Calories914.4 kcal (46%)

Total Fat53.2 g (76%)

Carbs95.9 g (37%)

Sugars22.1 g (25%)

Protein26.3 g (53%)

Sodium415.8 mg (21%)

Fiber20.3 g (73%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180°C (Gas Mark 4) and shake together the curry powder ingredients in a small jar.

Step 2

Warm some oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and mustard seed and cook gently over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until starting to soften. Stir in the garlic, lentils and chillies and cook for 2 minutes, then mix in the curry powder, tomatoes and coconut milk. Bring the mixture to a simmer, season well with salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes.

Step 3

Meanwhile, wilt the spinach in a dry frying pan for

Step 4

1-2 minutes. Tip away any excess water and discard.

Step 5

Spread the spinach across the base of a large gratin dish.

Step 6

Top with the lentil mixture then with the sweet potatoes in an overlapping shingle pattern. Bake for 30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and coloured at the edges.

Step 7

Serve immediately with naan breads and plenty of Indian chutneys, pickles and raita on the side.