Sweet potato and coconut stew with Kale and Lentils*
In January I find myself turning to comforting dishes filled with nourishing flavours and heat.
This stew is warming and hearty and filled with goodness. The blend of spices and the creamy Frontier Foods Coconut milk combined with the natural sweetness of the sweet potato is so satisfying. I love bowls of it cozied up on the couch on cold Winter evenings.
SWEET POTATO AND COCONUT MILK STEW WITH LENTILS AND KALE
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon Frontier Foods Coconut Oil
1 medium yellow onion, small dice
1 teaspoon dried chili flakes
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste
700g sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch pieces
100g brown lentils
4 cups vegetable stock
1 (400 ml) can full fat Frontier Foods Coconut Milk
1 small bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
To garnish: extra chili flakes, lime wedges, nigella seeds
INSTRUCTIONS
Finely dice the sweet potatoes and coat with olive oil and roast for 30 minutes until tender. I leave the peel on.
Heat a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Add the coconut oil to the pot and let it melt. Add the onions to the pot and stir. Saute the onions, stirring occasionally, until translucent and quite soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chili flakes, coriander, cumin, and turmeric. Saute spices until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the ginger and garlic to the pot and cook for another minute. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.
Add the sweet potatoes to the pot and stir to coat in the spices. Add the lentils to the pot and stir once more. Season everything liberally with salt and pepper. Add the vegetable stock and stir, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Place the lid on top of the pot and bring to a boil.
Once the stew is boiling, lower the heat to a simmer until the sweet potatoes are almost falling apart and the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. The liquid should also be reduced by almost a third.
Add the coconut milk and kale to the pot and stir. Place the lid on top and continue to simmer the stew until the kale is wilted and bright green, about 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the stew back up to a strong simmer and check for seasoning. Adjust with more salt, pepper, chili if necessary.
Serve with extra chili flakes, lime wedges, and a wedge of coconut flour and olive bread.
Coconut Flour Loaf
300g blanched almond flour not almond meal.
60g coconut flour
50g Chia seeds
90g black pitted olives - sliced.
40 g ground psyllium husk
1 tablespoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
WET INGREDIENTS
30 ml coconut oil - melted
A dash of apple cider vinegar
480 ml lukewarm water.
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 200*
Line a loaf pan 9 inches x 5 inches with a piece of parchment paper. Lightly oil with coconut oil to make sure the bread don't stick to the pan. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add all the dry ingredients, whisk to combine.
Add the liquid ingredients, order doesn't matter. Combine with a spatula or spoon then use your hand to knead the dough for about 1-2 minutes The batter is very moist at first, getting dryer as you go. After 2 minutes, it should come together easily to form a dough. If not, too sticky, add more husk, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, knead for 30 sec and see how it goes.
Set aside 10 minutes to let the fiber fully absorb the liquid.
Shape the dough as you want your bread to look like when baked. DO NOT press/ flatten the top of your loaf as it doesn’t rise.
Rub your hand with water and massage the surface of the bread to remove any holes and create a smooth surface.
Bake for 50-55 minutes in the center of the oven, fan-bake mode is the best.
After 50 minutes, prick the center of the loaf with a skewer to test. If it comes out clean, it is cooked. If not, it means the bread is still wet inside, cover the loaf pan with a piece of foil, reduce heat to 180C and keep baking for 20-30 minutes until cooked in the middle.
Lift the bread out of the pan using the parchment paper.
Fully cool down on a rack before slicing - at least 3 hours for best result.
Slice into 16 slices. Store in the fridge up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months, in airtight containers.
*Thank you to Frontier Foods for Collaborating with me on this post. See their Instagram for more inspiration and shop the range in stores nationwide.
