Curried Sweet Potato Soup
with Crispy Black Lentils

Recipe

Serves 4

This is a light soup that works great for all dietary preferences. It feeds the vegetarians,

vegans, gluten-free, and even dairy-free folks if you leave off the yogurt

topping. It makes for a great dish to freeze and warm up when you're in need of

some make-ahead meals. The trick to getting the lentils crispy is having them as dry

as possible before adding them to the hot pan. I undercook the lentils just a bit, drain

them well, and spread them on a dish towel while I make the soup to dry them out

as much as possible before crisping them up. Don't even consider using canned here;

they'll be a mushy mess.

A pureed soup like this can always be thinned to your liking with more broth or

coconut milk. It thickens slightly as it cools, so make it a tad thinner than what you

would like to enjoy when you sit down with your bowl and spoon.

Ingredients

• 2.5 tablespoons coconut oil

• 1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped

• 1 teaspoon turmeric

• 3 tablespoons freshly grated ginger

• 2 teaspoon sweet curry powder

• 2 pounds peeled sweet potatoes (about 2 large), cut into 1-inch cubes

• 3 cups vegetable broth

• 1/2 cup orange juice

• 1 to 2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce

• 1 cup coconut milk

• Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

• 1 large shallot

• 1.25 cups cooked black lentils, drained

• Whole milk yogurt, for serving

• 1 bunch of fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

• 1/3 cup toasted and chopped cashews for serving

Instructions

In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the turmeric, ginger, and curry powder and give it another minute or two. Add the sweet potatoes and the broth to the pot. Bring the broth to a simmer, cover and cook for for 15 to 20 minutes until the sweet potatoes are cooked through. Add the orange juice, and

use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree the soup. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the Sriracha, adding more to taste, and the coconut milk. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep the heat on low while you prepare the lentils.

Heat the remaining coconut oil over high heat. Mince the shallot. Add the shallot and lentils to the pan and fry for 2 minutes until crispy and hot.

Serve each bowl with a swirl of yogurt, spoonful of the lentils, fresh cilantro, and cashews.