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Coconut Lentil and Sweet Potato Curry

Coconut Lentil and Sweet Potato Curry reads sourness 4.7, allium 4.5 and citrus 4.5 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Indian main, about 43 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 4.5 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 5.1 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.0 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.7 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.0 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.2 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Sourness 4.7 · Allium 4.5 · Citrus 4.5 · Sweetness 4.5 · Richness 4.2 · Salinity 4.1 · Umami 4.0 · Herbaceous 2.7 · Nutty 2.7 · Earthy 2.6 · Warm Spice 2.5 · Heat 2.3 · Fruity 2.1 · Floral 1.7 · Bitterness 1.2

What's in it (16)

• vegetable oil — 27 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• garlic — 12 g
• ginger — 15 g
• curry powder — 30 g
• turmeric — 3 g
• cayenne pepper — 1 g
• red lentils — 237 g
• red-skinned sweet potatoes — 454 g
• tomatoes — 411 g
• coconut milk — 383 g
• vegetable broth — 710 g
• salt — 7 g
• baby spinach — 473 g
• lime juice — 15 g
• cilantro — 15 g

Time & effort: about 43 min (42 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 89.9 kcal, 3.4 g protein, 4.3 g fat, 10.5 g carbs

Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat; add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 5 to 6 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
3. Add the curry powder, turmeric, and cayenne; toast, stirring constantly, until fragrant and darkened slightly, about 1 minute — this blooms the spices in the oil and keeps the curry from tasting raw.
4. Stir in the lentils, sweet potatoes, diced tomatoes with their juice, coconut milk, broth, and salt; increase the heat and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the lentils and sweet potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally so nothing sticks to the bottom, 20 to 25 minutes.
6. Uncover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the curry has thickened to a hearty, spoonable consistency, 5 to 8 minutes.
7. Stir in the spinach and cook just until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.
8. Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice; taste and add more salt if needed.
9. Ladle into bowls and top with the cilantro.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Coconut Lentil Dal with Rice — Indian
• Skillet Chickpea and Spinach Curry — Indian
• Chickpea Coconut Curry with Kale — Indian
• Southwest Quinoa Stuffed Peppers — Tex-Mex · Southwestern
• Chickpea and Spinach Curry — Indian

Keep reading: what sourness, allium, citrus mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.