1Add the coconut oil to a large pot and melt it over medium-high heat.
2Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions, garlic, and ginger.
3Sauté for 3-4 minutes or until the onions are tender and turning translucent.
4Add the spices — curry powder, garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric, Kashmiri chili, salt, and pepper.
5Stir to toast for 30 seconds until translucent.
6Add the sweet potato, red lentils, coconut milk, diced tomato, and water.
7Stir well.
8Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer.
9Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer partially covered for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender.
10FOR THE INSTANT POT: After sautéing the aromatics and spices, use 1/4 cup water to deglaze the pan if necessary.
11Scrape any stuck bits from the bottom of the pan to avoid a "burn food" alert.
12Add the sweet potato, red lentils, coconut milk, diced tomato, and water.
13Do not stir.
14Cancel the sauté setting.
15Lock on the lid and pressure cook for 10 minutes.
16When done cooking, natural-release the pressure for 10 minutes.
17Quick-release the remaining pressure.
18Season the curry to taste with salt and pepper.
19If necessary, add water to thin the curry.
20Serve the curry hot with steamed rice and garnished with lime wedges and cilantro.
Ingredients
2 tbsp avocado oil, or coconut oil
0.5 yellow onion, diced
3 minced garlic cloves
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
0.5 tsp Kashmiri chili powder or cayenne pepper, + more to taste when serving
1.5 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 large sweet potato, cubed (peeling is optional)
1.5 cup red lentils, rinsed until water runs clear OR moong dal
1 13.5 oz can full-fat coconut milk
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes, or crushed tomatoes
1.5 cups water, 1 1/4 cups for the Instant Pot
lime wedges, for garnish
chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Equipment
large potInstant Pot (optional)
Tips
Rinse and sort the lentils to remove any debris before cooking.
When cooking stove-top, simmer partially covered by resting the pot halfway over the top to control reduction.
Add extra water by the 1/4 cup as needed if the curry reduces or gets too thick during simmering.
Adjust cooking time for the size of the pot: wider pots cook faster, narrower pots cook longer.
For an ultra-creamy curry, stir in 3 tablespoons of cashew or almond butter during the final minutes of simmering.
Swap sweet potatoes for 2 1/2 cups of cubed butternut squash for an autumnal twist.
Boost nutrition by stirring in a large handful of chopped baby spinach or a cup of chopped roasted red peppers in the last 5 minutes, or 1 cup of frozen green peas halfway through simmering.
Reduce heat by using Kashmiri chili instead of cayenne, or omit chili entirely.
Increase heat by increasing Kashmiri chili to 1 teaspoon or using it along with cayenne.
Leftovers keep covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Once cooled, freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months; defrost overnight in the refrigerator.
Reheat over low heat on the stovetop, adding a splash of vegetable broth to reconstitute, for 5-10 minutes until hot.
No need to soak red lentils; rinse them well before cooking.
Puree the curry with a high-speed or immersion blender if a soup-like texture is desired (remove vent cover and drape with a dish towel to prevent splattering).