Coconut-braised kale and lentils with sweet potato

I don’t have too much to say today! Life is humming along, the days are getting shorter and I know soon the cold will be here. However it is still mild and sunny, and my life seems to maintain it’s rhythms.

This is an easy make ahead meal. If I was going to make ahead I would put together the braise and then just gently reheat on the stove. Roast the sweet potato on the day if you’ve got the time 😉 There’s just something so delicious about freshly roasted sweet potato!

This is definitely a template more than a recipe (despite appearances). I’ve given some ideas for variations down the bottom of the recipe, just don’t skimp on the ginger, lemon or coconut milk! Everything else is negotiable!

Coconut-braised kale and lentils with sweet potato

• 1 large sweet potato, washed and cut into 3cm cubes
• 1/2 a medium celeriac, peeled and cut into 3cm cubes
• 1.5 teaspoons paprika
• 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 2.5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 onion or leek, diced
• 1 cup of mushrooms (any type will do), washed and diced
• 2 bushels of kale, deribbed and roughly chopped
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 5 cm ginger, peeled and grated
• 1.5 cups (1 can) of already cooked brown lentils
• 1 can of lite coconut milk (or go full cream if you’re feeling it!)
• 3/4 cup vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon of sriracha, then to taste
• Coriander, to garnish (optional)
• Salt, to taste

1) Preheat the oven to 180C. Toss the cubed sweet potato and celeriac in with the paprika, ground cumin, nutritional yeast and 1.5 tablespoons oil. Lay out in a single layer on a pan and put into the oven. They will take between 30-45 minutes. Toss once.

2) Whilst the potatoes and celeriac are roasting, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. When the pan has heated add the onion, a sprinkle of salt and saute for about 5 minute until translucent. Add the mushrooms and continue to saute for approximately 5 more minutes.

3) Add the kale to the saucepan and stir occasionally for about two minutes until starting to wilt. Proceed to add the ginger and lemon zest to the pan and toss gently with the onion and kale. Add the coconut milk and stock and turn up the heat.

4) When the milk is simmering add in the cooked lentils, sriracha and lemon juice. Taste and add more sriracha, salt or lemon juice as necessary. When you have got the desired taste. turn down to low, cover and keep warm until the sweet potatoes are done.

5) Place the sweet potatoes in the bottom of the serving bowls. Spoon the kale and coconut milk over. Garnish with coriander if desired.

Notes

Any type of root would be good with this! I just happened to have celeriac and sweet potato, but really any root vegetable would work (except maybe beetroot!). Same with the protein. I had precooked lentils, but I reckon any precooked legume you’ve got lying around would work. Just generally customize to what you have around! And of course, change up the greens to what you’ve got. If you’re using a more gentle green maybe chuck it in a few minutes before serving just to let it wilt.

Loosely inspired by this and this.