Moroccan sweet potatoes recipe
By the time you finish preparing these stuffed sweet potatoes, your home will be fragrant with the aromas of cinnamon, garlic and ginger. The lentils in this dish are a standout: richly spiced, thick, and hearty. Scooping them over tender baked sweet potatoes is a perfect way to transform them into a complete and satisfying meal.
Recipe from Power Plates by Gena Hamshaw (published by Ten Speed Press).
Ingredients
For the lemon tahini dressing- 60 ml warm water, plus more if desired
- 60 g tahini
- 1 clove of garlic, finely minced or grated
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 0.5 tsp agave nectar or maple syrup
- 0.2 tsp salt
- 0.2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 200 g dried brown or pardina lentils, rinsed
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 small white or yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
- 2 tomatoes, chopped, or 1 (400g/14oz) can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 tbsp finely grated or minced fresh ginger, or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 0.2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 0.5 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tbsp harissa paste, or 1 teaspoon ground chilli powder
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 120 g firmly packed baby spinach
- 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses (optional)
- 4 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed
Details
- Cuisine: Moroccan
- Recipe Type: Sweet potato
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation Time: 20 mins
- Cooking Time: 90 mins
- Serves: 4
Step-by-step
- Make the lemon tahini dressing. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl or measuring cup and whisk until evenly blended. If the dressing is thicker than you’d like, whisk in water by the tablespoonful to achieve the desired consistency. Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, the dressing will keep for 1 week.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6 and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Put the sweet potatoes on the lined baking sheet and prick each several times with a fork. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until fork-tender.
- Meanwhile, cook the lentils. To cook lentils, put them in a pot and add water to cover by 7.5 to 10 cm (3 to 4 inches). Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and rinse under cool running water before using them. Drain well.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes, until the seeds start to pop.
- Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender and translucent.
- Add the garlic and tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant.
- Decrease the heat to low and stir in the lentils, ginger, cinnamon, paprika, harissa, and salt, then stir in the spinach.
- Cook, stirring frequently, until the spinach has wilted, adding water by 60 ml if needed to prevent sticking. Stir in the pomegranate molasses. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired.
- Cut each sweet potato in half and use a fork to coarsely mash the flesh, still in the skin.
- Place two halves on each serving plate and top them with a generous scoop of the lentils. Serve right away, with a drizzle of the tahini dressing and the optional fresh herbs.
This recipe from Power Plates by Gena Hamshaw (published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC). Photography by Ashley McLaughlin.
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