Spice Market Sweet Potato and Lentil Packets

I can't remember the last time I looked at a copy of Vegetarian Times. But I happened to notice the May/June 2010 issue sitting on a friend's desk the other day, and I couldn't resist skimming through its pages. This recipe for Spice Market Sweet Potato and Lentil Packets cooked in a curried ginger broth looked jumped out at me. Sweet potatoes and lentils gently cooked in a curried ginger broth sounded intriguing. It turned out to be simple to make, fun to eat, and absolutely delicious, too. The only change I made was cutting the amount of oil in half to significantly reduce the total fat per serving.

Ingredients:

2 cups sweet potatoes, finely diced
1 large red bell pepper, diced (1.5 cups)
1 cup fresh green beans, finely sliced
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 Tbs hot sesame oil (I used 1 Tbs)
1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
2 Tbs minced fresh ginger
2 fresh garlic cloves, minced (2 tsp)
1 tsp curry powder
1 1/2 cups cooked lentils, rinsed and drained or 1 15-oz can lentils, rinsed and drained
4 tablespoons prepared mango chutney (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place 4 16-inch lengths of foil on work surface. Fold foil in half from short side. Unfold. Shape corners and edges of one half into semicircular "bowl" with 1/2-inch sides. Coat insides of foil with cooking spray.

Combine sweet potato, bell pepper, green beans, and raisins in medium bowl. Add oil, and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Whisk together broth, ginger, garlic, and curry powder in small bowl.

Divide sweet potato mixture among packets; top with 1/3 cup lentils. Pour 1/4 cup broth mixture over lentils, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Fold ther half of foil over ingredients, and crimp edges in overlapping folds until packets are sealed. Transfer packets to baking sheet. Bake 25 minutes.

Transfer to plates. Let each person open packet carefully, because escaping air will be hot. Top with chutney if desired, and serve with basmati rice or quinoa. Makes 4 servings.