- Calories
- 480
- Protein
- 18g
- Fiber
- 18g
- Sat. fat
- 8g
- Sodium
- 480mg
- Added sugar
- 0g
What this recipe does for you.
A weeknight one-pot stew. Red lentils, sweet potato, coconut milk, turmeric, lemon. 18g fiber per bowl, the kind of food that fixes a tired evening.
Why this works
Every recipe on this site ships with an explanation of the technique decisions, why sear then braise, why the acid goes in at the end, why the fat renders before the aromatics. The method below is those decisions, in order.
Hodmedods red lentils (UK) or Bob's Red Mill (US)
Both brands cook to a clean, slightly nutty tenderness in 18 minutes flat. Cheaper red lentils I've tried go to mush at 14 minutes and the stew turns into baby food. If you can only buy one, pay the extra two pounds.
Ingredients
Serves 4- Hodmedods red lentils (UK) or Bob's Red Mill (US) · The pulse
- Aromatics, salt, fat (full ingredient list ships with photography)
Method
One red onion, diced and sweated 8 minutes
Eight minutes is the difference between a stew that tastes of onion and one that tastes of dinner. Low-medium heat, a pinch of salt, until the onion is soft and translucent and the kitchen smells right. Don't rush this.
Bloom spices in oil before any liquid
Two teaspoons turmeric, two teaspoons cumin, one teaspoon ginger, half a teaspoon black pepper. Into the pan with the onion, 30 seconds, until they smell warm rather than dusty. The black pepper is non-optional, piperine raises curcumin absorption by about twentyfold (Shoba 1998).
300g sweet potato, 2cm cubes
Two centimeter cubes cook through in the same time the lentils take to break down. Smaller and they disappear into the stew. Larger and you have to fish them out half-raw. Cube before you start the onion so they're ready to go.
200g red lentils, rinsed twice, then 800ml stock
Rinse the lentils until the water runs clear. The starch in the unrinsed water makes the stew thick and slightly sour. Add lentils, stock, and a 400ml tin of coconut milk. Simmer 18 minutes uncovered.
A whole lemon at the end, juice and zest
Off the heat, add the juice of a whole lemon and a teaspoon of the zest. The acid wakes the entire pot up. Without it, the stew is one-note and slightly cloying. With it, you reach for a second bowl.
Coriander or parsley, a small handful, at the table
Chopped soft herbs at the table. Coriander if you have it, parsley if you don't. A tablespoon of pumpkin seeds toasted in a dry pan adds 2g of protein and a textural break.
Variations
Substitutions and adaptations land with the photography shoot. The method holds across most reasonable swaps.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 to 4 days, sealed. Freezer: up to 3 months. Reheat covered to retain moisture.
Frequently asked
- Why is fiber the headline number here, not protein?
- Fibre is one of the under-eaten macros, most adults are below 15g/day. This bowl carries 18g in one serving. UK NHS reference is 30g/day. We frame this stew around fibre the way our cottage-cheese recipes are framed around protein.
- Can I add chicken to bump the protein?
- Yes. 200g of cooked shredded chicken stirred in at the end raises the protein from 18g to 28g per serving without changing the cooking method. It also stops being vegan, obviously.
- How long does it keep?
- Four days in the fridge, three months in the freezer. The flavor improves on day two, the spices integrate. I make this on Sunday and eat it twice in the week as a side to grilled chicken or fish.
Related recipes
See all →- Diet-Specific
Zuppa di pollo dorata antinfiammatoria
Zuppa di pollo antinfiammatoria testata in cucina, con curcuma, zenzero e brodo di ossa. 55 min, 32 g di proteine, scheda nutrizionale sotto.
55m32g Protein - Diet-Specific
The Anti-Inflammatory Diet: A Cook's Version
Evidence brief, ingredient inventory, weekly framework, and the 7-day meal plan. Pillar for the Anti-Inflammatory hub.
- Diet-Specific
Ginger-Turmeric Salmon
A 20-minute anti-inflammatory salmon with turmeric, ginger, garlic, and coconut aminos. 38g protein per fillet.
20m38g Protein
Get a tested recipe + a nutritional note in your inbox each Sunday.
One recipe a week, photographed on the same Tuesday it tested. Reviewed by an RD. No promotions, no pop-ups, no tracking.
The Clean Chef Starter Kit.
A 14-day anti-inflammatory meal plan PDF, grocery list by section, macros totaled per day, Sunday prep sequence. Free.
By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy. One calm email a week. Unsubscribe anytime.
We're building a shop.
Curated cookware, pantry staples we actually buy, recipe-bundle PDFs. Be the first to know when it opens.
We'll only email you about the shop opening. Unsubscribe in any email. See our Privacy Policy.