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Nutritional Info
  • Servings Per Recipe: 4
  • Amount Per Serving
  • Calories: 330.7
  • Total Fat: 4.8 g
  • Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
  • Sodium: 529.4 mg
  • Total Carbs: 61.0 g
  • Dietary Fiber: 16.2 g
  • Protein: 14.5 g

View full nutritional breakdown of Vegetarian Vindaloo calories by ingredient
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Vegetarian Vindaloo

Submitted by: CHEF_MEG
Vegetarian Vindaloo

Introduction

Vindaloo is one of my favorite dishes in the world! This spicy Indian curry can be made vegetarian or with meat and is packed with spices. For those new to Indian cooking, I simplified the spice list, choosing five you might already have on hand.

 Vindaloo is one of my favorite dishes in the world! This spicy Indian curry can be made vegetarian or with meat and is packed with spices. For those new to Indian cooking, I simplified the spice list, choosing five you might already have on hand.
Number of Servings: 4

Ingredients

    1 tablespoon olive oil
    4 shallots (about 3/4 cup), chopped
    1 tablespoon ground cumin
    1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
    1/4 teaspoon turmeric
    1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    2 teaspoons yellow curry powder
    1 cup water
    1 28-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes*
    2 bell peppers, diced
    2 teaspoons ginger, grated
    1 serrano chili pepper, diced (don't remove seeds if you want some additional heat)
    2 sweet potatoes, cubed
    1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
    1/4 cup white vinegar
    2 cups water
    1 1/2 cup dried lentils, rinsed

    *Note: Fire-roasted tomatoes add a smoky flavor to the dish, but they do contain a significant amount of sodium. If you are watching your sodium, you may swap no salt-added canned tomatoes instead.

Tips

Be sure to chop your cauliflower and sweet potatoes into same-size cubes so they'll cook evenly.

Shop at a local co-op or spice shop where you can buy small portions of spices instead of large bottles that might lose their flavor hanging out too long in your cabinets. Once opened, spices should be used within 6 months for peak flavor.



Want to get the most flavor from your spices? Buy them whole and grind at home, in a blender or coffee grinder (buy one for spices only).


Directions

Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat, then add the oil. Add the shallots to the hot oil and saute for three minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the spices to the pan, stir, cook for one minute. Add 1 cup water to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, peppers, ginger, serrano, cauliflower, and sweet potatoes to the pan, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the vinegar and water, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the lentils and cook another 15 minutes, until the lentils are tender.

Serve warm over brown rice or quinoa (nutrition info not included).



Serving Size: 2 1/2 cups per serving






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Member Ratings For This Recipe

  • SEPPIESUSAN

    Incredible!
    16 of 18 people found this review helpful
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    Spicy, flavorful, and refreshlingly different (for me). Chef Meg, I always make and try your recipes before I rate them, and I almost always love them. However I rated your Spanish Chicken as OK because that was my honest opinion and added comments and questions, and my rating was deleted! :( - 2/25/12

    Reply from CHEF_MEG (1/24/13)
    Just read your comment. sorry about the deleted comment on the chicken- maybe it was a mistake. I love reading the comments from all the members. Chef Meg


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  • CBART369

    Incredible!
    10 of 10 people found this review helpful
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    I tried this last night. The only substitute I made was butternut squash for the sweet potato, as that was what I had in the kitchen.
    Typical vindaloo is fiery. This version is not very spicy to my taste, but quite family-friendly. The texture and flavor is excellent.
    Will definitely make again - 3/9/12

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  • XUXU22

    Incredible!
    7 of 8 people found this review helpful
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    I loved this dish! 2 1/2 cups is a way too big of a serving, especially if you make rice or something to go with it, so prepare for lots of leftovers. As others have stated, it did take a little longer to cook than stated, about 15 extra minutes for me. - 5/4/12

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  • AZCHICA2006

    O.K.
    7 of 11 people found this review helpful
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    I have tried other "Indian" recipes from Chef Meg and have not been impressed. I find them lacking in Indian flavor and take MUCH longer to cook than stated. Also, nearing 300 calories for a serving of this (plus rice, quinoa or naan) is a little too high. - 4/28/12

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  • LOTSACATS


    5 of 5 people found this review helpful
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    It looks like you forgot to add cauliflower in the ingredient list. - 10/26/12

    Reply from CHEF_MEG (5/17/13)
    Hmmm..it's there. Hope it give it a try. Chef Meg


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  • BEELINEBUZZ

    O.K.
    5 of 5 people found this review helpful
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    Not bad, but I added more spices. Like another poster, I, too, have rated recipes with 2 or 3 stars, only to see that comments under 4 or 5 are deleted. Very disappointing that honest opinions are censored in such a way. - 9/16/12

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  • LOONEYGRANDMA

    Very Good
    4 of 4 people found this review helpful
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    I liked it but my husband wasn't too crazy about it. The lentils and sweet potatoes took longer to cook than I had hoped. - 3/29/12

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  • MINITURTLE85

    O.K.
    3 of 3 people found this review helpful
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    Had to cook waaaaay longer than noted and was a little lacking in flavor. Not what I expected. - 6/29/12

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  • BEACHCOMBER2


    3 of 4 people found this review helpful
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    Would like to try this but want to know what colour of lentils to use first. - 6/23/12

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  • GYMMOM999

    Incredible!
    3 of 3 people found this review helpful
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    We love Indian food in our house, and this was fabulous. The lentils did take much longer to cook than 15 minutes and I added some cauliflower. I also put on fresh lemon juice & chopped cilantro to freshen it up once plated. - 6/11/12

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  • LOGOULD

    Incredible!
    3 of 5 people found this review helpful
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    This was INCREDIBLE! I didn't have white vinegar, so I used apple cider vinegar instead and I used one large can of fire roasted yellow peppers since I didn't have fresh. To amp up the protein, I served 1/2 serv of Vindaloo over 1/2 cup of cottage cheese. Cooking time was longer than stated. YUM! - 4/9/12

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  • KRYSTYNA8

    Incredible!
    3 of 4 people found this review helpful
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    I tried this recipe the other day and brought it to work for lunch. Two co-worker's tried it and asked for the recipe. Vindaloo is easy to make and it's very tasty.
    - 3/16/12

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  • DONNASEEFEE


    3 of 9 people found this review helpful
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    Why can you not give us the choice of a difficult ingredient such as the serrano pepper and then tell us a substitute which ww could find in our local grocer - 3/11/12

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  • DONNELDA22


    3 of 15 people found this review helpful
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    If Chef Meg say Vindaloo's are her favourite dishes then I must try this dish. I have almost everything on hand, except the serrano chili and the tomatoes. Will report back and rate later. - 2/18/12

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  • WHOLENEWME79

    Very Good
    2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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    I added more garlic, and also added crushed red pepper and an extra cup of sodium free vegetable stock because it took longer to cook the lentils than directed. I used french lentils rather than traditional red because I like their texture better. - 4/13/13

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  • KKENNEDY123

    Good
    2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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    Delicious however the list of ingredients does not include cauliflower and the cooking instructions includes cauliflower. It also took a lot longer for the lentils to cook so I had to add extra water. - 11/23/12

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  • LOSE15YES


    2 of 6 people found this review helpful
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    Turmeric and ginger are great for inflammation and recommended by so many health professionals. Sorry I commented before making this...I will come back after I make it tonight. Love the other comments. I eat very little meat. - 10/27/12

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  • KDZ7175

    Incredible!
    2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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    So very good! My meat-loving husband even loved it! - 5/30/12

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  • SC4TTERBR4INS

    Very Good
    2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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    Really good flavor but not very spicy. I'll know for next time. I also had trouble getting the lentils cooked through. I wonder if they should have been red lentils (I used green). I agree with previous commenters the serving size is too large, I ended up dividing into 6. - 5/21/12

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  • VANANDEL

    Incredible!
    2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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    My husband and I give this a 5! I had to simmer it a little longer to get the sweet potatoes to soften more, but it was delicious. We both were content with a much smaller serving. - 5/10/12

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  • CHERRY666

    Very Good
    2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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    I liked this a lot. Very hearty dish. The mixture of spices made my mouth water. It did take longer for me to cook like some other posters also said, but no big deal. Next time, I'm going to bump up the heat since it wasn't spicy enough for me. - 4/20/12

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  • FITLIFE16

    Incredible!
    2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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    This is very flavorful. I have always been afraid to make Indian food at home but I love it out. This tastes as good a going out to an Indian restaurant. - 4/18/12

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  • LEANJEAN6


    2 of 2 people found this review helpful
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    cumin is so good for one--Make it for this--I did and enjoy it! - 4/9/12

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  • LIZZBET

    Very Good
    1 of 1 people found this review helpful
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    absolutely yummy i used lentils from a can so yum thankyou for these amazing recipes. - 2/14/13

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  • IFDEEVARUNS2


    1 of 5 people found this review helpful
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    Is this the right picture? - 6/6/12

    Reply from CHEF_MEG (5/17/13)
    Yes- give it a try- it's geat.
    Chef Meg


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  • RUTHXG

    Incredible!
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    Really great! I heeded others' advice & doubled most of the spices; I also included most of the serrano seeds b/c my mouth likes heat. Was amused when I tracked to see this is supposed to feed just 4; I had a hearty serving but it was only about 1/8 of the batch. Will enjoy this all week! - 5/19/13

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  • CARMENCRUNCH

    Incredible!
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    I've never heard of Vindaloo before, but this recipe caught my eye. I'm so glad it did. I made it "as is" and I would not change a thing. It was spectacular. This will be a future favorite of mine. - 5/7/13

    Reply from CHEF_MEG (5/17/13)
    Great to hear-it's my favorite.
    Chef Meg


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  • SWEETLADY1313

    Very Good
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    I enjoyed this recipe. Not a huge fan of using clove in savory dishes, so I reduced it to a dash and increased the cumin and turmeric. I followed other suggestions of needing to cook longer to soften the lentils. This recipe introduced me to lentils and I will be using them again. - 4/19/13

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  • LORRAINEANN42

    Very Good
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    Delicious! - 2/16/13

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  • RENEGADEROSE

    Incredible!
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    Omg this is so good. Second day I pureed some & used as sauce for spaghetti. I added a little red wine vinegar & water when I puréed.


    - 1/26/13

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  • SWIRLYGUMDROPS

    Incredible!
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    This was excellent! I am on the lookout for recipes that are flavorful but healthy, and this one is definitely both. Hearty, full bodied taste. I kept all the seeds from the pepper and it has a little bite. Looking forward to eating this all week! - 10/1/12

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  • EMERALDWARE

    Incredible!
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    My god, so good. Get the fire-roasted tomatoes because those really amp it up. I thought cooking time was fine, but I thought my lentils were fine a little al dente. - 8/28/12

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  • KELILYND

    Incredible!
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    Great recipe. - 6/6/12

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  • GARDENSTAR

    Very Good
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    I like it, but my husband can't stand cloves so I will leave them out next time. I used a jar of sundried tomatoes in oil from Costco, since I couldn't find fire roasted, and they gave the dish a very good flavor. - 5/24/12

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  • IMAPEPPER55


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    THIS ONE IS A MUST! - 5/13/12

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  • KPINSKI82

    Very Good
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    Made this one tonight and served over quinoa- it was really excellent! Definitely a keeper :) - 4/28/12

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  • JOEMARCHESANI

    Incredible!
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    You can always add more hot pepper, if you want to jack up the heat. You can also add chopped, roasted chicken [e.g. skinless and boneless thighs], if you're less vegetarian in your tastes. - 4/28/12

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  • SRBALMAS

    Very Good
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    Very good vegetarian dish. For more mild spice try using Aneheim peppers. Cut water on the 2 cups at time of adding vinegar to 1 cup for a thicker, heartier consistancy. Consider baking the sweet potatoes ahead of time, this brings out the potato's carmelized flavoring & saves time! - 4/27/12

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  • PURPLEPEONY

    Very Good
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    Good! - 4/26/12

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  • NAHZEEJUNE


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    I haven't made this dish yet. I read the comments and ratings they help me decide if this is a recipe that I will try.I will make this one. Someone wanted to know what could be substituted for a Serrano pepper . A jalapeno pepper will work fine. If you want it spicier,add ground cayenne to taste. - 4/21/12

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  • KARENA228


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    I modified the recipe a bit...1 sweet potato instead of 2, 1 chicken breast, 1 scotch bonnet pepper for nice heat. It needs to cook for a lot longer than stated for the sweet potato and lentils to be fully cooked. Will definitely make this again. - 4/16/12

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  • CFMOSS

    Very Good
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    really enjoyed this recipe - nice flavors as well as fragrances. found the timing of each step to be right on the money saving 2 servings for monday vegan day - will probably add some higher protein beans and serve with quinoa, served the first 2 with leftover lamb - let it soak in the curry a bit - 4/15/12

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  • PETALIA

    O.K.
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    Delicious and simple seasoning but there is not a melding of the ingredients which I like and the lentils and sweet potatoes are not fully cooked. I shall cook this dish a bit longer and see if that helps. I've now cooked the lentils longer and they are still not done. Hmm.... - 4/14/12

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  • PATRICIAANN46

    Incredible!
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    This was amazing!!! - 4/9/12

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  • LODESTONE

    Good
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    Modified for 2, served over saffron rice. The flavors were knockout! Especially with the serrano pepper. Yum. - 4/9/12

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  • POLSKARENIA

    Very Good
    0 of 1 people found this review helpful
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    Sounds a keepeper to me. I think I will use butternut squash though instead of the sweet potato. - 4/9/12

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  • SWEESIN


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    Before I try, which meat or bean to substitute I DO NOT LIKE lentils. - 4/9/12

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  • ONTHEJOURNEY


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    I made this recipe last week-loved it! - 4/9/12

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  • LORIANN563


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    will try - 4/9/12

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  • PRAIRIEGAL5


    0 of 1 people found this review helpful
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    I will tryit intehfuture a itl looks verytasty! - 4/1/12

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  • BSCHWARTZ


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    I wonder which type of lentils to use....Indian yellow dal or orange
    lentils? I love Indian food! - 3/22/12

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  • DINY613


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    I'm going to make this for my son-in-law who loves curry recipes! - 3/17/12

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  • THEESLADY

    Incredible!
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    I am always looking for something different, and this was quite different but really good!!! This recipe is a keeper. - 3/13/12

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  • PLUEDECK

    Very Good
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    Seeing this recipe I was skeptical about the cooking times for the lentils and the sweet potato. I have never known either to take this little time to cook. I substituted red lentils and thinly sliced the potato but I would recommend cooking the sweet potato in a micro or with the onions first. - 3/10/12

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  • DMSGLASS


    0 of 3 people found this review helpful
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    Love Indian food. Will definitely give this one a try. I just have to get the serrano chili. I have everything else in my cupboard. - 3/6/12

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