red lentil and sweet potato curry

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
Coarse sea salt or kosher salt
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
1 (1 inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1 large or 2 small garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsp curry powder
1 bay leaf
1 ½ cups red lentils
3.25 c boiling water
.25 c coconut milk

(the coconut milk is optional--just use 3.5 c water if you care to omit--but it does add a lovely lusciousness and flavor.)

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. In a saucepan or kettle, bring 3 ½ cups of water to a boil.
2. In a large saucepan over high heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, and 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add the sweet potato, ginger, garlic, curry powder and bay leaf and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in the boiling water and stir in the lentils. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the lentils break down and the sweet potatoes are tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Season with salt.

Number of Servings: 8

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user ALLTHOSEBIRDS.