Curried Lentil Soup With Savory Sweet Potato Fritters Recipe

By
Sydney Oland
Sydney Oland: Contributing Writer at Serious Eats
Sydney Oland
Sydney Oland lives in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, where she develops recipes and owns and operates three businesses: a bean-to-bar chocolate company, an ice cream company, and a collective food production space. Previously, she wrote brunch and British food recipe columns for Serious Eats.
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Updated June 18, 2019
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Sydney Oland

This brunch is a wonderful way to start off a lazy Sunday. Lentils, simmered with aromatics, won't just fill your kitchen with wonderful enticing smells—they make a perfect dipping sauce for a side of delicate and savory sweet potato fritters.

Garam masala is a spice mixture that is popular in North Indian and South Asian cuisines. Most well-stocked spice markets should have it, but if you can't find it easily, you can try making your own. It's typically a ground mixture of peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, cumin, and cardamom.

Recipe Details

Curried Lentil Soup With Savory Sweet Potato Fritters Recipe

Active 45 mins
Total 60 mins
Serves 4 servings

Ingredients

  • For the Curried Lentils:
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 2 carrots, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 2 teaspoons)
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger (about 2 teaspoons)
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • Pinch red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup dried lentils
  • 6 cups homemade or store-bought low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • For the Savory Sweet Potato Fritters:
  • 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 small sweet potato, peeled and grated (about 1 cup)
  • Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
  • Vegetable oil, for frying
  • Chopped scallions, to garnish

Directions

  1. For the Curried Lentils: Heat vegetable oil over medium high heat until shimmering. Add onions, carrots, garlic, and ginger and cook stirring often until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add curry powder and garam masala and cook stirring constantly until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add lentils and stock and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

  2. For the Savory Sweet Potato Fritters: Using a mortar and pestle, or the bottom of a frying pan crush the coriander seeds. Whisk together milk and eggs, then whisk together flour and baking powder. Combine the wet and dry ingredients then fold in sliced onions and sweet potato..

  3. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 200°F and place a lined backing sheet in the oven. Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large high-sided pot or wok to 350°F. Add the batter by the heaping tablespoon, making sure not to crowd the pan. Cook, gently flipping each fritter until all sides are brown, about 4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack-lined baking sheet and keep fritters warm in the oven while you finish remaining batter. Season fritters with salt.

  4. Serve fritters with curried lentils, garnished with sliced scallions.

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