Double baked sweet potatoes with rice and lentils
This double baked sweet potatoes with rice and lentils is hearty meal, perfect for those on a vegan diet, served with a crispy salad. For a vegetarian version add some grated/crumbled cheese and for those who love meat, I recommend adding some crispy lardon or pancetta. You can also serve this dish on the side of roasted/fried/grilled steak, lamb or pork.
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Put the sweet potatoes onto a baking sheet, then put the tray in the oven.
- Bake the potatoes until their flesh is tender (test it with a skewer).
- Take them out of the oven and let them cool. You can refrigerate them for up to 3 days or continue with the recipe now.
- Cut the sweet potatoes in half, lengthwise, then scrape out the flesh into a bowl.
- Brush their inside with oil and put them back ion the tray then in the oven for 5-10 minutes, until the skin becomes crispy.
- Meanwhile, finely chop the onion, garlic, carrot and red pepper.
- Heat the oil in a saucepan and sauté the chopped veggies until soft.
- Add the spices and the tomato purée. Season with salt and pepper. Stir for a minute then add the passata and lentils and enough water to cover the vegetables.
- Cook for about 15 minutes, until you a get a nice, silky sauce.
- Remove the star anise, bay leaf and cinnamon piece. Add the chopped fresh coriander. Add the sweet potato flesh, and with a fork mash the stew until you get a thick sauce.
- Add the cooked rice and mix well. You should get a thick and moist (not wet!) mixture.
- Fill the baked sweet potato skins with the mixture. You can serve them immediately or you could scatter some grated cheese on top and bake for another 5 minutes until the cheese has melted.