Lentils are low in calories, fat and cholesterol and contain other nutritionally helpful things, such as protein, folic acid, fibre, potassium and iron.
Positive facts, for sure, but if you’ve ever cooked and eaten lentils on their own, or very simply seasoned, you’ll know they don’t taste that great.
But, you can quickly change humble-tasting lentils into a star attraction with the addition of an ensemble cast of flavourful ingredients, which I did in today’s meat-free, pot-pie recipe.
To make the filling for the pot pie, in a skillet, a mix of vegetables were sautéed in oil, and then curry powder, garlic and tomato paste were mixed in. Canned, drained, green lentils, tomato sauce, stock and umami-rich splashes of Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce were then added to the skillet.
The lentil mixture was then simmered until it had thickened and was infused with the taste of the other ingredients. It was then divided between two, single-serving baking dishes.
To make a pot pie, you have to top the filling with something, which is most often pastry. In this case, though, I chose to top it with yams that were cooked with fresh ginger and mashed.
As I’ve noted in past stories, the yams sold in many North American grocery stores are actually the orange-fleshed variety of sweet potato. They, like lentils, are also nutritious, containing such things as vitamin A, C, D and B and many minerals.
To finish off my curried lentil pot pies with ginger mashed yams, I baked them in a hot oven 20 minutes. Each pie was then topped with some shelled pumpkin seeds, and then baked another 10 minutes, until piping hot and bubbly around the edges.
If you don’t have single-serving baking dishes, you could spoon the lentil filling into larger, six-inch long, three-inch wide casserole, top it with the mashed yams and bake it that way to yield two servings. If you’re feeding more than two, you could double the recipe and make the curried lentil pot pie in an eight-square baking dish.
For a side dish, you could serve the pot pie with baby mixed salad greens, topped with such things as cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and bell peppers, all drizzled with your favourite salad dressing.
Curried Lentil Pot Pie with Ginger Mashed Yams
Lentils, richly flavoured with a curry-spiced mixture, spooned into single-serving dishes, topped with ginger mashed yams and baked until bubbly and delicious.
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: about 60 minutes
Makes: two servings
1 lb. yams (about 2 small to medium ones), peeled and cut into chunks
2 tsp peeled and finely chopped fresh ginger
• salt and ground white pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
1/4 cup finely diced onion
1/4 cup finely diced celery
1/4 cup grated carrot
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1 tsp Madras or mild or medium curry powder
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 (14 oz./398 mL) can green lentils, drained well, rinsed, and drained well again (see Eric’s options)
1 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup vegetable stock or water
• a few splashes Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce
1/3 cup frozen peas
1 Tbsp butter (see Eric’s Options)
2 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp shelled pumpkin seeds or sliced almonds
Place yams and ginger in a medium pot, cover with cold water and set over medium, medium-high heat. Bring yams to a simmer and cook until very tender, about 12 to 14 minutes.
While yams simmer, heat oil in a 10-inch wide skillet set over medium heat. When oil is hot, add the onion, celery and carrot and cook until softened, about three minutes. Mix in the garlic, curry powder and tomato paste and cook one minute more.
Now add the lentils, tomato sauce, stock (or water), Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce to the skillet. Bring the lentil mixture to a simmer, and simmer 10 minutes, or until thickened. Remove the skillet from the heat. Taste and season the lentil mixture with salt, and then mix in the peas.
When yams are tender, drain them, and the ginger in pot, into a fine sieve. Put the drained yams and ginger back into the pot and then thoroughly mash. Mix in the butter, milk and salt and pepper, to taste.
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Set 2, 1- to 1 1/2-cup capacity, single- serving baking dishes on the baking sheet.
Divide the lentil mixture between the baking dishes. Top and cover the lentil mixture with the mashed yams. Bake these curried lentil pot pies 20 minutes. Now sprinkle the yams on each pie with pumpkin seeds (or sliced almonds). Bake 10 minutes more, or until the pot pies are bubbly around the edges and piping hot.
Eric’s options: If you would prefer to use dried green lentils, a 1/2 cup of them, when simmered until tender and drained, should yield the canned amount needed here.
If desired, you could replace the butter and milk called for in this recipe with dairy-free alternatives.
Eric Akis is the author of eight cookbooks. His columns appear in the Life section Wednesday and Sunday.