It’s the end of sweetpotato contest week* and I have one last recipe to add to the pot (literally, ha).  But if you haven’t checked out some of the other ones, you should!  There have been some really creative entries that used the inexpensive, nutrient-rich sweetpotato in ways I would never have thought of.

A few of the ones I’ll be trying this fall and winter are sweetpotato soup in sweetpotato bread bowls from Cindy, sweetpotato jalapeno corn muffins from Joanne, sweetpotato pie fruit leather from Anne, sweetpotato biscotti (biscotti!!) from Regan, and maple cream cheese sweetpotato bars from Sarah.  Savory or sweet, baked, blended, or dried – you can really do almost anything with a sweetpotato, it turns out.  Just look at them!

So now I give you: vegan sweetpotato Thai curry.  It’s actually vegan by accident; I don’t tend to attempt to make vegan recipes, but served over quinoa it has plenty of protein and makes an amazing one-bowl meal.  And it uses sweetpotatoes in two ways – pureed into the coconut milk for the sauce, and diced as one of the veggies.  It’s Thai because of the seasonings, but could easily be flavored with curry powder to be an Indian-tasting curry.

Vegan Sweetpotato Thai Curry

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 4 sweetpotatoes
• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 12 oz chickpeas
• 2 c fresh green beans, cut into bite sized pieces
• 3 c coconut milk
• 2 c fresh spinach
• 2 c vegetable broth
• Spices: 2 Tbsp dried lemon grass, 2 Tbsp dried galangal root, 5 dried kefir lime leaves (wrap in cheesecloth or use a seasoning sachet), fresh Thai basil, salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Sautee the onion and garlic in the coconut oil in a large pan or wok.  Meanwhile, bake 2 of the sweetpotatoes in the microwave (just put them in on high for 7-9 minutes, or until tender to a fork prick).  Dice the other 2 sweetpotatoes into bite-sized pieces (leave skins on for extra fiber!) and add them to the onions and garlic, sauteeing for 5 minutes.  Add broth and spice sachet and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and green beans, simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Puree the baked sweetpotatoes with the coconut milk in a blender or food processor (add some red pepper if you like spice!), pour into the pan and bring to a simmer again.  Add the spinach and chickpeas, cook for another 10-15 minutes or until all veggies are tender.  Serve over cooked brown rice or quinoa, garnish with basil.

Warning – this makes a huge amount of curry!  You could easily halve this recipe and still have enough for 3-4 people.Yum!  Enjoying this with some friends at a house on the bay to celebrate my 30th birthday – it’s today!

*I received free samples of California sweetpotatoes mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by the California Sweetpotato Council and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.