Spiced Yams with Spinach & Lentil
If you’ve got a bag of NZ yams (aka oca) rolling around your veg drawer and you're not sure what to do with them besides roasting them for the hundredth time - this one’s for you. This spiced lentil and yam dish is hearty, vibrant, and full of zingy lemon and warm spices. Roasted yams get golden and sweet in the oven, then layered over garam masala lentils and wilted spinach, with tangy red onion and creamy yoghurt to bring it all together. It’s the perfect kind of meal for when you want something wholesome but not boring, and a great way to show off our underrated lil yam pals.
- 400g of yams (scrubbed and washed)
- A tin of brown lentils
- 1 lemon
- Half a red onion
- A bunch of spinach (or any green!)
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tbsp garam masala
- 150g yogurt
- salt and pepper to taste
- olive oil
- Handful of chopped nuts (optional), can also use pumpkin/sunflower seeds.
- Handful of fresh herbs of your choice.
- Preheat your oven to 200°C.
- Slice the yams diagonally into 3-4cm pieces, keeping any small ones whole. On a roasting tray, place the yams and sprinkle smoked paprika, ground cumin and ground cinnamon, add 1 tbsp oil, salt and pepper. Toss until they are well coated.
- Roast for approx. 15-18 mins, turning halfway, until just tender.
- Meanwhile, finely slice your red onion and add juice of 1 lemon. Leave to macerate.
- Drain and rinse the lentils. Wash the spinach. Peel and finely chop the garlic.
- In a frying pan, add some oil and gently fry the garlic for 30 secs. Add the spinach and cook until just wilted. Mix in the garam masala, lentils and 3 tbsp yogurt. Heat through, season with salt and pepper.
- Serve the lentils and spinach mix on a plate, top with roasted yams, your macerated onion and drizzle with lemon juice. Top with remaining yoghurt and fresh herbs/walnuts if desired.