+GF
Behold, some healthy and quite filling comfort food. For tastiest results, serve with a generous spoonful of Amba, Savory Dried Apricot Paste or your favorite vegan chutney.
I highly recommend not peeling the yams to retain the spuds’ nutritional benefits, electing to scrub them clean instead. —CS
SERVES 6
2 lbs (908 g) raw white yams or russet potatoes (about 2 large), trimmed and cubed
1½ cups (306 g) dry chana dal, picked through and rinsed
1 cup (235 ml) canned full-fat coconut milk
Generous 1¼ tsp (7 g) smoked sea salt, divided
Scant ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tbsp (15 ml) toasted sesame oil
2 shallots, minced, or ½ large red onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow squash, trimmed and diced
2 tbsp (34 g) double-concentrated tomato paste
1 tbsp (10 g) garam masala
1½ tsp (2 g) dried shiitake or porcini mushroom powder
1½ tsp (4 g) Emergency Broth Powder
½ tsp ground coriander
2 cups (268 g) frozen green peas
2 cups (480 g) fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
Amba, Savory Dried Apricot Paste or favorite vegan chutney, to serve
Cook the yams and chana dal (the latter according to package directions) in separate pots to cut down on preparation time. Drain them both once fork tender (for the former) and al dente (for the latter). Add the yams back to the cooking pot once drained, and place them back on the stove for the residual heat to further remove excess moisture. Add the coconut milk, a generous ½ teaspoon of the salt and nutmeg to the pot of yams. Thoroughly mash and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
In a large pot, combine the oil, shallots, garlic and squash. Cook over medium-high heat until the vegetables start to brown, about 4 minutes. Stir occasionally and adjust the heat as needed.
Add the tomato paste, garam masala, remaining ¾ teaspoon salt, mushroom powder, broth powder and coriander. Cook to toast the spices for another minute. Add the cooked chana dal and green peas, and cook for another minute. Add the crushed tomatoes and cook until the peas are thawed, another 4 minutes.
Transfer to a deep, 11 x 8-inch (28 x 20-cm) baking dish. Top with the mashed yams, using a slanted spatula to make waves on top. Bake for 20 minutes. Then broil for 2 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Serve with Amba, Savory Dried Apricot Paste or your favorite chutney. Reheated leftovers taste even better!