Lentil & Potato Curry Recipe

When I saw the Lentil & Potato Curry recipe in Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian cookbook I thought it would be a budget friendly recipe. I can't seem to shake the idea that potatoes are inexpensive. The truth is, they are not. Organic potatoes, the only ones I could find at Whole Foods, were $1.49 a pound. One large potato? About a pound. But potatoes are high in Vitamin C and B6 and leaving the skin on provides good fiber so they are a good pick when it comes to nutrition.

I don't know about you, but I can barely cook anything without onions and garlic. I couldn't help but notice Bittman's recipe was missing those two crucial ingredients so I added them. I was able to get away with buying a very small portion of lentils in the bulk section. Sometimes buying a larger package is more economical but in this case it wouldn't have saved me any money. Can half a cup of lentils and one potato serve two people? In this recipe it can.

Lentil and Potato Curry is a bit like stone soup, the more stuff you add to it, the better it's likely to be. I'd love to serve it topped with a dollop of yogurt, a bit of chutney, a sprinkling of chopped cilantro, some rice and a fresh green vegetable like spinach, but staying on a strict budget means making sacrifices.

Lentil & Potato Curry
makes 2 servings about $1.38 per serving

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil 5¢
1/2 onion, chopped 75¢
2 garlic cloves, mashed 10¢
1/2 cup brown lentils 36¢
2 cups water, or more as needed
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder (I considered this pantry supplies)
1 large potato, cut into chunks $1.49

Instructions

In a large saucepan heat the oil over medium heat. Cook the onions for 8 minutes or until soft and golden. Add the garlic and curry and saute for another minute. Add the lentils and water. Simmer partially covered for 15 minutes. Add the potato and cover pan. Gently simmer for 15 minutes or until lentils and potatoes are cooked through. Season with salt and pepper. Optional: top with yogurt and cilantro.

Double Stuffed Baked Potato Recipe

David Lebovitz and I should never go out to dinner together. Why? Because I have a wandering fork. I love sharing food for several reasons. First of all, I can rarely decide what I want, so sharing generally means I get to try more than one thing. Also I fear I have bad ordering karma and will choose the worst thing on the menu and be stuck with it if I don't share. Finally, I don't like massive portions so sharing also helps me keep from eating way more than I want.

A few years ago there was a diner that was known for serving gigantic portions and my mother and I used to share a double stuffed baked potato and salad. It was one of those potatoes that was way over a pound to begin with and then it had loads of vegetables in it. It probably wasn't as healthy as I like to believe it was. The restaurant and the potato are long gone now but for years I have tried to recreate it. This latest version is my best effort to date.

My double stuffed potato is really just a formula, you can add or subtract the ingredients and the vegetables you use are really up to you. I bet bacon would be a great addition (isn't it always?) and you could use another variety of cheese or leave out the cheese altogether if you prefer. I do strongly suggest you don't skip the green onion though, it adds both flavor and texture. And be sure to find the biggest potato around, because this dish is intended as a main dish, not a side. Oh, and the one time I did have dinner with David Lebovitz, it was Chinese food so I guess he's better at sharing than he likes to admit.

Double Stuffed Baked Potato
For each serving

Ingredients

1 large Russet potato, the largest you can find
1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped vegetables, cooked (I like spinach, carrots, and celery but use whatever you prefer)
1 Tablespoon cream cheese, low fat is fine
1 green onion, chopped
Milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Pierce then bake the potato in a preheated 425 degree oven for approximately one hour, or until cooked through (do not microwave or the skin will be too floppy to stuff). Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 - 10 minutes.

Slice off the top of the potato so that you can easily scoop out most of the pulp. Leave around 1/4 inch around the bottom and sides of the potato. Place the pulp in a large mixing bowl and mash, then mix in with the cheddar cheese, vegetables and cream cheese and just enough milk to make stiff but creamy mashed potatoes. Fold in the green onions and season to taste with plenty of salt and pepper.

Stuff the potato with the mixture and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes until cooked through and beginning to brown on top.

Enjoy!

More stuffed baked potato recipes...

Coconut & Lime's Spinach & Onion Stuffed Potatoes
Simply Recipes Twice Baked Potatoes
Blog Appetit's Stuffed Baked Potatoes
Sustainable Pantry's Stuffed Baked Potatoes