Lecho with sweet potatoes
This meatless sweet potato and lentil lettuce is a super delicious dinner idea. You can make this recipe year-round, but the best times are late summer and fall.
Preparation time: 1 hour Number of servings: over 2.5 kg of food In 100 g of dish: Energy value 78 kcal Carbohydrates 13 g - Including sugars 4 g Protein 2 g Fats 2 g Diet: gluten-free, low-sugar, low-fat, vegetarian.
- sweet potatoes 1 kg
- peppers, e.g. red, 400 g - 2 pieces
- onion - preferably sweet 380 g
- juicy tomatoes 400 g
- green zucchini 400 g - 1 piece
- 6 cloves of garlic
- tomato paste 100 g
- small can of red lentils - approx. 300 g
- vegetable oil 50 ml
- sweet paprika and oregano 1 teaspoon each
- pepper, salt and chili, half a level teaspoon each
- cumin and smoked paprika 1/3 flat teaspoon each
Lecho with sweet potato
Before you start making this sweet potato and lentil lecho, I recommend reading the entire recipe first to prepare for the next steps. It's a good idea to prep all the vegetables (wash, chop, etc.) in advance.
Start heating a wok, large frying pan, or pot and add about 50 ml of vegetable oil. Then add 380 grams of peeled and chopped onions (I recommend sweet onions) to the pan. Sauté the finely chopped onions over low heat for a few minutes, just until translucent (without a lid).
Peel and dice 1 kg of sweet potatoes into cubes no larger than 1.5–2 cm. Place the sweet potatoes in a pot with the onion, add 6 peeled garlic cloves, thinly sliced. Mix everything together and cook uncovered over medium heat for 15 minutes.
After this time, add all the ingredients except the lentils to the pot. Wash, core, and cut 2 bell peppers, e.g., yellow and red, or 2 red ones. Wash one zucchini (about 400g), trim the ends, and, if necessary, remove any thicker cores. Cut it into pieces similar to bell peppers. Add 100g tomato paste and 400g chopped tomatoes. Juicy varieties work best. If you choose Lima or San Marzano tomatoes, which have thicker skins, blanch and peel them first.
Add 1 teaspoon each of sweet paprika and oregano, ½ teaspoon each of salt, pepper, and chili powder, and 1/3 teaspoon each of smoked paprika and cumin. Mix thoroughly. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender.
Tip: You can replace the cumin with caraway in the same amount.
Finally, add a whole can of any lentils to the pot, along with the liquid (without draining). Mix everything together, bring to a boil, then check the taste and decide whether you want to add more salt, chili, or pepper.
You can eat this lentil and sweet potato soup on its own, without any additions. It also tastes great with a slice of bread, rice, or your favorite grain.
Enjoy your meal.
