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Photograph of Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato and Turkey Meatball Dhansak and Rice Casserole

Slow-Cooker Sweet Potato and Turkey Meatball Dhansak and Rice Casserole

If you are looking for a low fat, spicy, healthy, one pot dhansak inspired curry, this recipe has its all! Lentils, rice, sweet potato, turkey meatballs, lashings of tomatoes and a fabulous collection of warming spices. All cooked together in the slow cooker with no added fat, this recipe is both simple and incredibly quick to make. The slow-cooker does all the work.

Course Main Course
Keyword basmati rice, beef curry, dhansak, lentils, meatballs, sweet potato
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Servings 4
Author Susan

Ingredients

  • 18 – 24g/6 cloves of garlic, peeled
  • 25g unpeeled ginger roughly chopped
  • 2 medium red onions, peeled and roughly chopped
  • ½ teaspoon fine salt, divided
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
  • 500g chicken or turkey mince
  • 300g-350g/2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into cubes
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 4 whole green cardamom, bashed
  • ½ teaspoon chilli powder
  • ½ teaspoon curry powder
  • ¼ teaspoon chilli flakes
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • 100g red lentils
  • 150g brown rice
  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 35g tomato puree
  • 1 chicken stock cube
  • 1200ml water – swill out the tin from the tomatoes three times
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 75g fresh baby spinach
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 20g freshly chopped coriander
  • lime wedges, to serve

Instructions

  1. Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.

  2. Prepare the garlic and ginger and blitz in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the prepared onion and blitz again until everything is finely chopped.

  3. Tip the chicken mince into a mixing bowl and add 5 tablespoons of the onion/garlic/ginger mix and ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

  4. Place the remaining onion/garlic/ginger mix into the slow cooker and add the spices, a further ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper as well as the lentils, brown rice, tomatoes, tomato puree, stock and sugar. Stir well to mix thoroughly. Turn the slow cooker to high and start to cook.

  5. Meanwhile, mix the turkey mince with the onion/garlic/ginger well and form into balls using a small ice cream scoop or spoon. Neaten the balls by rolling between your hands.

  6. Gently place the chicken meatballs in the sauce and cook on high for 3½ – 4 hours until everything is cooked.

  7. Taste and adjust seasoning. Gently stir in the spinach and lemon juice and leave to cook for 5 minutes or until the spinach has wilted.

  8. Stir through a generous amount of chopped coriander and serve with some fresh, warm naan.

Recipe Notes

Equipment:

  • kitchen scales and measuring spoons
  • chopping board and knife
  • food processor
  • mixing bowl
  • ice cream scoop or spoon
  • slow cooker