Spicy, sweet potato fries, chickpeas, and kale in curry-spiced, sesame-ginger gravy

Lightly spicy, rich and sweet, this is a relatively simple but colorful and flavourful dish.

Ingredients

2 sweet potatoes, about 6″ long, peeled and sliced lengthwise in 1/2″ fries (about 3 cups)
2T tamari
A pinch coarse sea salt
2t sriracha (or similar, or to taste)
1/2 cup millet flour
2 cups cooked chickpeas
2 cups green curly kale, coarsely chopped

For the gravy
1T curry powder (or individual spices if you prefer)
1 scallion, minced
1/2T fresh garlic, minced
2t ginger, grated and minced
2 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup tomato passata (or puree)
2T sesame seed butter
1T arrowroot powder dissolved in 2T cold water
Coarse sea salt and black pepper to taste

Optional: Other greens go well in this dish, but will wilt more quickly. The ginger should be slightly more prominent to complement the sesame in this dish. but you can always use your own spice blend in place of curry powder. Freshly ground or popped spices have more flavour. Add some dried chilis with the other dried spices for more heat. I use dried chickpeas that I’ve simmered with kombu usually in a large batch for this type of dish — about 2/3 cup dry will yield 2 cups cooked.

Method

Preheat the oven to 450F or to the highest temperature to which your baking paper is rated. Whisk the tamari, sriracha and salt. Toss the sweet potatoes in the mixture until well coated. Toss them lightly in the millet flour (just a light dusting).

Add the fries to a baking sheet lined with the baking paper in a thin, even layer. Bake for about 35 – 45 minutes (depending on the temperature) until well cooked and lightly crispy, turning periodically to ensure even cooking. Ovens vary; use the texture as a guide.

At about the 15 minute mark, start the gravy. Bring a large pan to heat on medium. Add the curry powder (or your dry spices) to the pan and toast for 2 minutes or until they are nicely aromatic. Add the scallion, garlic and ginger and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the stock, bring the pan to a light simmer, and add the chickpeas.

Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 15 minutes. At the 30 minute mark, add the sesame seed butter and passata and stir until dissolved. Simmer another 5 minutes or so until the fries are ready. Stirring continuously, add the arrowroot mixture slowly until it thickens. Add the kale and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low and cook another 1-2 minutes stirring frequently, until the kale is nicely wilted and bright green.

When everything is ready, plate the fries, ladle the chickpeas and kale over top, and serve.