This is the perfect healthy winter comfort food. It’s light but filling and full of great immune boosting ingredients. Plus the warm spices and broth will have you feeling toasty from the inside out. Plus, it’s a one dish kind of meal – my favourite!

This is a little like a fish curry as the flavours lean that way and you’re cooking fish in coconut milk, you can also eat everything with a spoon so it eats a little like that as well. A cross between a curry and a soup perhaps? I love having the fish as a whole fillet resting on top of the broth laced lentils and sweet potato as it looks beautiful and is easy to cook perfectly, with pieces gently flaking off as you spoon it all up.

It’s also hearty and filling without relying on grains or simple carbs. Everything comes together really quickly as the split lentils and grated sweet potato soak up the broth and cook in less than 30 minutes. The heat from the lentils and broth gently poaches the salmon while infusing it with yummy flavours.

I’ve made it with and without the added greens and both work well. I like it more with kale than spinach ad it holds on to a little more texture when it cooks than spinach does. It doesn’t need either though and you could easily serve it with some steamed greens on the side if you prefer. Although chucking them in the same dish is far simpler and efficient so usually my option. The pictures are without the added greens, only because that’s the way I made it on shoot day. The other times were at night and night time photography still isn’t a skill of mine… Maybe one day.

You can easily double this recipe to make more.

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 tsp coconut oil

1 Tbs ginger, freshly grated

1 Tbs finely chopped coriander root and stem

1 clove garlic

1/3 cup finely chopped spring onion

1/2 tsp chilli powder (use less if you don’t like heat)

1 tsp turmeric ground

1 tsp garam masala

1/2 cup split red lentils, rinsed

1/2 litre chicken/vegetable stock, or water

1 medium sweet potato, grated

1 x 400ml can coconut milk

2 cups spinach or shredded kale (optional)

300g salmon (2 small fillets) skin off

1-2 tsp soy sauce (optional)

1 tsp lime juice

lime wedges, to serve

1 Tbs finely chopped coriander,  to serve

1 Tbs finely chopped spring onion, to serve

1 birds eye chilli to serve (optional, for those of you who like things spicy)

Directions

Heat the oil in a medium  sized, high sided fry pan. Once hot add ginger, garlic, onion and the spices. Fry on a medium heat until fragrant and the onion has softened. Add lentils and stir to coat in the spices. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the sweet potato and cook for 10-15 minutes longer or until the lentils and sweet potato are soft.

Add the coconut milk and is using add the kale/spinach. Bring up to a boil again and turn down to a simmer. Check seasoning, add soy 1 tsp at a time if it needs salt.

Lay the salmon fillets on top, gentle spoon over some of the broth and simmer, covered, for 3-5 minutes, depending on thickness. Tun off the heat and leave with the lid on for a minute. This will give you medium – medium rare salmon, if you like it cooked through rest it for a few minutes longer in the broth before serving.

Remove the salmon from the lentil and coconut broth and set aside. Stir in the lime juice. Spoon the lentil, sweet potato  and coconut mix into bowls. Set the salmon on top of it and sprinkle with coriander and spring onion.

HH. x