The American holiday of Thanksgiving is over, and like many people I have leftovers. So, what better way to use the leftover sweet potatoes than to put them in a curry and take pictures!

For this photo, I wanted to try something a little bit different. I wanted to use multiple objects on a dark background using natural light from a window. However, it was dark outside due to overcast weather, so I had to use artificial lights.

The two issues this photo has brought to my attention are that first, I need to utilize lights better and get a deeper understanding of artificial / studio lighting. The second is that I need to adjust my Aperture to get the desired depth of field I want in my photos. For this picture, the Aperture was at f/2.8, I think I need to play with it more at f/5.6-f/8. I wanted both the curry and the rice to have some focus on them, but I was only getting one of the other, and when I tried to get both, what I got was the upper edge of the curry bowl and the lower edge of the rice bowl.

I am still enjoying this journey and trying to learn every week. I still have a long way to go before I start getting the results I want. I just remember a few of my favorite quotes:

“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” — Robert F. Kennedy

“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” — Samuel Beckett

“Have no fear of perfection—you’ll never reach it.” — Salvador Dali

“Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.” — Dale Carnegie

Below is the recipe, enjoy!

Sweet Potato Curry with Chickpeas and Spinach

Ingredients 2 tbsp vegetable oil 1 onion – chopped 2 cloves garlic – minced 2 tsp minced ginger or 1 tsp of ginger powder 2 tbsp curry powder 1 tbsp ground coriander ½ tbsp ground cumin 1 tsp smoked hot paprika ½ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp salt ½ tsp black pepper 2 sweet potatoes – diced (I am using leftovers that have been thinly sliced) 1 can chickpeas 2 cans diced tomatoes (I use no salt added petite) 2 tbsp tomato paste 1 can full-fat coconut milk Frozen spinach Vegetable Stock / Water

Instructions

Heat oil in a large pot over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and salt and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until light and transparent. Add the garlic, ginger, curry powder, ground coriander, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, and pepper. Stir and cook for a further minute. Add the sweet potato, chickpeas, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, and coconut milk. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes – until the sweet potato has softened. Stir in the spinach, simmer for about an extra 5-10 min to let the flavors blend. Serve with basmati coconut rice and enjoy. You can also sprinkle some toasted unsweetened coconut flakes on top for added decor and flavor.