Lunch Food- Daal and Rice

These days, I most often do as much cooking as possible in big batches so I can portion out meals for lunches and freeze a few servings for later.  That way, we can enjoy homecooked and healtier food when we'd otherwise be tempted to get takeout or eat junk.  One of my favorite fridge/freezer staples these days is curried lentils. And, nothing goes with curried lentils better than another favorite-- stuck pot rice.

Friday night, I decided to make this stuff, and made it a point to use all things I had at home- minimizing carbon/driving around and maximizing productive time in the kitchen.  So, I went into my pantry and grabbed the lentils and rice.  I always keep several choices of bean, lentil, and grain because it makes daily plant-based cooking that much easier.  I used red lentils because they cook up the fastest and make a creamy base for a curry or stew.  I also really enjoy yellow split peas and kidney beans in curries.  I used plain basmati rice, which I buy in the big burlap 20lb bags. 

Jasmine, Grits, Red Lentils, Basmati, Brown Sushi Rice

 Here's the brief rundown on how to make a curry.  Keeping in mind, I have no idea what specific spices or techniques are actually used in regional indian cooking- I pretty much just make this how I like, and hope others like it too. 

They boil-over easily

I bring lentils to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer- 2:1 water:lentil, salted lightly.

This is the crucial step- do not burn the onions

 Meanwhile, I chop onions and get them sauteeing in butter in a deep pan.  Once they're heading toward translucent, I add chopped garlic.  I'd say 1 onion and 2 cloves garlic per 3/4 cup of dry lentils used, for a guideline.  More or less is cool too.

Toasting the spices is essential to deep flavor

The cooked on stuff will come off with the tomato sauce

Then, once the rawness smell has cooked off and the onion/garlic is slightly glossy and sticky, add a couple tablespoons of a curry powder. This can be as simple as a turmeric/cumin/cayenne mixture, or something that you buy in a store.  If you aren't sold on curries yet, go easy until you know which flavors you like.  I used 1/2 portion of Penzy's Sweet Curry Powder and 1/2 Balti seasoning.  I like the sweet, spicy warmth of that combination.

Allow the curry powder to toast and cook a bit on the pan for a few minutes, withouth allowing it to burn.  If it gets cooked on the bottom of the pan- all the better. 

Plain tomatoes- one can never can enough of them!

Then, add a can or jar or two of tomatoes- crushed, diced, whole- whatever. 

You could also just freeze this sauce and use it later

Allow the curry tomato sauce to simmer until thickened slightly. 


Add the lentils and cook for a few more minutes.  Oh, and add some dried hot peppers if you haven't already. Then, allow the flavors to meld as the curry cools on the stove for a bit before putting it away. 



Stuckput price is something I hadn't heard of until How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, by Mark Bittman.  That book has taught me lots of good shortcuts and techniques that I use al the time.  It is well worn and used regularly.  A How To Video

Dairy from happy cows tastes better and is better for you

I never follow a recipe. Partly I get bored and partly because I am using just what I've got. I used a yogurt sauce with craisins, dried cherries, and cumin for the flavors. 

The towel wicks the moisture out, don't start it on fire!

If some sticks to the pan- no biggie.

 

It didn't get as colorful, but the sweet-tartness of the chewy fruit with the white rice turned out to be a nice background for the spicy, savory curry.