I hope you all had a truly fab weekend soaking up the spring sun and taking it all in!
As for us, we've got a new layer of topsoil in the garden and a clean fresh outlook - here's to the new season...and Easter coming up! Today's post is (once again) dedicated to the simple easy pleasures in life. Healthy food made delicious by the addition of simple (and rich) spices! A vegetarian's palette of inspiration is only as limited as the spice cupboard, and inexpensive staples can go from pretty meh to pretty mean in a few seconds with (just a little) bit of spice.
Indian spices in particular are so wonderfully varied, it's almost impossible to go wrong with combos (but it can be done) - and there are a few easy ones that everyone should be familiar with. They would be (for me): cumin (both ground and seeds), ginger, turmeric, black mustard seeds, coriander, garam masala (so many kinds!), cardamom..there are a few others - what are your classic faves?
There are so many different spices to name but I've always had good luck preparing delicious veggie curries and bean dishes out of the ones listed above. They are known for being widely beneficial to digestion, and gentle and calming for the soul (maybe that part is just for me - anyone else?).
Side Note: Here in Vancouver - home to one of North America's most widely celebrated Indian restaurants (Vij's) - we are lucky to have a few high quality haunts (from budget to high-end) to frequent for a taste of the real thing. My recent (1st!) trip to London also brought me to Brick Lane, which was a very special experience, and I'll never forget my 1st taste of that delicious lime pickle...amazing!
Alas, I don't think a trip to India will ever be in the cards for me (but never say never), and I would never consider my home cooking a substitution for the real thing......but it isn't all that hard, and cooking this way is: Delicious, cheap, and good for you. Straight up!
Red Lentil Vegetable Curry
(2) tbsp olive oil, canola oil, or ghee(2) tbsp black mustard seeds
(1) onion chopped (about one heaping cup)
(2) tsp salt
(2) tsp turmeric
(2) tsp cumin
(2) tbsp fresh chopped or grated ginger
(3) carrots, chopped (about one heaping cup)
(2) medium potatoes (about one heaping cup)
(1.5) cups canned diced tomatoes (1 398ml can)
(1) cup red lentils
(4) cups water
(1) lemon
black pepper to taste
fresh cilantro for garnish
The trick with this style of cooking is to have all of your spices ready and veggies chopped and ready to go. Everything happens pretty quickly and even for experienced cooks, it's difficult to be prepping and measuring while the cameras are rolling. So be ready! In a medium-large pot, heat the oil on medium-high. When hot, add the black mustard seeds and stir until they start to pop - don't leave the stove - this takes about 30 seconds only!
Once the little seeds start dancing (and popping!), add the chopped onion and salt and cook, stirring about 5-6 minutes, or until golden. Add ginger and remaining dry spices and cook, stirring for one minute on medium heat. When spices are fragrant, add tomato and stir all well for about a minute or two until well integrated.
Add lentils, chopped vegetables and water and stir all to well combine. Bring to a light boil on medium-high with the lid on. Once boiling temperature has been reached, turn the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, for 30-40 minutes stirring frequently to prevent the lentils from prevent sticking to bottom of the pot. Once ready, add the juice of lemon. Simple, zesty, and ready to serve! Serve with ground pepper, a dash of butter or olive oil, plenty of freshly ground pepper and chopped fresh cilantro - don't forget the side of rice if desired and buttery naan bread too!
This will get more delicious the longer it sits in your fridge and I highly recommend making it a day before you serve it. I've been making this curry as long as I've been cooking it seems - it never gets tired, and it's always incredible!
