Mid Week Indian

After a particularly crappy day at work I decided I needed the only thing that would make me feel better...Indian...oh and some wine.  Admittedly, the one thing I fail at cooking is Indian, I've followed recipes to the T and they have never turned out right, they just taste the same and bland oh so bland.  It probably has to do with my parents being excellent cooks and nothing I do ever compares.

However, I managed to master this meal, it is healthy and easy and they are one pot wonders.  The rice is particularly healthy, with the help of Calorie King I managed to calculate that each serving is approximately 200 calories...that is excellent for the weight conscious!!!!

The meal consists of red lentils and brown rice with veg, an eggplant dish, and potato chips.  Last night I had my brother in law over for dinner so I added frozen chappatis to the meal...why frozen I hear you ask...because I cannot for the life of me make fresh chappatis, I have tried and failed many, many times, now I just resort to frozen.  They are pretty good, I got 30 chappatis for $4.50 from the local Indian Grocer.  Keep in mind though that each chappati is 115 calories and they are paper thin. 

Anyway, enough of all that calorie crap.  Here is a quick run down on the rice and the Eggplant:

Red Lentil and Brown Rice:

This is a one pot dhal and rice dish, its the best way I can describe it.

Ingredients:

2 TBS Olive Oil
1 Tsp Mustard Seeds (optional but yummy)

1 Onion

2 TBS Ginger Garlic Paste
2 tsp Cumin
2.5 Tsp Coriander
1 Tsp Chilli (or more if you like it spicy)
2 Tsp Tumeric
1 Tsp Garam Masala (I like to add it at the start as opposed to the end)
1 Cup Brown Rice
2 Cups Red Lentils

Veg that I throw in: 1 chopped carrot, 1/4 cauliflower, I frozen pack of spinach and frozen peas when dish is almost done.  You can use any veg you want.

Method:

Fry Mustard till it starts popping
Add onion and Ginger Garlic paste till translucent and almost browning
Add all the spices and slightly toast, if it starts to burn just add a bit more oil.

Add rice and lentils and coat with spices, cook for a minute

Add veg that needs cooking like carrots and cauliflower, if using frozen spinach I just add the block now.
Add Water till it reaches a centimetre above the rice and lentils. 
Season to taste

Note:  The only tricky thing about this dish is that once it come to a boil and starts cook you need to stir it every 3 minutes so its doesn't catch at the bottom.  Keep tasting the rice and cook till the rice is soft and edible.  The finished product is gooey and delish.  You might think that you've added way too much water but that is the consistency and it is also because of the lentils.  If you leave it overnight, it solidifies.

Eggplant Dish:

1 Large Eggplant diced, salted for 15 minutes and washed

1 Onion
1 tbs Ginger garlic paste
1 tbs Cumin
1 Tbs Coriander
1 Tbs Curry Powder
2 Tbs Tomato paste

Method:

Fry Onion and Ginger Garlic Paste in Oil
Add spices and toast
Add tomato paste and fry for a further 2 minutes
Add Eggplant and coat well with spice mix
Add 1 1/2 cups of water
Cook till the eggplant is tender and all the water evaporates and turns into a thick sauce.

Serve the dishes with yummy potato chips, just thinly sliced potatoes oven baked and seasoned.  Papadaams are also a favourite at our place!!!!

Enjoy a taste of ...South India!!!!