Showing posts with label Indian Food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Indian Food. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Curried Lentils



Preparation time: 15 minutes
Total cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves 4 (as a main dish, more if used as a side)

1 cup red lentils
2 cups vegetable stock
1 3/4 oz ghee
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 large green chili, seeded and finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup coconut milk

1. Rinse the lentils and drain well. Place the lentils, stock and turmeric in a large heavy-based pan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes, or until just tender. Stir occasionally and check the mixture is not catching on the bottom of the pan.

2. Meanwhile, heat the ghee in a small frying pan and add the onion. Cook until soft and golden and add the garlic, chili, cumin and coriander. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Stir the onion and spices into the lentil mixture and then add the tomato. Simmer over very low heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

3. Season to taste and add the coconut milk. Stir until heated through. Serve with naan bread or rice.

I usually serve these as a side dish with lamb saagh. So good!

Monday, July 27, 2009

Dinner at Ashlyn's


What a wonderful evening filled with really good Indian food. The only request we had was that next time you cook, make sure the meal is being prepared while we are arriving so we can smell the spices wafting from your home as we enter, making our taste-buds anticipate what is to come. 

Another fantastic Sunday dinner with good food and great friends. Being the over-thinker that I am I tend to reflect back on things, more than I should, and try to make sense or connections to whatever it is that I am thinking about. 

As I Reflect back on the evenings we have spent together enjoying yummy food, I wonder how often you can mesh a group of individuals together from such different backgrounds and upbringings that all get along and truly enjoy each others company. I feel that this is a rarity, isn't there always someone who tolerates someone else or just flat out does not get along with the group? Not in our case! Our group has a connectedness, the right mixture of personalities and differences that makes it unique and interesting.

Thank you Ashlyn for hosting last nights Sunday Dinner! I know that everyone is looking forward to dinner at Jennifer's in August followed by Melissa and Josh's in September.

The menu for our second dinner consisted of;

Appetizer - Variety of olives, Spinach Hummus and Flat Bread, compliments of Penny


Side Dish -  Coconut Curried Lentils, compliments of Jolene

Main Course - Chicken Curry with Rice, Raitha and Minced Lamb with Peas and Potatoes, compliments of Ashlyn



Dessert - Pound Cake with Blueberries and Peaches, compliments of Jennifer

After Dinner Port - Proto Morgado, Ruby



In addition to great food we had several fantastic bottles of wine. The selection consisted of; Bogle Sauvignon Blanc 2007, Cusumano Nero D'avola 2007, Aquila D'oro Toscana 2007, Unique Pinot Gris 2007, Nobilo Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008, Alsace Domaines Schlumberger Riesling 2006, Chateau Ste Michelle Riesling 2008.

I am already looking forward to and anticipating our next dinner together.