i have definitely been a lazy cook these days by the time k goes to bed at 9:30pm and no dinner ready, all i want to do is lie on the couch and sleep or order take out Japanese food. but dinner still has to be had. there used to be a few good indian restaurants in my hood but they has since closed. anyhoo, one day while shopping for k’s grocers, i found these Kitchens of India Just Heat & Eat packages on sale. i’ve seen them before but how good could Indian food-in-a-box be? but at 2 for $6 bucks, why not give it a try? well, the real question is why didn’t i try them earlier?
a lot of times food-in-a-box packages are very salty and contain very little vegetables and this is no different. but the best part of making it at home is that you can adjust accordingly! so, i always dilute it with a few cups of water and add a lot more vegetables and sometimes tofu — usually i throw in whatever is older in the fridge. indian sauces are very flavorful so it can soak into whatever else you add so knock yourself out! to make eating easier, i add the rice into the pot as i heat up the package and cook the additional vegetables. for a little extra spice, i add some more turmeric since it’s often in Indian cooking anyway and it’s good for you!
if you need to make a quick meal that is flavorful and filling, this is a perfect solution – and you save some money too as one package severs at least 2 adults with the extra vegetables. give it a try and now, excuse me as i go eat!
ingredients
- 1 package Kitchens of India Just Heat & Eat – Pindi Chana
- 2 to 3 cups of rice (day-old rice ok too!) – or –
2 to 3 cups of cooked grain: i.e. quinoa or millet - 1 to 2 cups of water
- 3 to 4 cups of vegetables, chopped into bite-sized pieces
– zucchini
– bell pepper
– broccoli stalks
-or- any old vegetables! - 1 tsp to 1 Tbsp turmeric
preparation
- in a medium saucepan or le creuset pot, empty contents of the package. add water and boil at medium heat.
- when boiling, lower temperature to low and add rice or grain. break down any clumps, if necessary. heat for 15 minutes.
- add vegetables and boil until vegetables are cooked and the rice has softened.
- add turmeric and stir.
- serve hot.
notes
product website: Kitchens of India
