Dal-ish Kitchen Sink Curry

 Again working off my embarrassment of lentils in the cupboard, along with an impulsively purchased celery root (celeriac) that I saw at a farmer's market and simply had to bring home with me. A true Dal is more of a side dish, or a thing to eat over rice, I wanted to incorporate more vegetables (and some chicken I had in the freezer) and make it something that didn't need rice to feel like a whole meal for my lunches this week. The texture is Dal, the flavor is closer to a Chicken Tikka, but whatever the heck it is I'm very much looking forward to it in this week's lunches. 

Ingredients:

Choppapoluzza Curry Base flavor pack

Coconut oil

2-3 cups dried lentils

1 celery root, peeled and chopped (could also use 1-2 large potatoes, or sweet potatoes)

2lbs chicken breast, in small pieces

10 cherry tomatoes (or whatever you have leftover in fridge), halved

1lb (or 1 pkg frozen, thawed) cauliflower florets (could use spinach or green peas instead/also)

Turmeric, cumin seeds, cardamom, coriander, garam masala powder, cayenne pepper, salt, lemon juice - to taste. Optional mustard seeds (I don't know why my dad had a huge package of mustard seeds in his spice cupboard, but now they are in mine and so they go in anything that they might possibly work in). 

Heat coconut oil in your instapot on sauté low and add turmeric, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds if using them. Stir until the spices are fragrant, then add the Choppapoluzza pack (onion, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, ginger) and some salt. Keep sautéing until onions are translucent. 

Add Celeriac (or potato), cardamom, and coriander, and the lentils. Stir to coat everything with spices. Then add water and pressure cook until lentils are almost done. 

Vent, remove lid, taste for seasoning and add the garam masala, cayenne if needed, lemon to balance and adjust salt as needed. Then add chicken, tomatoes, and other veggies. Replace lid and pressure cook an additional 5 mins, or until chicken is cooked through.

Makes 6-7 servings, enjoy your lunches and a few easy dinners. 

Lentil Curry (not daal)

This recipe starts with a frustrated cupboard cleanup/reorganization prompted by being unable to find my coffee...... nevermind everything else I seem to be hoarding against the zombie apocalypse I had 6 goddamn bags of dried lentils.  Looks like I need to use some of these up over the next few weeks..... I had been planning on making a big batch of chicken and veggie curry for this week's lunches so, veggie only curry, go!  (This is by no means an authentic recipe of any sort, but it borrows heavily from several.)  5  big servings come in at 325 cals, 70g carb, 5g fat, 27 protein. 

1lb bag dried lentils
4-5 cups raw spinach
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 bag (4-5 servings) frozen spinach
1 can peas (I like leseur, use whatever you like if  you have less impeccable taste)
1/2 a large sweet onion
1 jalepeno (or more or less, to taste)
1 bunch cilantro
2-4 cloves garlic
1 inch chunk of ginger
few stalks celery
2 tbl butter - but could use coconut oil to be vegan
spices to taste - tumeric, cumin, 'curry powder'
juice of one lemon

Build the base of your curry first.  Get the butter/oil melting and add the chopped onion, tumeric/cumin, jalepeno, garlic/ginger, cilantro, and celery (which is not part of the curry but..... I had it in fridge and somehow I can't fathom cooking lentils w out it, hush).  Once those have cooked down a bit, add the tomatoes (maybe you want to cut them up... I neglected to) and the spinach.  Put water in the pot to cover the spinach, then add your lentil and califlower.  (Don't add peas yet or they will turn to total mush!) Watch water level to keep lentils covered/happy but not drowning (we are not making soup) and cook 15-25 mins until they are tender, adding the peas when they are almost done.  Then stir in your curry powder and add your lemon for brightness right at the end. 

Meal-Prep Tikka Masala

This is NOT authentic Indian food.  It is, however, very tasty and super healthy (comes in under 400 cals with 40g of protein per serving for 6 servings.... make smaller portions and serve with rice if you want more carbs/less protein then I do).  It is loosely based on a chicken tikka masala recipe.

Spices:
Cumin (seeds if possible)
Tumeric
Cardamon
Garam Masala/curry powder (the better ones are usually labeled garam masala) (Do not use brittish style sweet curry powder unless you like that cloying shit but omg ewwwww you did not get this recipe from me if you do.)
Corriander if you cannot find fresh cilantro
Salt, pepper, maybe some cayane

Veggies:
1-2 inches chopped Ginger
3-7 cloves chopped Garlic
Serrano Peppers (or other 'green' tasting hot peppers of your liking) - this is to taste
1 large bunch Cilantro (fresh omg not dried) (If you cannot find fresh just use corriander, and add some fresh parsley if possible.)
1 Yellow Onion
1 can/2 cups Chick Peas
1 can Peas (leseur is my favorite)
Large bag (5 servings) Frozen Califlower
1lb fresh spinach
28oz Tomato Puree - or chopped/diced/etc tomatoes, whatever you have in the house rly.... except not ketchup or tomato sauce that has herbs/spices in it already

Other:
2lbs Boneless/boned skiness/skinned chicken breast (Thighs would possibly taste better, but, trying to be healthy this week so....)
4 tbl butter - or use coconut oil if you have, or ghee
Lemon

Note:
You could just use a LOT more chick peas and easily make this a vegetarian dish....vegan even if you use coconut oil instead of butter.

Start with butter/other fat in the pan.  Add your cumin and tumeric and stir it a bit to get them fragrant (I used abt 1 tbl of both).  Toss in your onion and your chopped peppers (I used 2 serranos, with seeds, bc I like spicy.... adjust for your heat tollerance), and salt if you use salt.  Stir a bit to let onions start to cook down.  Now add your cardamon seeds (I used seeds from 2 pods), your corriander if no cilantro (maybe 1tbl), your cilantro, ginger, and garlic.  Stir some more.  Next dump in your tomato product and let cook a few mins.

Next, peas, chick peas, and califlower.  Then, chicken.  At this point, put a lid on it and leave it alone for about 30ish mins (put rice in rice cooker now if you are serving with such, it will be a good timer for chicken).  Just stir from time to time so it does not stick to bottom of pot.

When chicken is done, dump spinach in and stir just enough to wilt it.  Then add about 2-3 tbl of your garam masala, and the juice of one lemon for brightness.  Taste, and adjust with cayane pepper, salt, more garam masala etc as needed.  If you have made it slightly too hot,  serve with rice and raita to balance it out a bit.

Curried Pumpkin Soup

Makes one serving for a hungry person or 2 app sized servings, scales up easily. 

1-2 tsp cumin seeds
2-3 tsp curry powder (hot or mild as you like it)
1 tsp cayenne  pepper
2-3 tsp ground ginger
salt, pepper to taste
1/2 a small yellow onion, chopped
1/2 to 1 tbl butter
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
2 cups veggie stock (can use chicken stock if you are an omnivore. Don't use water without really amping up the spices or soup will be bland.)
6oz (a single serving container) of 0% greek yogurt (could use full fat yogurt, or a smaller amount of sour cream or creme fresh, or just a dash of actual cream if you want.  But the yogurt has a bonus effect of adding a bunch of protein along with the creaminess.)

Put curry powder, cumin seeds, and both peppers in a small soup pan over medium heat to toast a bit while you chop up your onion.  Add butter when spices are toasted (you will be able to smell when they're ready).  Throw your onion and salt in when the butter melts and cook until onion is caramelized.  Add chicken stock, ginger, and pumpkin and stir to incorporate.  Bring to a low boil and cook for about 5 mins or so to let it thicken up a bit and let the flavors meld.  Taste for seasoning (you want the soup a bit spicier then you actually want it at this point because the yogurt will cool it down considerably) and pour into whatever bowl you are serving it in over the yogurt.  Stir to incorporate and enjoy.  Lunch for under 300 calories (assuming you did not overdo it with the butter) in under 10 mins. 

raita

1 cup plain greek yogurt (can use normal plain yogurt, but strain it if so so it is thicker)
1-2 cloves finely chopped garlic
2 tbl toasted cumin seeds
1 tsp salt
1 small cucumber, chopped or grated finely, liquid removed

mix everything well and allow to sit for at least 30 mins (and up to several days) before using.

curried chickpeas

1 yellow onion
garlic to taste (i like 1-2 cloves)
1 can chick peas, drained

cumin seeds, curry powder (garam marsala), dried or fresh chopped ginger, black pepper, red pepper flakes to taste


olive oil
green peas (optional)
raita

toast spices in a saute pan over medium heat until you can really smell them.  add oil and chopped onion, stirring occasionally until starting to brown a bit.  add chick peas, garlic, ginger and peas if using and continue cooking over medium heat until everything is heated through and starting to caramelize.  serve over rice with raita.

curried pumpkin soup

makes 1 serving.
1/4th of a yellow onion, chopped finely
1 clove garlic and 2 tbl ginger also chopped finely
1 tbl butter
1-1.5 cups chicken broth (could use veggie if you want)
3/4ths cup pumpkin puree
2 tbl curry powder
1 tbl cumin seeds
1 tsp nutmeg
salt, pepper, red pepper flakes to taste
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt (or a few spoons sour cream)

saute onions until they start to caramelize, then add ginger, garlic, and spices. add chicken broth and bring to a boil. after about 2-3 mins add the pumpkin puree. bring back to a boil and let cook another 2-3 mins. pour into a bowl and mix in yogurt/sour cream.