Thursday

Summer is here...and it sucks.

Ok...it is official i hate summer. It is a strong word to be used, but there is nothing fun about feeling hot and sticky and sweating like a ...oops..glowing like a..i don't know what. It is also the season where Jeeves and me have regular arguments..coz i love the air to be kicked upto 65..and he thinks 70 is good...and i am also in a foul mood most of the time, coz hot weather puts me in a bad mood. But, note to the fellow food blogger whom i am planning to meet.....i promise, i will be nice ;)...don't want to scare you :D.
I usually do not spend a lot of time in the kitchen...honestly in the past year..i have hardly been spending time in the kitchen on account of my weird eating habits and jeeves travelling..but summer gives me an excuse not to go and vent when i am in there.
This lentil salad is super easy and can be eaten warm, cold or wrapped up in pitas or rotis for a quick and easy meal.





Ingredients:

brown lentils -1.5 cups dry. Soak it in water for about 2 hours (can omit this step, but it helps in cooking faster)
vegetables - 2 cups (i used mushrooms- 3 cups, as they shrink, carrots and peas - 1 cup)
onions - 1 large, diced
garlic - 4 pods, 3 sliced thin and 1 crushed
salt - to taste
fresh ground pepper - 6 twists
red chilly flakes - 1 tbls.
oil - 1 tbls (i.e - 3 tsp. of oil)
rosemary - 2 tsp. (dry, use more if fresh)

Method:

1. Cook the lentils in water with reqd. salt and the crushed garlic. The lentils should be completely cooked but not turn mushy. Usually you have to be really abusive to the brown lentil to render it to a mush ;)

2. In a non-stick pan,add 2 tsp. of oil (reserve the 1 tsp. for later), add the onions and garlic and saute till soft. Now add the peas and carrots (i used frozen) and cook for a couple of minutes.

3. Add the mushrooms to the above with the rosemary,chilly flakes,pepper and salt (just for the veggies, as we are cooking the lentils with salt too) and cook till the mushrooms are softened.

4. Add the cooked lentils to the above, let the crushed garlic be, add the remaining tsp. of oil..and mix it gently but well.

Ta-da...it is ready to eat. Easy right...

14 comments:

Nupur said...

Well, thank your lucky stars you are not in St. Louis where it is hotter than Bombay right now :0
I agree, summer in NYC can get crazy but there are so many fun things to do in summer...free concerts and plays! I miss Shakespeare in Central Park.

sra said...

For the food blogger you're planning to meet, it might be winter, for all practical purposes.

Parita said...

The salad looks delicious and fulfilling, i would love to have this rolles in wraps!

Pritya said...

Hi rajitha, my first time at your blog...very nice. This is a nice simple salad and looks quite tasty. Cheers!

Laavanya said...

I've never bought these brown lentils though quite a few cookbooks use this a lot and i've seen many recipes on your blog too. With veggies, wrapped in a bread, must make for a perfect meal.

Nice to know you're going to meet a blogger - who? :)

amna said...

imagine being in a place where its summer all year round!

Srivalli said...

Hey look whos here!...:0)..good to have you back...and that looks yummy

TBC said...

You posted something! That bored, huh? ;-)
hmmm... so who's coming over to see you? :)

TBC said...

You posted something! That bored, huh? ;-)
hmmm... so who's coming over to see you? :)

Anonymous said...

healthy recipe..perfect presentation

Sig said...

Hey, that is a great SBD friendly recipe. Hope you are enjoying the extra special weekend :)

Bong Mom said...

Whaaaaaaaaaaaat !!! It is not even a hot summer and you crib. Have you roamed around NYC in the snow to hate summer like this ? Sob, sob I can't get enough of summer and it is not even enough hot for me :(

Ok lentil salad is good and I forgive you inspite of your blasphemy ;-)

Rajitha said...

Nupur....yeah..there is a lot to do here...but it has been rainign nearly every weekend here..

Sra..lol

Parita...yeah..i think it would be good in wraps :)

Pritya..thanks and welcome to my blog..

Laav..you must buy these..they are really yummy...

nags! I was in India..for 26 years :D

Valli..it is good to be back too....i just gotta stop being lazy

TBC..BOOOOOOOO....


Sangi...thanks :)

Sig..it is SBD friendly :)...and the weekend was fun...

Sandeepa..LOL...i love winter and snow girl...and btw. it has been raining here every other weekend...how is it there in NJ for ya?

Raaga said...

Brown lentils na? Masoor?