The Verdict: Kitchens of India - Black Gram Lentils Curry

I didn't feel like cooking, and I was unapologetic about it.  I was in the grocery store, determined to buy an "out of the box" (a derogatory term in this instance) dinner.

I ended up in the international section, and spotted a huge selection of Indian food entrees from the "Kitchens of India" brand.  Unversed in Indian cuisine, I didn't really know which one to buy.  I settled on the "Black Gram Lentils Curry", because it looked the most appetizing.

Furthering my lazy determination, I also bought a package (of 4) Uncle Ben's boil-in-bag brown rice.

Preparation of the Lentil Curry was easy.  There were several ways to prepare, but not wishing to even dirty a dish, I simply boiled the inner package in hot water for about 5 minutes.  Once both the rice and lentils were done heating, I opened both packets and stirred them up.  Which looked just like this:

The ingredients were simple.  I don't know if it's because it's made in India, and thus their labeling requirements are different, but there were no odd additives at all.  Here is the list:

Water, Tomato Puree, Whole Black Gram Lentils, Cream, Butter, Garlic, Salt, Ginger and Red Chili Powder

Seriously?  Where's all the junk?

I have to admit, this was an extremely tasty dish.  I was starving and ate it in about five minutes, so I don't have a Food Network-eque detail by detail description of the "subtle mix of flavors" and "delectable mouth feel", but I wanted to let the world know that it was damn good.

The only complaint I had, was that it was not a large enough portion for me.  It says that there are 2.5 servings in the package - and we all know that servings sizes can be quite deceptive - but I thought that in addition to the rice it would be enough to make me full.  It did not.  I know it looks like a big mound of food, but it was not sufficient for my large appetite that evening.

However, I would highly recommend the product, as it really did taste delicious.

Battle Royale: High Fructose Corn Syrup Versus Sugar

Which is better? High fructose corn syrup or sugar – or are they “compositionally equivalent”?

The advertisements lauding the quality of high fructose corn syrup do appear to be a bit biased, as if somehow the Corn Refiners Association (who funds THESE ADS) might have something to gain. They invoke a cautious curiosity as political ad campaigns do – one might expect a stalk to appear at the end and declare, “I am a corn cob, and I approved this message.” The goofy, Kerri Kenney look-a-like in the commercial above resonates with the fool in all of us. “How could I have been so stupid?” We all strive to be the enlightened, juice-pouring power Mom who scoffs in the face of whiny syrup haters. Who wouldn’t want to be more like her?

The folks at www.sweetsurprise.com are resolute to repudiate the “myths” prevalent in today’s increasingly label-aware society. A recent print ad reenacts an exchange between two women. One says something like, “My hairdresser says corn syrup is bad for you.” The other replies, “Wow, your hairdresser is a doctor?”

The smarmy, don’t-be-a-parrot tone beckons one to simply iterate the Corn Refiners Association’s (CRA) greed-fueled lies instead. The CRA boldly states that HFCS is “fine in moderation…just like sugar”. A can of soda might contain about 13 teaspoons of HFCS. Does that reflect moderation, or excess? The FDA recommends a limit of 10 teaspoons of sugar per day. One has to wonder how many teaspoons are in the unlabeled juice of the commercial above? It looks like the ones that sell for about $1.19 per gallon, and are so sweet it will make your lips pucker.

All of this excess corn ingestion makes one feel like the “terrorists win”. You may recall the old warning that stated if you buy gasoline or vote a Muslim into political office, the terrorists win. Well who wins when giant corporations control its nation’s bellies and health?

Right, so perhaps the switch should be made back to regular old white sugar. It’s slightly humorous how refined sugar has become the good guy. Looking at it from a vegetarian or vegan standpoint, it should be known that some refined sugar processing plants use bone char, or charred animal bones, to filter out such nasty impurities in sugar like its…well, color. Just like many other gifts of Mother Nature, man has been able to destroy and mutilate sugar from its beautiful and healthy beginnings as sugar cane.

So the dilemma remains. Whichever route one decides to take, these four points might be a good start:

1. Eliminate soda, including artificially sweetened colas.

2. Be aware of the HFCS contents in the foods you are eating. All growth begins with awareness, and corporations will blind you with science. Paid science, so to speak.

3. Begin to make little changes. Try agave nectar, a honey-like sweetener imported from Mexico’s agave plants. The agave is a plant that looks like a cactus, but is actually related to the lily family.

4. Pay no attention to women pouring juice at parties. It might just be Kool-Aid.

Some Ideas for Summer's Ripe Tomatoes

Got tomato plants? What will you do with them when they finally arrive? Here are some ideas to get you in the mood once those red little spheres of delight ripen on the vine.

A simplest dish is the Caprese Salad. Combine sliced tomato, sliced fresh mozzarella and basil leaves. Season with salt, pepper and olive oil. You can pierce these items onto a skewer or oversized toothpick (use halved cherry tomatoes for this method) and cover with a white balsamic vinaigrette for a colorful hors d'oeuvre.

Stuffed Tomatoes might be a nice side dish to try, and is relatively simple to make. Core tomatoes and fill with seasoned white or brown rice, and cover with cheese. Broil until cheese is melted. It’ll look more impressive than a side of rice with a tomato salad, but requires no extra effort.

How about ketchup? I love making things from scratch that seem ridiculous to make from scratch. From bagels to tortillas, I find some to be a labor of love and others to be just plain laborious. However, this recipe for ketchup doesn’t seem too difficult. There is a plethora of ketchup recipes on the web, and a wide variety of flavorings and spices to suit your particular palette. Who knows, maybe you will put Teresa Heinz out of business!

Okay, if you don’t want to go as far as making ketchup, won’t you at least try to make your own salsa? A fresh, preservative-free dip might be just what your chips have been begging for – not to mention, your belly. Combine six finely chopped tomatoes with a teaspoon or more of your favorite seasonings like cumin, fresh cilantro, parsley and oregano. Add some finely chopped red onion, a tablespoon of olive oil, a little bit of salt and a diced chili pepper that matches your heat needs. You can also add corn, garlic, lime juice or chopped red bell pepper; whatever you like!

I’m really looking forward to my tomatoes this year. What will I be doing with mine? My favorite thing ever: a tomato and mayonnaise sandwich with a little salt. Hmmm…maybe I should make my own mayonnaise?