h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

They usually are quite improvised...I just made a quick one up that's rice & veg. I use the pre-seasoned /cooked Uncle Ben's Natural Select rice with about a cup(maybe a cup & 1/3rd of chicken broth-but veg. soup stock would be ok too)& about 3/4 of a cup of water. Pinch of sea salt to get it to a boil quicker. Lowered the temp. & stirred in roughly a cup of sour cream but yogurt works too-although you might need to try a few & see which works best. (I have also used a fruit juice/water/sour cream or yogurt mixture - same basic proportions)Pretty much just garam masala & dried chili flakes for seasoning...oh & dehydrated garlic flakes. Just let the veggies steam lightly on top or stir the in if you like. Of course if you want them fully cooked, steam or boil them a bit beforehand & then add trhe to the rice. And your choice of veggies, whatever you like.

Thank you! This will come in handy on those days when I'd like to spend a little less time cooking, and a little more time eating. Like just about any work night.

I haven't been cooking much this winter, things keep taking up either all of our time, or all of our money.

Something else that saves a bit of time is using frozen cauliflower or broccoli florets(& I've found that cauliflower holds up to cooking better than broccoli - broccoli gets very limp & overcooked if left too long.) But yeah frozen veggies are great time-savers, I've used frozen baby carrots, or tossed in frozen peas for the last few minutes. On occasion even substituted kernel/niblets-type corn for something different.

I use frozen veggies for cooking quite frequently, especially during winter. The healthy food store had pretty decent frozen veg. They have a great broccoli/cauliflower/carrot mix that would work wonderfully!

Mixes are great...saves you washing & chopping 3 or 4 or however many veggies. I've even used an oriental mix with baby corn, bean sprouts, water chestnuts & red bell pepper - makes a nice Thai type curry with some rice vermicelli. Coconut milk & yogurt for that sauce.

Hey, I've made curries with Oriental mix veggies, too! Pretty much the same way (coconut milk, fresh lemon grass, and a Thai yellow curry paste I get at this Asian market near the house), but with rice. I have to make one of those again soon.

I'm going to curry a butternut squash and some yellow raisins I have at home soon. Maybe this weekend.

Yes I've tried the Thai Kitchen pastes & a few products from a large oriental store just a few-actually 8 blocks south of my place. Usually better-than-average price on coconut milk & a few other items. That reminds me I'll have to stop there sometime soon. Another reminder(thanks BTW)I haven't used raisins in quite awhile. What I was also using for a time were the dried cranberries - those added great color!

Cranberries would be lovely!



We get those Thai Kitchen pastes at the grocery store, too. I bet that Canada and the US have a lot of the same brands.

I tend to get this stuff called "Laxmi", too, it's imported from Pakistan and I can get it up on Devon Avenue (a short drive) where all the Indian and Pakistani restaurants and grocers are. It's good stuff.

I'm glad you have an Oriental grocery near your home, too!!

Thanks again for all these wonderful suggestions. You're a doll!

Aw shucks t'weren't nuthin' m'am! Oh I'm sure we get alof of the same brands! Laxmi...I'll have to look or ask for that next time I'm in one of the East Indian shops. There're a real variety of them, primarily along 34th ave in the southeast corner of the city(so quite a trip). I was in a place called The Spice Bazaar a few years ago & the owner's wife had just made fresh roti that she was selling - really nice! And right, alot of restaurants too...even one that's also a sweet shop - jalebi, etc, etc.

Hi there!

I'm going to make a squash curry this weekend, I think, with Basmati rice and golden raisins. I'll be thinking of you while we eat it.

Haven't been out for Indian food in a while. I'm thinking it'll be February of March before we do fancy dinner out again, what with the car insurance premium increase. I'm trying to keep dining out down to a minimum so we still have a "slush fund". Once the car note's paid off in a couple of months, then all bets will be off!

I do have some garlic naan and veggie samosas in the freezer, we got them at the health food store. Those would go nicely with our curry.

Whipped one up today off the top of my head- not too "quick", but tasty. We're having it for lunch. I'd shared it on my "recipe" journal entry, but wanted to post it here as well, in case you don't see the other one.

Here it is. I totally "eyeball" all the measures, so these are my nearest estimate. You can add a little freshly ground salt and pepper, if you like.

1 large butternut squash, chopped into bite-sized chunks
16-oz can chick peas (garbanzos)
2 15-oz cans diced tomatoes (fresh are too expensive this time of year)
1 cup veggie bouillon broth
1 large onion, diced
1 whole garlic, minced
2 Tbsp cayenne
2 Tbsp turmeric
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground mace
1 tsp ground star anise
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tsp chopped fresh parsley
1 cup dry white wine

Heat oil in bottom of large Dutch oven. Add onion and gralic and sweat until nearly translucent. Add ground spices and saute until fragrant. Add tomatoes, broth, and white wine. Mix thoroughly. Add squash, chick peas and parsley and simmer until tender (I cooked mine about 25 minutes or so). I served it over couscous.

Sounds great, thanks!