Day 190 - Punjab Choley

This is the second Indian Fare dish to be reviewed in this blog (the first was Punjab Eggplant on day 151).  Truth be told, we always have some of these Indian Fare boxes in our cupboard.  They are very quick, very easy to make, and tasty.  But I can NEVER remember which of them we like best.  So I hope these reviews help me keep them straight!

Here is the RED BOX, Punjab Choley

This one is made of chickpeas, tomatoes, onion, ginger, and a “spicy aromatic sauce”.  Normally we just plop it over rice, but tonight I am “fancy-ing” it up by topping it with raw chopped red onion and green pepper.  Maybe I am feeling the need for fancy because we are eating this on the 4^th of July.  Yup – nuttin says HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA like a good Indian dish!

See how I fancied it up???  Under all of that is rice.

Ok, so after I wrote that intro, dinner was ready and we ATE IT.  I can now clearly say – PUNJAB CHOLEY IS NOT OUR FAVORITE INDIAN FARE.  So for my future reference, not the red box, Susan!  I thought this was the one we didn’t buy often, but I thought it was out of respect for David’s “not love” of chick peas (though he adores hummus…).  But no, I think this is not our normal Indian Fare dish because it just isn’t all that great.  For starters, it is TOO SPICY.  And I do not say that often – in fact I don’t think I have said it one single time throughout this already more than half over review project.  I came to the dinner table with TABASCO last night in case this was not “hot enough”, but no hot sauce was needed.  It might have been because I put those red onions on top, but I really think the dish itself was super spicy.  I tried some bites without onion bits and they were still hot, hot, hot. 

But other than the taste of HOT, all you really get is CHICK PEA. 

We served it over basmati rice (to be reviewed tomorrow) and had a side of asparagus.  The box mentions naan or pita, but to tell you the truth it just wasn’t saucy enough for even the basmati.

This meal is cheap and fast to prepare, but not all that good to eat.  And isn’t EATING what a meal is all about? 

Price – $1.99

Rating – 2.75

Day 58 - Capers

At our house, we have a thing about CAPERS.  Anytime we want to make something “fancy” (or pretend to make something “fancy”) we say “ADD CAPERS!”.  Because, in our mind, capers bring on the fancy!!  Maybe it is because they were something I never had growing up?  Whatever the reason, I LIKE CAPERS now! 

The thing about them is, until we found them at Trader Joe’s, they were crazy expensive!  Other grocery stores sell them in teeny tiny jars (near the olives) that cost an arm and a leg.  The jars are so tiny I always had to use a little miniature espresso spoon to get them out.  And because they came in such small jars, and cost so much, I was always very careful to only use a few  in whatever I was making.

See - an avocado gets FANCY when you add capers!

Not anymore, my friends!  Trader Joe’s capers are delicious and ridiculously cheap (or perhaps they are “priced just right” and everyone else is ripping shoppers off??).  Not only that, Trader Joe’s sells capers in regular size/shaped jars, so you can use a real spoon to scoop them out!  And they taste just as good as any capers at other stores, seriously!!!!  You get more than DOUBLE the capers as you would at Giant Supermarket for only one thin dime more. 

Trader Joe's capers - nice size jar and perfect price

Giant store brand capers - R-I-P  O-F-F (and lousy size jar)

And do you know what??  Because they are not expensive, you don’t have to feel guilty about throwing tons of them into whatever you make!  FANCY IT UP, FRIENDS, FANCY IT UP!

We use capers on salmon, with asparagus, in omelets – capers, capers, capers!  Always have a jar in the fridge because you never know when you are going to need to BRING ON THE FANCY.

Price – $2.69

Rating - 5