The Black Void That Is My Pantry

While in grad school, I find myself on a time and money budget that requires diligence.  Food, a meal, dinner are all ideas that often take a back seat to studying for midterms, writing papers and doing research.  The grocery store requires true restraint, especially now that strawberries are in season in California.  After returning from the gym on a Saturday night I find myself peering into the black void that is my pantry and contemplating my refrigerator, home to the most amazing collection of condiments and not much else.  There is food here, but first we need to identify the key ingredient for this late evening meal.  Ah, in the back of the pantry cabinet, under some brown basmati rice and half a bag of chocolate chips, I located a handful of red lentils.  A handful is an odd measurement, this I realize, but we all have them.  You know, those bulk bags of remainders from meals past.  What does one do with red lentil remnants?  Well, we continue our search for the next element of the meal, and it probably shouldn’t be the chocolate chips.  In the refrigerator, I found a forgotten partial head of cauliflower and a bag of fresh spinach, I’m on to something here.  On the counter, next to a few apples and a rather brown banana sits a can of coconut milk and a can of yellow curry paste, from my last adventure at the Asian Market.  I get overly excited in the international markets around Seattle, they are a playground for the food enthusiast in me. 

Whip, bang, splash and sitting before me in my favorite bowl, hand delivered by a friend from Peru, steams a delicious mellow curry dish with enough leftovers for three more meals.  When cooking for one, leftovers go a long way.  All in all, this meal is what I would call free.  The ingredients were all random hanger-oners in my small kitchen, with no particular recipe in mind and more often than not, leftovers from long ago meals.  You should take a look in your pantry, you might be surprised at the meals lurking in there.  My goal for the next few weeks is to consume the forgotten legumes and grains passing time in the inky black confines of the pantry cabinet.  I really wouldn’t want anyone to classify me as a hoarder.  But here comes the diligence and restraint part again, I really should consider going to the store for some produce with only onions and condiments left in the refrigerator, maybe tomorrow…

Curried Pantry Lentils

¾ cup red lentils

2 ½ cups water

1 (4 ounce) can Maesri yellow curry paste

½ a head of cauliflower

1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk

6 cups fresh spinach

Place the lentils and water in a pan over medium high heat and bring to a boil.  Turn down to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.  Heat a skillet over medium heat; add the curry paste and cauliflower.  Sauté for 5 minutes.  Add the coconut milk, spinach and cooked lentils.  Simmer for 10 minutes.