Steemit Fruits & Veggies Monday - Legumes & Beans to the Rescue: Cauli Lentil Curry

Having my head in the clouds many a day has taught me one thing, and that is how to throw together a meal in next to no time.
Gardening, blogging, day-dreaming, reading, re-decorating, day-dreaming, all are things I really love; but I tend to lose track of the time and before I know it, supper has to be served in like half an hour's time!
Keeping the pantry stocked up with cans of beans and legumes has saved the day many a time!

SO... I really am not a fan of cans as I much prefer using fresh ingredients and cooking my own lentils and beans from scratch, but a gal has to have a plan B and that's where these handy little cans come in to play!

Personally, I prefer spicing up my beans, and living in Durban where we have the largest population of people from Indian descent in sub-Saharan Africa, one finds the best spice shops everywhere. I took the following photos on my last visit to the Spice Emporium, a family business that's been around for over eighty years in our city.
The scent of heady spices greets you as you enter this specialty spice shop.

Beans and legumes of all kinds are to be found here, are fresher and of a much better quality than the ones found on the supermarket shelves.

Most of my Steemit friends know by now that hubby and I run our little bnb Lily's Cottage which is keeping us real busy throughout the year.
We currently have a retired German gentleman staying with us, who is here to provide senior expertise services to an organisation that takes care of physically and mentally challenged adults.

I don't know what I would have done if it were not for @lenasveganliving's weekly Fruits and Veggies Challenge which has been making me rack my brain trying to think of new stuff to cook and bake each week, as this guest prefers eating plant-based foods, although I must add he is not strictly Vegan.

He really enjoys beans of all kinds and the spicier, the better, much to my surprise...and delight, as that is what I really enjoy cooking, and eating of course!

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A few basic facts about beans and legumes - they are a great source of protein and a much kinder protein for our planet I would say! They are an excellent source of dietary fiber, protein, vitamin B's as well as other vitamins and minerals.
It has many health benefits such as reducing blood sugar, improving cholesterol levels and helping maintain a healthy gut.

So on this Monday, my Fruits and Veggies friends, I would like to share with you some variations on the theme;)

A delicious Bean Breyani made with a couple of cans of Beans - Sugar Beans, Butter Beans and Chickpeas and of course Lentils that I shared here a while back - spicy bean curry layered with a rice and lentils mix.

A Broad Bean Curry served with a tangy Carrot Salad in a Roti (Indian Flat Bread).

Broad Bean Roti Rolls - sure to fill that hungry spot!

A Three Bean Curry - Red Kidney Beans, Butter Beans & Black Eyed Beans, using a mild Cape Malay spice, delicious comfort food served with Basmati Rice or Rotis.

A darker Bean, Lentil & Chickpea Curry made with stronger spices and again served with our favourite Rotis.

All these curries are made in the same way -

• Diced Onions & Crushed Garlic & Jeera (Fennel) Seeds sauteed in a little oil
• Diced Tomatoes & grated fresh root Ginger added
• Spices & salt added - Masala, Coriander Powder, Garum Masala, Turmeric, Cinnamon stick, Curry leaves

Time to open up a couple of cans of beans or legumes and you have an almost instant comforting and warming meal served with rice or roti.

Here in Durban we would sometimes serve a curry in a hollowed out half or quarter loaf of bread and call it a Bunny Chow.
I'm not sure how the name originated but I assure you there's no bunny in any of these!

There however have been many debates on how the Bunny Chow originated.

One legend is that the Bunny Chows originated when migrant Indian sugarcane workers needed a container to carry their lunch to the sugar plantations. A hollowed out half loaf of bread was ideal to hold the vegetarian curries and the cut-out piece became the lid.

Image source

Back to today's menu - spicy Cauli Lentil Curry, using the same starter base as above but adding Cauliflower florets together with the tomatoes, a can of Lentils and a handful of frozen Peas and letting it simmer on a low heat till the cauliflower is cooked but still firm; and lastly garnishing the dish with Dhania (Cilantro).
Served with fluffy Basmati Rice as well as a Minty Cucumber & Vegan yogurt salad, this was a delicious meal bursting with flavour!

BON APPETIT MY FRIENDS!

A huge shout out to @lenasveganliving, @plantstoplanks and @vegansofsteemit for the prizes, much appreciated by all of us!
Not forgetting a big thank you to the wonderfully talented artist @barbara-orenya, the creator of our lovely Wonkies, as well as those angels disguised as Curators who brighten up our Mondays!
You are all amazing!

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Original Content by @lizelle

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