In the spirit of Valentine’s Day and all that Hallmark crap, I’d like to take a moment to remind everyone that the best gift is treating the one you love. In my opinion, it is always the thought that counts and nothing shows devotion like gifting something handmade.
Luckily, I’m not alone in this sentiment. Just last night, I came home from a very long day to the smell of curry and cumin wafting from the kitchen. My favorite person decided to surprise me with dinner ready and sitting on the counter. I’m used to coming home and cooking up something for us to eat, so this was an especially wonderful surprise to come home to. Hopefully, others will enjoy this recipe as much as I did.
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Ingredients:
Curry:
1 cup lentils
3 mushrooms, diced
5 garlic cloves, smashed
1 cup collard greens, chopped
1/4 cup onions, diced
2 cups frozen Brussels sprouts, chopped in half
1 tbsp chili paste
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1 tbsp curry paste
1/2 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tbsp cumin
1 can tomato paste
Salt, pepper, oil to taste
Tofu:
1/2 cup flour
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
14 oz. extra firm tofu
Instructions:
In a pan, heat oil and a pinch of salt and pepper on medium heat. Add the smashed garlic cloves and Brussels sprouts and cook until the garlic is golden brown. Add onions, mushrooms and collard greens. Cook down the vegetables until the greens are wilted and the onions are translucent. Add the spices and stir the mixture until well combined.
Add the curry paste, chili paste and tomato paste with one cup of water. When the sauce comes together, add the lentils with one more cup of water. Top with a lid and let the mixture cook down for approximately one hour on low heat. Check your mixture every 15-20 minutes by tasting a lentil.
Meanwhile, mix together flour and spices for tofu. Cut the tofu into 1/2 inch cubes. Heat some oil in a pan on medium heat. Toss the tofu in the flour mixture and fry. When the cubes are golden and crispy, remove them and place in a bowl lined with a paper towel.
When the lentils have reached your desired consistency, remove the mixture from the heat and top with tofu and cheddar cheese for a little extra flavor. Give your special someone something straight from the heart and absolutely delicious this Valentine’s Day. Enjoy!
Audrey Weiss can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @audkward.
