Months and months and months ago, Tasty Bite sent me a few packs of their instant Indian meals for review. I blogged about two of those meals shortly after the package arrived, but the other two packs hung out in my pantry forever. I know, bad blogger!Anyway, I've been really busy lately after work with meetings, social obligations, and such. And quick heat-and-eat Tasty Bite meals have really come in handy. I tried the Bengal Lentils a few weeks back, and they were pretty damn good for something cooked in the microwave for two minutes.
I really enjoyed the toothsome (yes, I used that word!) texture of the chickpeas in the dish, and the savory tomato-based sauce was perfect. Well, it did lack salt and heat, but that was e
asily remedied with a dash of sea salt and plenty of sriracha. I served the dish over some leftover brown rice.Last night, I used the package of Tasty Bite Rogan Josh Simmer Sauce for a quick stovetop meal. Unlike the ready-to-eat packs, Tasty Bite's Simmer Sauces do require a little work. You chop a cup or two of veggies and tofu, saute until tender, and then add the simmer sauce. The veggies really soak up the rich flavor of tomatoes, chilies, ginger, and fennel in the hearty sauce. Beats the hell out of making a homemade sauce when you're in a hurry.
The package also promises "a daring fire dance," but I didn't detect even a hint of spiciness. So naturally, I added lots and lots of crushed red pepper. I like it when my tongue burns with every bite.I used a combination of cauliflower, white potatoes, carrots, onions, and fried tofu for the Rogan Josh dish. I served the veggies and sauce over brown jasmine rice with whole wheat roti and tomato chutney. The roti (an Indian flatbread) and the chutney were from Passage To India, a local Indian food market.
It's safe to say Tasty Bite makes some of the best instant meals and meal starters, and they're made with simple whole-food ingredients. My only complaint is the lack of heat, but I can always add red pepper and hot sauce to taste.
Are you a spicy foods person? If so, what's your hot poison of choice?
