A masala marvel
I really had no idea what a lentil was before trying Aahana’s Lentil Bowl.
I texted my husband a picture of the product and asked if he knew what a lentil was and continued to inform him of my quick google search.
His response, “I actually already knew that, and knew that it was a legume. It’s a superfood, I used to put it in homemade dog food”. Hmmm. The more you know.
So, my first question came to mind. “Would I feed this to my dog?” Read on and find out.
The product is often referred to as “Khichdi” (kich-dee), which is an ultimate Indian comfort food with a mix of quinoa and sprouted lentils, making a very flavorful one pot meal.
Sonal Khakhar (founder of Aahana’s Naturals) created a quick, protein-rich, and gluten-free meal inspired by her family’s generational kitchari (kitch-a-ree) recipes for times when her family had their busiest evenings. Sonal’s background and education are in healthcare, and she had also been a school dietician. After reading this,
I figured she must have known what she was doing when she created this lentil bowl.
The first thing to catch my attention about Aahana’s Bombay Masala was its
high amount of plant protein, a whopping 15 grams, with loads of fiber and B vitamins.
A product that is vegan, non-GMO, kosher certified, gluten free AND has plant-based protein—it’s definitely worth trying.
According to the website,
“At Aahana’s Naturals, each ingredient is thoughtfully selected and sourced for its exceptional health benefits and delightful flavors.”
We’ll see about those delightful flavors. And I continue…
The seasonings and spices alone made for a lengthy and enticing ingredient list: Ginger, Garlic, Cilantro, Cumin, Turmeric, Clove, Cinnamon, Black Pepper, Mustard, Curry, Bay leaves, and Cardamon to name a few.
When I opened the package, there was a phenomenal aroma of several lovely spices. I immediately picked up on ginger, turmeric, cumin, garlic, and curry leaves.
The preparation method was easy. Add the packet to a cup of boiling water.
When I did this, all the spices came together and presented the aroma of authentic Indian cuisine. This got me excited for the taste test, but I had to wait the required 5 minutes before inserting my spoon, so I watched the clock.
Have you ever noticed if you watch a clock, it stops ticking? That five minutes took forever!
Ding! Time to dig in.
I took the lid off the bowl, and I got a whiff of cinnamon, cilantro and basmati rice, which was very unexpected, but it was an extremely pleasant smell.
I scooped a sizable portion onto my spoon, blew on it to cool it down, then took a bite.
I was thrown off a bit… it was not quite as flavorful as I had initially expected.
The basmati rice was well cooked, soft with no crunch. And I could taste the lentils (slightly beany) and the starchy potatoes came through.
I paused for an intentional eating moment,
and that’s when several of the spices came through:
curry leaves, ginger, turmeric and the hint of cinnamon. Then some vegetables showed up to the party: peas, carrots, and zucchini.
What I liked most, though, was the ending note—
a “zing” of spicy
from the green chilies, and it made my nose run a bit.
Note to self: Don’t serve to my grandmother—too spicy for her!
I bought the Masala bowl from Thrive Market for $4.49.
Kind of steep for one quick lunch that was short lived. And although there weren’t any actual whole vegetables to eat and it came up short on the cilantro flavor profile,
IMBHO, this bowl delivered as a “fast lunch”.
So, Aahana’s gets an expensive
IMBHO-Yes.
It’s worth the price on occasion, but not something I would purchase and stock in my pantry, but rather more of a “Hey, that sounds good today,” spontaneous purchase.
Also, I think I will find my own recipe, so I can make this meal in a greater quantity (for a cheaper price) in the future. Let me know if you have a recipe you want to share! 😊
Oh, I almost forgot to answer the question, “Would I feed this to my dog?” The answer is no. I would not feed this to my dog because I want it all! LOL
