Tamarind Lentils

Yes, I finally got to make the Tamarind Lentils from VCON. And they are so good. This is the first time I have had tamarind in anything, to my knowledge. I must admit, I really like the flavor it gives things. The sweet-sour is a nice contrast to the heat from the Seitan Vindaloo and the Gingery Carrot Salad as well. These are definitely a keeper. Now I understand why there are so many people who rave about them up at PPK. It is so different from how anything else tastes. There are really no words to describe it. Let me just say that if you can find some tamarind paste, you have to make these. And if you need something to make for someone who likes Indian food, but they not sure about things that are vegan, these will change someone’s mind.

The Gingery Carrot Salad on the side is from AllRecipes. Its good, but a bit disappointing. Maybe because of all the other strong flavors on the plate, I just didn’t taste the ginger in the carrots. It was a nice dish though to cool ones mouth after taking a bite of the Vindaloo. And it went well with the lentils. Maybe I should have cooked the carrots a bit longer so that they would be a bit softer and absorb more of the dressing. Not sure. It is, however, a nice cold side dish to have on a warmish Spring evening.