Taste-Testing the Stash

Since I didn't eat the packaged Indian convenience food while I was home with Covid, it was getting close to its best-by date.  I had bought it as a shelf-stable lunch option in case I was without power at some point, but you should really try something like that before you need it.  It looked like a nice eggplant stew on the label.

What I didn't notice when I bought it was the dial at the bottom that said it's Medium heat.  Well, I already shelled out over $4, so that was too late.

I made some rice (the brand does sell pre-cooked rice) and microwaved it according to the package directions.  It looked and smelled pretty good.  Just in case, I poured it out to the side of the rice instead of on top of it.

It wasn't overly spicy.  Not "mild", but definitely something you didn't need to top with yogurt.  But I did expect more flavor out of something with 20% of your daily salt.

So, was it worth it?  It wasn't bad.  Will I buy it again?  Probably not.  Yes, it's a lot healthier than Chef Boyardee, but I could make something a lot better in a fondue pot or on the grill if the problem is a lack of cooking heat.  Maybe I'm spoiled by cooking almost all my own food from scratch.  People who open packages on a regular basis probably love meals like this.

The search continues for more varieties of shelf-stable, nutritious meals.