System failure

The birds are leaving the spinach - which is what we call Swiss chard - alone - for the moment - and we're really enjoying the abundance. I had planned it as the hero of last night's meatfree supper.

It is a family favourite - a spinach dahl made with red (split) lentils and which I serve with Bombay potatoes (yes, I' know I promised that recipe a year ago - it's also on the list). Because yesterday was fake Friday today is a public holiday, we headed to the local. The weather was glorious and the evening unseasonally balmy.

When we got home, I looked for the red lentils.

Spot the mistake

The cupboards were bare. None in the grocery cupboard and none in the pantry cupboard.

We have a system. Not

Theoretically, we have a system: when we finish or use an item, from cleaning materials to groceries, we write it on the shopping list which is on the fridge. I've been doing this since before the advent of The Husband. When he arrived on the scene, he pronounced it a brilliant system. It is. When it works, and this time it didn't. The system failed.

Plan B

The Bombay potatoes were entirely doable and I had plenty of brown lentils, so I thought I'd just substitute them for the red.

It was certainly not the meal I had intended. The result was better than I had expected.

Will I do it again? Probably. With some variation, I expect. For example, I'd probably not serve it with potatoes, but rather rice or naan. I think that the lentils would also benefit from a bit more broth (stock) and a heavier spice hand.

Until next time, be well
Fiona
The Sandbag House
McGregor, South Africa

Photo: Selma
Post script

If this post might seem familiar, it's because I'm doing two things:

• re-vamping old recipes. As I do this, I am adding them in a file format that you can download and print. If you download recipes, buy me a coffee. Or better yet, a glass of wine....?
• and "re-capturing" nearly two years' worth of posts.

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