First-of-the-Month Curry

As the first of the month rears its ugly head and your whole paycheck goes to pay your credit cards and overpriced rent, try a cheap, delicious homemade curry to sweat off your sorrows and spice up your night. 

Curry is really just a mix a spices. In your neighborhood corporate grocer, these might be expensive. Avoid buying exotic spices that come in a pretty glass jars with fancy writing that fit neatly in your spice rack. Go to your nearest Indian, Asian. or Near Eastern market, or even a Latin American or Caribbean market. Look for little bags of turmeric, coriander, cumin, cloves- they shouldn't cost any more than $3 each and they're great to have on-hand for 15th-of-the-Month Curry.

Vegan curries are the cheapest to make and go great over a bed of aromatic or brown rice, but even better over a bed of cheap white rice because the saving give it flavor. Don't forget to rinse your white rice in cold water before cooking it so you don't get that gross skin on top. Add some whole cardamom or cloves to the rice as it's boiling if you're willing to splurge. 

First-of-the-Month Tomato-Lentil Curry

 Made with ingredients that might be in your pantry... right now!

1 tbsp, oil

1 tsp. chopped garlic 

1 small diced onion

1 small diced bell pepper

1 tsp. turmeric

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. ground coriander

1 can diced tomatoes

1 cup dried lentils

2 1/2 cups water

1 diced jalapeño (optional for spice)

salt to taste

In a large saucepan, sauté the garlic, onions and bell pepper in oil until the garlic is browned. Add the turmeric, coriander, and cumin; stir until the onions turn yellow. Pour in the can of diced tomatoes with the juice, the dried lentils, the diced jalapeño, salt and the water. Boil over medium heat for 25 minutes or until the lentils are tender, stirring occasionally and adding more water if needed. Serve over rice and enjoy!