Curry butter

For us curry lovers out there, you can't go wrong with this intensely flavorful butter. I have been a fan of making flavored butters for a while. During the summer I really like making basil butter and rubbing it on some roasted/grilled corn on the cob. By making a stick of this curry butter, you can keep it in the fridge or freezer for a long time and use a little here and there to spice up your sandwiches, rice, veggies, or anything else that needs a little curry kick. Got this recipe from Vegetarian Planet. 

1. In a dry skillet over medium-low heat, combine;

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons curry powder

2. Let the spices toast, stirring occasionally, until they become aromatic (a few minutes). Take them off the heat and let them cool.

3. In a small bowl, combine:

•  the toasted spices
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• salt & pepper to taste

4. Mix this together really well until all the ingredients are evenly distributed. Spoon the butter onto a large piece of wax paper or plastic wrap. Roll and shape the butter into a log, twist the ends to help shape the log, and then refrigerate until ready to use (at least 1 hour so it has time to set).

A little bit of this stuff goes a long way!

Tonight I cooked some lentils and then mixed in some of the curry butter, spooned the buttered lentils over some roasted asparagus, and then topped it off with a poached egg.  Here's what dinner looked like: 

I cheated by using one of those silicone egg poachers, if you're not convinced by how perfectly shaped the egg came out. I have yet to learn how to make poached eggs without the mold...if anyone has any tips on how to do this successfully, pass the advice over this way!