Ashoka Microwaveable Entrees 1932, Vegetarian Sampler Kit, Heat & Serve Meal Pack, Kosher Certified Variety Pack, Authentic Indian Cuisine, Instant Meals, Gluten-Free with No Preservatives, Pack of 5

The product is great, heats up easily, nicely, and evenly, however, IF you do not like your food too spicy HOT, you won't like it. I mean there's an entire whole hot chili pepper in there with most of these. I enjoy spicy hot now and again, but for me, it was a little too "ay chee mama!" Give it five stars because it's not a question of a bad product, just a caution, and the meal itself is tasty. I will not order again.

So, let me tell you first of all that I am giving the product 4 stars because it is very well cooked, the look and the texture of the food are absolutely outstanding. Secondly let me tell you that I couldn't eat the entrees simply because to my strict Italian taste buds they couldn't agree at all. But that's just me, I have been used to eat Italian all my 65 years long life, and now the tastes of an Indian Cuisine cannot be congenial, nevertheless I will tell you that if you are already used to Indian Cuisine you will find great value in this product, so order with confidence because the chefs cooking this know their trade.

got this because I’ve never had Indian food before, and thought this would be a great way to introduce myself to this cuisine without breaking the bank, and be able to try different dishes. With that in mind, I have no idea how these should taste, if they taste authentic or not, too much or too little spice, etc. I can only tell you what I personally think of each dish. Punjabi Choley (received 2) - Curried chick peas. Medium heat/spice level indicated on package. The sauce is slightly grainy with an aroma that I can’t quite explain; not horrible but not quite pleasant either. The chick peas are plentiful, and cooked soft without being mushy. The spice level is slightly above mild for me, however I enjoy spicy foods so for someone else with a lower spice tolerance it might be a more moderate or higher heat. Overall I enjoyed this dish. Dal Tadka - Lentils with Indian spices. Medium heat/spice level indicated on package. First thing I noticed was that this is soupy (not sure if that is expected with this dish). It appeared to be more liquid than lentils. The package suggested serving with naan bread or rice. I didn’t have any naan bread and didn’t feel like making rice, so I ate this dish as is. The lentils were very soft and mushy, but flavorful. The spice level was perfect for my taste, but it could potentially be too spicy for someone else. I enjoyed the flavor, wish there was more lentils to make it more satisfying. Delhi Dal Makhani - Rich curry with black gram and red kidney beans. Mild heat/spice level indicated on package. First impression is color is a reddish brown with a consistency that reminds me of runny refried beans. More mush than whole beans. The spice level is definitely higher than the previous dishes I’ve tried, despite being labeled as mild. So for me (with a high spice tolerance) I would call this medium, borderline high heat level. The dish looks like it should be grainy, but it was actually smooth. The beans are soft but not enough whole beans for my liking. Not a horrible dish, but not my favorite so far, the higher spice level overpowered any other flavors. It was hard to finish. Bombay Biryani - Indian rice and mixed vegetables. Medium heat/spice level indicated on package. There is a lot of rice in this package with some noticeable vegetables mixed in. The scent is something I don’t recognize and one that I personally didn’t find pleasant. Everything was cooked soft, almost mush like. The spice level was definitely medium to me. I couldn’t really taste the vegetables for the amount of spices, but it was still fairly good. I would’ve liked a few more vegetables mixed in, but that is just a personal preference.

Ok flavor. Palak Paneer was not good. Tasted like grass.

Included in this ready-to-eat vegan and gluten-free beans and rice Indian food assortment are one packet each of Dehli Dal Makhani (a mild heat curry with black and kidney beans), Dal Tadka (medium heat lentils), Bombay Biryani (medium heat rice with vegetables) and two packets of Punjabi Choley (medium heat curried chick peas). The dishes contain no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Each 10 ounce pouch contains enough for two servings (1/2 cup) if paired with rice, bread, additional vegetables or protein, etc. and the dishes may be prepared either in the microwave oven or on a stovetop. The nutritional information is noted on the product page but at the time of this review the ingredients are not so if interested I’ve attached photos of them. I prepared two of the four dishes--the Punjabi Choley and Bombay Biryani. The Punjabi Choley is hearty and flavorful and the heat level was moderate although labeled medium. I added rice and the result was satisfying and delicious. The Bombay Biryani was also excellent and although labeled medium heat it created a noticeable buzz in the mouth so probably closer to medium-hot. To estimate shelf-life at the time of this review in January 2023 the Best Before date is 12 months in the future but dates will vary. A quick, convenient and tasty meal solution when craving Indian food and time is limited. Very Good.