A smart meal box

We all love a good takeaway but it's not all just about pizza and fried chicken in the world of food delivery. From busy insurance brokers to workaholic parents to those who simply cannot be bothered to cook — Smartmeal can be a lifesaver!

We all start out with the intent of shopping smart. Grand Ideas of smoothies, salads, and a multitude of healthy recipes are dreamt up on a Friday night, only to end up eating greasy and unhealthy food for lunch the rest of the week. As a result, our bank accounts take a hit, as well as our wellbeing.

Enter Smartmeal, aka, the superhero of no-time-to-cook! 

Dhaka's biggest curse is food. The tainted bloodline runs circles in our veins, pumped in daily with contaminated junk. Excessive use of pesticides, unregulated street food, and lack of awareness has negatively impacted the ability of our working age population to reach their full potential. Unsafe food consumption results in 10 percent of adult deaths in Bangladesh. Part of this problem comes from businesses trying to make profit at any cost.

This is why LiveGreen BD, the parent platform of Smartmeal, has made it their mission to improve the lives of millions by delivering food that is healthy, ethical, and affordable to your door. They want Smartmeal to become part of a healthy lifestyle rather than just another good idea. It is a revolution. One that started by identifying a major problem we all face daily.

The founders behind the company say they are proud of the people moving the wheels of our economy. This is why they offer a free delivery service to offices and homes when orders are placed online or via their hotline. Having no dine-in facility allows the company to focus all their attention in the kitchen. This helps to ensure you have delicious and healthy meals delivered on time for your much-needed lunch.

Due to high demand, the company is expanding its fleet and capacity rapidly. What started out in Gulshan on 1 October, 2019 has now spread to Banani, Baridhara, Bashundhara, Mohakhali, and Tejgaon in less than 2 weeks!

Despite a Smartmeal box containing between 450-600 calories, the portions are generous and the food is refreshingly tasty.

Discover a world of good food: www.facebook.com/smartmealbd; www.instagram.com/smartmealbd;

Call +8801301709823

GRILLED CHICKEN

Ingredients

4 chicken breast pieces

½ cup soya sauce

1 tbsp mustard

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 garlic clove

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper, crushed

½ tsp oregano

1 tbsp orange juice

1 green chilli, sliced

¼ cup capsicum

4 tbsp olive oil

Method

Sauté the capsicum with some olive oil in a saucepan. Once the skin is toasted, blitz it all in a blender. Add remaining ingredients, except for the chicken, and add to the mix.

Once done, marinate the chicken breasts in this sauce. Keep covered and refrigerated for at least 30 minutes.

With the grill or a saucepan on high heat, cook the chicken — approximately 5 minutes on each side. Once done, let cool slightly and serve.

CAPSICUM HUMMUS

Ingredients

2 green capsicum

1½ cup or 250g  chickpeas; boiled, or canned

2 tbsp olive oil, extra for serving

1 garlic clove

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp paprika

¼ cup of lemon juice

Salt, to taste

½ tsp pepper

¼ cup tahini/toasted sesame paste

Method

Preheat oven to 180° C and line a tray with aluminium foil.

Slice and deseed capsicums and place on the tray with a bit of olive oil and bake for 10 minutes, or until the skin has charred. Once done, let it cool in a bowl covered with plastic wrap. In a food processor, throw in the rest of the ingredients and blitz. Take off the charred skin of the capsicum and add it to the mix (save some for decoration) and blend until smooth.

Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of paprika. Chop up the remaining capsicum flesh and dice finely and garnish the hummus.

TOMATO CHUTNEY PURÉE

Ingredients

½ kg tomatoes, diced

½ cup onions, sliced

1 tbsp olive oil

4 dried red chillies

½ tsp salt

250g sugar

½ tsp pepper

1 tbsp vinegar

½ tsp ginger paste

½ tsp garlic paste

½ tsp red chilli powder

½ tsp garam masala

Method

In a sauté pan, heat the oil and add the onions. Cook until brown and then add the ginger and garlic pastes and cook for 2 minutes.

Add tomatoes, sugar, salt, chilli powder and garam masala and cook until it is done and let it thicken. Add the dried red chillies and let it cook for around 20 minutes. Add the vinegar and simmer for 5 more minutes. Cool and blitz in a food processor and store in an airtight jar. Keeps for 2 weeks refrigerated.

PUDINA PATA SAUCE

Ingredients

¾ cup mint leaves

½ cup coriander leaves

1 tsp pepper

4 green chillies

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp orange juice, freshly squeezed

Salt, to taste

Method

Separate the leaves from the stalks of the mint and coriander. Add everything to a food processor and blitz. Adjust seasoning if needed.

KHUDH CHAALER MOTORSHUTI POLAO

Ingredients

½ kg khudh chaal

½ cup peas, boiled

1/3 cup onions, sliced

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp olive oil

Salt, to taste

Method

Wash and boil the chaal. Drain the cooked khudh rice. Boil the peas separately in water with a pinch of salt. In a hot pan, add olive oil and cook the onions for 2 minutes. Add the cooked rice and boiled peas and add in the rest of the ingredients. Stir and mix everything over high heat. Serve immediately.

CABBAGE WITH GRILLED PINEAPPLE SALAD

Ingredients

½ cup pineapple, cubed

1 tsp soya sauce

1 green chillies

1 garlic, clove

1 cup cabbage, shredded

½ tsp lemon juice

½ tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp olive oil

½ tsp pepper

½ tsp orange zest

Pinch of pepper

Salt, to taste

Method

Marinate the pineapple cubes in soya sauce, pepper, garlic and green chillies. Sear the pieces on high heat in a pan or on a grill (lightly brushed with oil). In a bowl, add the lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper, orange zest, and olive oil, and whisk lightly to make a dressing. Add it to the shredded cabbage. Add the charred pineapple cubes and mix in the dressing. Serve immediately.

CHILLI CON CARNE

Ingredients

500g ground beef

1 tbsp olive oil

Pinch salt and pepper

½ cup onions, 2 tbsp olive oil

500g tomatoes, finely diced

1½ tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp sugar

6 green chillies

1 cup potatoes, cubed

1 cup kidney beans, soaked overnight

Handful of coriander

1 bay leaf, 1 cinnamon

1 capsicum, roasted

¾ cup carrots, cubed

1 cup beef stock

50g dark chocolate

Method

Stir fry the ground beef with a pinch of salt, pepper, and olive oil on a hot pan lightly. Remove and set aside.

Preheat oven to 180° C and line a tray with aluminium foil. Slice and deseed capsicums and place on the tray with a bit of olive oil and bake for 10 minutes, or until the skin has charred. Once done, let it cool in a bowl covered with plastic wrap.

In a separate pan, add the tomatoes on high heat and cook them out. Add the balsamic vinegar, roasted capsicum, cayenne pepper, sugar, lime juice, green chillies and salt and pepper. Cook and let it simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, add olive oil to a pan and add onions. Cook the onions on medium heat for 5-10 minutes until softened.

Separately, boil the potato cubes and the carrot cubes.

Add the stock to the tomatoes. Add the onions to it. Cook further till it reduces. Add in the bay leaf and cinnamon. Season with salt and pepper. Add the roasted capsicum and let it break down in the chilli over time.

When cooked, add the beef and add the boiled potatoes and carrots. Finish with the chocolate.

CAPSICUM CHUTNEY

Ingredients

5 capsicums

½ cup onions, sliced

1 tbsp olive oil

4 green chillies

½ tsp salt

250g sugar

½ tsp pepper

1 tbsp vinegar

½ tsp ginger paste

½ tsp garlic paste

Method

In a sauté pan, heat the oil and add the onions. Cook until brown and add the ginger and the garlic pastes and cook for 2 minutes.

Add tomatoes, sugar, salt, chilli powder and garam masala and cook until done and let it thicken. Add the dried red chillies and let it cook for around 20 minutes. Add the vinegar and simmer for 5 more minutes. Cool and blitz in a food processor and store in an airtight jar. Keeps for 2 weeks refrigerated.

SHORSHE HUMMUS

Ingredients

1½ cup or 250g  chickpeas; boiled or canned

2 tbsp olive oil, extra for serving

1 garlic clove

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp paprika

¼ cup or 60ml lemon juice

½ tsp, or to taste

1 tsp Dijon mustard

¼ cup or 60ml tahini, made from scratch

Salt to taste

Method

Toast sesame seeds in a pan and blitz into a paste with some water to create tahini paste. Add the remaining ingredients and bring the hummus together in a blender. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of paprika.

GREEN PAPAYA SALAD

Ingredients

300g green papaya

10g coriander

1 tsp pepper

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp olive oil

Toasted sesame seeds

Toasted cumin seeds

20g pomegranate

1 tsp salt

Method

Peel the papaya and slice them thinly. Place a pot of water on the boil with a pinch of salt. Boil the papaya and remove and cool. Chop up the coriander. Season the papaya with the coriander, salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil. Dress with toasted sesame seeds, cumin seeds and fresh pomegranate.

 

Recipe and food prepared by Saria Saguaro

Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed