Kitchens of India Palak Paneer & Archer Farms Cocount Cashew Basmati Rice

 It's less fun writing about a product that I thought was so-so, versus one that I either love or hate.  But I have decided that it's important to note mediocrity as well. Mediocrity is it's own kind of failure. There are so many excellent and exciting things out there to try, why would you want to waste time and money on something that's just middling? 
I'm so glad to see grocery stores around here are finally getting a little more ethnic on me. There is nothing I love more than variety. However, Indian MRE's aren't really what I was looking for. The Palak Paneer was just that, an ethnic MRE. All the preparation needed was to throw the pouch in some hot water for a few minutes to heat and it was ready to eat! Along with this ready-to-eat basmati rice, I had dinner on the table in 5 minutes. And it wasn't bad, just not great. I love the idea of the rice. All that was required of me was to throw it in the microwave for 3 minutes. I didn't even have to add water. The rice had a nice mild flavor, but was still a bit tough and starchy. It tasted like it needed to be cooked in water on the stove instead of in a plastic bag in the microwave. The Palak Paneer was also okay. Not bad for an MRE, of course (it beats the pants off of Chicken a la King). When I served it to my husband, his response was, "Why does Indian food always have to look like baby poop?" But he cleaned his plate anyway. I guess we're used to baby poop.
My opinion on these products is that they need a little work, but if you want a 5 minute meal that doesn't have to impress anyone, this will do. I haven't given up on either of these ideas yet, but I won't be purchasing these particular products again. There's just too many other fun things to try.