This week’s highlighted spice is Turmeric.

Turmeric is that yellow powder you’ve probably been neglecting in your spice rack, which is mostly known as the spice in curries. Often dubbed the poor man’s saffron, it is used not only for it’s warm and bitter flavour but also for it’s colouring (it’s the colour used in yellow mustard) and most recently known for it’s health benefits. I have to admit that when this spice was voted for, I was excited yet I knew I was in for a challenge. We’ve experimented with turmeric many times, trying to perfect what our local Indian restaurant does so well with their curries (we’re still working on that) but after testing new ideas we were able to nail a few great recipes which I’ll share with you all week long!
Today’s first installment, Spiced Bindi, is our star.

You’ve probably heard that turmeric is the new wonder spice. At a bbq over the weekend I eavesdropped on a funny conversation that went a bit like this:

“I have some theories about food. Think about it–when’s the last time you’ve seen a bald Mexican or have heard of a Indian dying of cancer? It’s because avocados are good for the hair and spices, such as turmeric, are cancer fighters.”

Though I’m not sure about the avocado theory (but I have a feeling I’ll be eating more of ‘em!), I have found substantial research that supports the amazing benefits from turmeric, most notably for slowing the development of Alzheimer’s disease, a practically unknown condition in turmeric-addicted India. Also a rare occurrence among men in India is prostate cancer (the second leading killer in American men) whose low risk is attributed to a diet rich in brassica family vegetables and the curry spice, turmeric. Believe me, the list goes on and on so the bottom line is get cooking with turmeric!

Okra fields - Photo courtesy of plotblog.blogspot.com

If you’re not too familiar with okra, this is a brilliant way to try it out. Also known as ladies fingers, gumbo or bendi, okra is best when purchased fresh and eaten within 3 days of purchase, but it’s also available canned and frozen.

RECIPE:
serves 2

2 cups fresh Okra – trimmed and sliced
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 cup onion, fine dice
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
1/4 tsp garam masala
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup low-sodium veg or chicken broth
S&P

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat large saute pan on medium heat for 1 minute. Add olive oil and saute onions for 30 seconds, stirring — Do not brown. Add garlic and ginger and saute for another 30 seconds then add cumin seeds for an additional 30 seconds. Add in okra, saute for one minute stirring. Begin adding in spices: turmeric, coriander and garam masala, combining all ingredients together.

Cook for 10 minutes then add in broth, scraping all browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Continue cooking for 15-20 minutes total until softened and all the broth has been absorbed.
Taste and season. Serve warm or at room temp.

Want another great recipe using turmeric and a brassica family veg? Try this delicious Gobi Mattar. Brilliant like — and don’t forget to check back all this week for more turmeric recipes!

All recipes are made with the finest quality farmers market whole foods, natural and non-processed ingredients as much as possible.

Does Indian food hold a key ingredient to keeping our memory fit? I read an article recently which was titled, “10 Ways to Improve Your Memory”. Though I only caught the first 5 (I can’t remember the other ones), they were great to know because they’re already healthy choices.

1. Move It or Lose It. Target goal: 30 minutes of vigorous cardio activity 4-6 times a week.
2. Stop Stressing. If you don’t learn how to relax, stress hormones will shrink your brain’s memory center.
3. Ban the Sugar. Sugar and refined carbohydrates, like those found in processed foods, cause cognitive damage and memory impairment. In fact, diabetics are four times more likely than non-diabetics to suffer from dementia.
4. Sip Red Wine. Studies show that drinking red wine in moderation (no more than one glass daily for women) slows the buildup of plaque in the brain, which can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
5. Curry Flavor. Studies found that turmeric-the yellow spice that gives curry its distinctive color-increases brain function when eaten at least once every six months.

There it is. I must figure out what to do with Turmeric. As much as I love Indian food I don’t have many recipes for it (I am an Irishman after all), so I went surfing to find a recipe that not only looked as good as it sounded but also had my new favorite spice, turmeric.

It didn’t take me long to find the winner with Gobi Mattar aka Cauliflower and Peas, a spin on Aloo Mattar. It was the picture that caught my eye right off the bat (nice work Maya!) so I headed to my kitchen to give it a go. This ought to be good coming from the Paddy.

Here’s my version which turned out great. I’m not really into spicy food but I’ve come to like a little kick. This recipe is not a spicy one but it is huge in flavour. Ironically the only thing I would add to this recipe would be a little heat believe it or not. Perhaps the little Indian Kitchen around the corner has had some influence on me! To see the original recipe visit myfeasts.blogspot.com. They’ll be calling me Paddy Sitar after this!

All recipes are made with the finest quality farmers market whole foods, natural and non-processed ingredients as much as possible.