Some hot news this week and God knows we need it after the recent weather we’ve been having. While spring is just around the corner, it is still chilly enough for warming foods; stews, casseroles, mountains of mashed potatoes, rich gravies and so on. Well just to mix things up a little why not try a few spices and the odd new ingredient which turns something ordinary into something exotic.
The average Irish palate being used to a milder and blander type of taste, has taken some time to embrace eastern flavours. Indian restaurants have opened all over the country in the past while and although not as prolific as Chinese restaurants, you will find at least one good Indian establishment holding its own in most places. They have opened us up to new tastes and the Irish pioneers who first entered quickly found that there was so much more to Indian food than merely hot chilies. Sadly we had been misled for many years by sandal wearing charlatans who thought that throwing a fistful of Schwartz Curry Powder and lentils into a pot of meat stew replicated an Indian dish. The rest of us didn’t know any better and so blindly believing these ‘sophisticates’ we declared that “Indian food was a bit hot and not really to our liking”. There are indeed very hot dishes available on most Indian menus, but there’s plenty more besides. It’s like saying that the only thing we eat in Ireland is bacon and cabbage. Indian food is highly varied and while as a country it has a history of mysticism, its food is not mysterious at all.
India is highly populated and has many divides which impact the food culture. ‘Curry’ is an all purpose term devised by the English to cover the whole range of Indian food spicing. The differences in food and traditions between Northern India and Southern India are quite distinct. In the north much meat is eaten and cooking is often of the “Mughal” style which has a similarity to that of the Middle East and central Asia. The emphasis is more on spices and less on curry heat. In the north more grains and breads are eaten and less rice while in the south, more rice is eaten and the dishes tend to be hotter. Religion also plays a part. Strict Hindus don’t eat beef as the cow is considered sacred while strict Muslims will not eat pork. Therefore making a sweeping statement like, “Indian food is hot” does an ancient, food rich culture a great injustice and shows an extremely narrow viewpoint.
The good news for cooks is that Indian food is not about expensive cuts of meat. It is about creating tasty dishes that combine meat, veg, pulses and spices that go a long way with little waste. I particularly love the way Indian food delivers vegetables. While I don’t deny that a lightly steamed Irish carrot can tempt the taste buds in its glorious simplicity, an Indian spiced and dressed dish of leafy green spinach can be a marvelous meal in and of itself. Talking of spinach, that brings me nicely onto the health benefits.
Very creamy, calorie laden Chicken Korma can indeed be the nemesis of the dieter. Go to any fat fighters meeting and the mere words ‘Chicken Korma’ will have them hoisting crosses and stringing garlic up around the room. In some cases a two day food allowance can be tied up in one restaurant portion of Chicken Korma, Naan Bread and a half bottle of wine! For the track suited brigade that pound Irish ring roads every evening, such a meal would require at least two laps and strike fear into their cholesterol free hearts. Thankfully not every Indian dish is like that and many have great health benefits because of the spices. Turmeric, one of the basics, has long been used worldwide as an antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial agent thanks to a chemical present in the spice called curcumin. Curcumin’s medicinal properties are now also thought to protect liver and kidney function, ward off Alzheimer’s disease and even kill cancer cells. Recent research from the Cork Cancer Research centre found that curcumin started to destroy some forms of throat cancer cells in the lab within 24 hours. Meanwhile chilies are proven to raise the heart rate, increase perspiration and release endorphins due to capsaicin, the substance which gives chilies their heat. In pharmaceuticals capsaicin is commonly used as a painkiller to help manage arthritis, shingles pain and headaches. Just like the research in Cork, American researchers at Cedars Sinai Medical Centre discovered that capsaicin killed off prostate cancer cells in the laboratory. The pepper component also dilates the blood vessels, increasing blood circulation and reducing blood pressure. Ginger is traditionally used to help digestion and reduce inflammation, as the root helps neutralise stomach acid. It’s effective at reducing nausea and may also reduce cholesterol and blood clotting. Garlic contains the chemical allicin which works to dilate the blood vessels and lessen the chance of blood clots, thereby reducing the risk of thrombosis. Sadly, to have a fully positive effect on one’s health, two to three cloves should be consumed daily, which admittedly might be a bit much for spouses and co workers. You might end up in rude health but you risk loosing some friends in the process. Of course the health benefits are just an added bonus, the real benefit is the taste. I encourage you to try cooking some Indian this week and remember that adding curry powder and lentils to a pot of meat does not a curry make! Take the time to do it properly and your taste buds will joyously reap the rewards.
Chicken Terriyaki
Ingredients:
• 2 pieces free range chicken breast, sliced
• A little Vegetable oil
• A little Flour
• A little Grated ginger
• 2tbsp Sake (rice wine)
• 4 tbsp dark soy sauce
• Sugar as per taste
• Mixed Green Salad
Method:
• Mix sake, soy sauce and sugar in a bowl to make teri-yaki sauce.
• Smear the chicken with flour.
• Heat a little oil in a frying pan.
• Sauté chicken on both sides to a golden finish and remove chicken from the pan.
• Remove the left over oil from the pan.
• Pour teri-yaki sauce into the pan and heat up to boil.
• Simmer chicken well in the pan again on both sides and turn off the heat.
• Add grated ginger to garnish.
• Serve with salads.
