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Right food, right season!
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Get the best flavour and optimum nutritional value by eating the right food in the right season
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NOT THE RIGHT KIND Tempting, but junk food is best avoided. Try some seasonal stuff instead to stay healthy
Nostalgia is a handy cloak. Put it on when the need arises, doff it when you are through. Dress according to season, sleep and wake up according to season, eat and drink according to season too. Nature has a wonderful balance. It simply produces what is best suited for the season. And we, often high on frozen food, tend to ignore the gentle warning. Butwhatever modern-day living might entail, remember the benefits of eating the right food in the right season. Then you get the most flavour and nutritional value.
But today it's so easy for us to forget about seasons when we eat! Modern food processing and worldwide distribution of food make food available all through the year, and grocery shelves look much the same in December as they do in July.
In a research study conducted in 1997, significant differences were found in the nutrient content of pasteurised milk in summer versus winter. Eat as per the season. That way you are safe, you are healthy, you are wise.
To derive best nourishment, you must make your menu a seasonal one. In different parts of the world, and even in different regions of a country, seasonal menus can vary. But here are some overriding principles you can follow to ensure optimal nourishment in every season: In spring, focus on tender, leafy vegetables. The greening that occurs in springtime should be represented by greens on your plate, including spinach, cabbage, fresh parsley and basil.
In summer, stick to light, cooling foods, which include watermelon, sweet-melon, strawberry, plums and vegetables like bottle-guard, zucchini, okra, and corn along with seasonings like fresh mint and cilantro. In fall, turn towards the more warming, autumn harvest foods.In winter, turn towards warming foods. Foods that take longer to grow are generally warmer than foods that grow quickly. All of the animal foods fall into the warm category including fish, chicken and lamb. So do most of the root vegetables, including carrot, potato, onion and garlic. Do not forget to include nuts. Eggs too fall in this category.
In all seasons, be creative! Let the natural backdrop of spring, summer, fall and winter be your guide. Purchasing locally grown and seasonal foods can benefit the economy, environment, and personal nutrition in many ways. Convenience foods are less nutritious than food you can prepare fresh at home. Seasonal cooking can be an adventure. Try this seasonal recipe:
Kalaunji Ke Baingan
Ingredients
16/20 eggplants (small and oblong); 5 tbs mustard oil; 4 cloves; 2 bay leaves and a more than generous pinch of asafoetida (dissolve in 2 tbs of water).
The Filling
2 tbs mango powder; 1 tbs cumin powder; 2 tsp red chilli powder; half tsp turmeric powder; 2 tsp fennel seeds; 2 tsp coriander seeds; half tsp onion seeds; half tsp fenugreek seeds; half tsp yellow mustard seeds; half tsp ajwain; 1 stuffed red chilli pickle (remove filling and discard skin); salt to taste and 1 tbs lemon juice.
The tempering
A small pinch of onion seeds; a tiny pinch of fenugreek seeds; a tiny pinch of yellow mustard seeds
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 30 minutes; cooking Time: 15-20 minutes
Preparation
The eggplant: Wash in running water, pat dry, slice off the crown, slit crosswise along the length and keep aside.
The filling: Put all the ingredients in a bowl, mix well and divide into 16/20 equal portions.
The stuffing: Pack a portion of the filling in each eggplant.
Cooking:
Heat mustard oil to a smoking point in a kadhai, remove pan from heat and sprinkle a little water carefully to bring the temperature down (alternatively, remove and cool the oil). Reserve 15ml/1 tbs for the tempering. Reheat the remaining oil, add cloves and bay leaf, stir over medium heat until the cloves swell up, add asafoetida and stir until the moisture evaporates. Then add the stuffed eggplant, reduce to low heat, cover with a lid and cook over low heat for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, but very carefully. Remove and adjust the seasoning. Remove the bay leaf and discard.
To prepare the tempering, reheat the reserved mustard oil in a frying pan, add the remaining ingredients, stir for a few seconds and pour over the eggplant. Sprinkle lemon juice and stir very carefully. Serve hot.
RAKESH KUMAR
(The author, a Limca Book of Records title holder, is Executive Chef, Crowne Plaza, New Delhi. He can be emailed at chefrk@crowneplazadelhi.com)
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