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Right food, right season

Get the best flavour and optimum nutritional value by eating the right food in the right season

NOT THE RIGHT KIND Tempting, but junk food is best avoided. Try some seasonal stuff instead to stay healthy

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. But whatever modern-day living might entail, remember the benefits of eating the right food in the right season. Then you get the best flavour and nutritional value.

For best value, look out for seasonal food locally grown. A food that is grown in hot climate is also likely to be most needed by those living in such a climate. Seasons form the natural backdrop for eating. All the world's healthiest foods are seasonal. But today it's so easy for us to forget about seasons when we eat! Modern food processing and worldwide distribution of food make it 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 compared to winter. Iodine was higher in winter; beta-carotene higher in summer.

The researchers discovered that these differences in milk composition were primarily due to differences in the diet of the cows. With more salt-preserved foods in winter and more fresh plants in summer, cows ended up producing nutritionally different milks during the two seasons. Similarly, researchers in Japan found three-fold differences in the vitamin C content of spinach harvested in summer compared to the greens harvested in winter. What does this mean to you?

Eat according to the season. That way you are safe and healthy.

. In different parts of the world, and even in different regions of a country, seasonal menus can vary. But here are some principles you can follow to ensure optimal nourishment 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 gourd, zucchini, okra, and corn along with seasonings like fresh mint and cilantro. In fall, turn towards the more warming, autumn harvest foods, including carrots and sweet potato. Also emphasise peppercorn and ginger. In winter, turn to 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 a seasonal recipe.

Kalaunji Ke Baingan

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients

Eggplants (small and oblong): 16-20

Mustard oil: 5 tbsp

Cloves: 4

Bay leaves: 2

A generous pinch of asafoetida (dissolved in 2 tbsp of water).

For filling

Mango powder: 2 tbsp
Cumin powder: 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder: 2 tsp
Turmeric powder: half tsp
Fennel seeds: 2 tsp
Coriander seeds: 2 tsp
Onion seeds: half tsp
Fenugreek seeds: half tsp
Yellow mustard seeds: half tsp
Ajwain: half tsp
Stuffed, pickled red chilli (remove filling and discard skin): 1
Salt to taste
Lemon juice: 1 tbsp
For tempering

A small pinch of onion seeds; a tiny pinch of fenugreek seeds; a tiny pinch of yellow mustard seeds

Preparation

Wash the eggplant 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. Pack a portion of the filling in each eggplant.

Method: Heat mustard oil to a smoking point in a kadai, remove pan from heat and sprinkle a little water carefully to bring the temperature down (alternatively, remove and cool the oil).

Reserve 15ml or 1 tbsp 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 carefully. Serve hot.

RAKESH KUMAR

Executive Chef Crowne Plaza, New Delhi

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