Over the years, I've come to realize that some of the ingredients in the traditional dishes were not just randomly included: it seems like the age-old recipes factored in the benefits of the required ingredients and made up a formula for the rest of us to follow.
One such ingredient which is a staple in most Indian recipes is cumin. Besides being a digestive aid, it has antifungal properties, and is rich in iron. Powdered cumin with castor oil used to be a standard home remedy my mom gave us when we were young, for its laxative properties.
Anyway, I am rambling here... what I was getting at is that, while I do experiment with fusion cuisine, I also try to incorporate ingredients that I grew up with and use it in a sensible way. Or atleast, in a way that seems sensible to me.
I have been using Berbere spice mix often lately as I have a goodish batch of it handy. Cumin seeds (jeera) with roast cauliflower is a simple and popular side dish in Indian cuisine. This time, I simply steamed the cauliflower partially so it is still firm, then sauteed with berbere spice mix, a touch of brown sugar, salt, and cumin seeds, plus chopped cilantro; then finished off by roasting it in the oven.
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