Turmeric: An antioxidant to add to the power-food list

Photo by Nick King

Common in Indian and Pakistani cusine, turmeric possesses beneficial medical properties.

By Marcia Vanderlip

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Have you had your turmeric today? You might want to think about getting more of the pungent yellow spice into your diet.

Photo by Marcia Vanderlip

Golden Gazpacho from Cherry Hill Market & Cafe.

An increasing body of research shows curcumin, the main active ingredient in turmeric root, is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory that could fight or help prevent cancer and ease other human ailments, from arthritis to Alzheimer’s disease.

One of the most recent studies at the University of Missouri found that curcumin could reduce the cancer risk for post-menopausal women who have undergone hormone treatment.

Women who take estrogen and progestin hormone therapy have an increased risk of developing tumors. The MU study found that the spice delayed, decreased and reduced the frequency of tumors. The results show that women “could potentially take curcumin to protect themselves from developing progestin-accelerated tumors,” said Salman Hyder, Zalk Missouri Professor of Tumor Angiogenesis.

About 6 million women in the United States are using hormone replacement therapy, said Hyder, a professor of biomedical sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine and the Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center.

Previous studies have shown that curcumin appears to slow the spread of cancerous tumors in animals. Curcumin also is being studied as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, Hyder said. “It is already known that” turmeric “has properties that can prevent cancer,” he added. Turmeric also is used in the East and the West to ease arthritis and joint pain.

Turmeric, the spice that gives curry powder its golden hue, has been used for centuries in Chinese and Indian medicine; it is derived from a ginger-like root and has been used treat a wide range of ailments, from arthritis to depression. Western scientists have begun to acknowledge the healing possibilities and purifying effects of the spice, a staple in Indian and Pakistani kitchens.

Hyder thinks Westerners would certainly benefit from eating more of the foods and spices that are prevalent in Asian diets. “One in eight women gets breast cancer in America,” he said. That number drops significantly in places such as Japan and India, he said.

The American diet has strayed from natural, unprocessed foods and compounds, said Hyder, a native of Pakistan. He noted that human clinical trials will determine how much turmeric we need in our diets for it to be beneficial, but he recommends adding it to our diets as a preventative.

“Since turmeric is already consumed in South Asia and in the eastern countries and there is evidence for reduced incidence of certain types of cancers in that part of the world, it is possible that one is already consuming enough curcumin that is protective. Turmeric is consumed almost every day, so the blood levels are likely constant in Southeastern countries.”

Hyder and his wife, Rakhshan, often cook with turmeric. Rakhshan, the main cook for the family of four, frequently uses the sharp, earthy spice.

“We try to keep a healthy diet with lots of vegetables,” she said. Among her family’s favorite curry and turmeric dishes are a potato-tomato dish, “Aloo Bhujia” and a meat-potato curry called “Aloo Gosht.” She shops for her curry and Indian ingredients at World Harvest International and Gourmet Foods and at Campus Eastern Foods.

Cookbook author Bal Arneson slims down Indian recipes in “Everyday Indian: 100 Fast, Fresh, and Healthy Recipes” (Whitecap Books, 2009). Her recipes focus on flavor but cut the preparation and cooking time as well as the butter and cream. She offers her kidney bean and yam stew with cubed oranges as a favorite dish that utilizes turmeric.

One need not seek out exotic recipes to get turmeric into the diet. Remember, turmeric is what makes mustard yellow. Add a bit of turmeric to tofu scrambles, eggs, omelets, egg salad or potato salad or soups, or as a substitute for saffron in paella. Add it to a creamy corn chowder or try it in a Mexican-styled black bean stew — we’ve included the recipe, an invention of local poet Jeff Pethybridge.

This summer, Michael Kettler adds it to his curried salads with golden raisins and soups at Cherry Hill Market & Café, located at the Village of Cherry Hill. Last week, the café chef made a delicious yellow tomato gazpacho, spiced with turmeric, made from home-grown products — and he is sharing the recipe.

Try some of these recipes or simply sprinkle a little gold on your rice and vegetables and live long into the golden years.

BLACK BEANS SUPREME

2 cups dried black beans

1 whole yellow onion, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

Olive oil

Butter

1 or 2 jalapeño or serrano peppers, chopped

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

1/8 teaspoon sweet paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

Soak the beans overnight (or 1/2 hour if using a pressure cooker). When the beans are ready, sauté onion, red pepper and garlic in a blend of butter and olive oil. Add the jalapeno or serrano. After the onions begin to color, deglaze the pan with a little water. Transfer the mix to a food processor and puree. As vegetables are pureed add cumin, turmeric, cayenne and sweet paprika. Add salt and pepper.

Rinse soaked beans, bring to a boil in 4 cups of water. Add pureed mixture to beans and simmer on the stove a couple of hours. A pressure cooker will cut the time in half. Serve with chopped cilantro and a wedge of lime. Or mix salsa, chopped serrano, cilantro and live juice and serve over each bowl with a dollop of yogurt. Serve with brown or white rice.

Servings: 6-8

— Jeff Pethybridge, Columbia

ALOO GOSHT (MEAT AND POTATO CURRY)

1/2 pound potatoes (peeled, cut into 1- to 2-inch pieces)

1 pound beef, chicken, lamb mutton

1 medium onion (chopped)

4 Roma tomatoes (puree in the blender)

1 teaspoon garam masala Powder
1 cup fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons coriander powder (cumin)
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon chili powder 1 to 1-1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup oil

Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onions till transparent.

Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, chili powder, garlic, ginger and salt in the oil with little water and fry till water evaporates.

Add mutton to the above and cook till water dries.

Add tomato puree and enough water to cover the contents and cook till the meat tenderizes. If using pressure cooker put pressure for 10 minutes on medium heat.

When meat is almost done; add potatoes and cook till the potatoes are cooked and the required gravy is left. Cook throughout on low to medium heat.

Sprinkle fresh parsley and garam masala cover and simmer for five minutes.

Serve with naan, pita bread or rice.

Note: Garam masala is a blend of spices. It is available at World Harvest and Gourmet Foods and Campus Eastern Foods. Also find ginger and garlic paste at these specialty markets.

Servings: 4

— Rakhshan Hyder, Columbia

ALOO BHUJIA (PLAIN POTATOES)

6 potatoes, cut into very small cubes

3 Roma tomatoes, cut into very small cubes
1 teaspoon black cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder 2 dry red chilies
4 tablespoons oil

1 tablespoon salt, or to taste

Heat oil in a pan and add red chilies after breaking them in smaller pieces.

Sauté for a few seconds. Add cumin seeds and allow to sauté for a few seconds more.

Add potatoes and turmeric powder and sauté for 20 seconds.

Add tomatoes and sauté for another 20 seconds.

Add salt and 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook on low to medium heat till potatoes are done. Serve with naan.

Note: Look for Indian spices and frozen naan — a soft, Indian flatbread — at World Harvest International and Gourmet Foods, 3700 Monterey Drive, or Campus Eastern Foods, 408 Locust St. Warm pita bread also is a good substitute.

Servings: 4

Rakhshan Hyder, Columbia

KIDNEY BEAN AND YAM STEW WITH CUBED ORANGES

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

2 tablespoons finely chopped ginger

2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic

1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

2 tablespoons cumin seeds

1 tablespoon garam masala

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon rosemary

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon salt

1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes

2 cups cubed yams

1 cup water

1 14-ounce can kidney beans, drained

2 cups cubed oranges

Place the oil, ginger, garlic, and fenugreek seeds in a big pot over medium-high heat and cook for two minutes. Add the cumin, garam masala, bay leaves, oregano, rosemary, turmeric, and salt, and cook for two minutes.

Add the tomatoes, yams, and water; increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for seven to nine minutes. Add the kidney beans and oranges and cook for one minute. Turn the heat off and cover with a lid for 10 minutes before serving.

Servings: 4

Everyday Indian: 100 Fast, Fresh, and Healthy Recipes by Bal Arneson (Whitecap Books, 2009)

CORN CHOWDER

6 strips bacon sautéed until crispy

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1/2 cup diced green bell pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 cup canned chicken broth

1 cup milk (do not use low-fat or nonfat)

1 16- to 17-ounce can whole-kernel corn, drained, liquid reserved

Or

6 ears of corn, cooked, kernels removed from cobs (reserve 1/2 cup corn water)

Minced fresh cilantro (optional)

preparation

Sauté bacon. Remove and leave bacon fat to sauté onion, red and green bell peppers, cumin and cayenne, turmeric until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Add flour and stir one minute. Gradually mix in broth, milk and reserved corn liquid. Bring mixture to boil, whisking until smooth. Mix in corn and stir until corn is just heated through. Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with cilantro if desired and serve.

Note: Add chicken and potatoes for heartier chowder.

Jeff Pethybridge, Columbia

HALDI CHAVAL (RICE WITH TURMERIC AND GREEN ONIONS)

2 tablespoons oil

8 green onions, thinly sliced (separate green and white parts)

2 cups basmati rice

4 cups water

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1-12 teaspoons salt, or to taste

Heat the oil in a 6- to 8- quart saucepot. Add the white parts of the onions and sauté for three to four minutes. Add rice and sauté over medium-high heat until rice begins to turn opaque, about three to five minutes, stirring frequently. This step will seal in the starch so the rice will not stick together when it is cooked.

Add water, turmeric and salt. Brian to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until all the moisture is absorbed, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat. Fluff rice with a fork and sprinkle green parts of the onions on top. The cooked rice should have a very pleasant light-yellow color, dotted with bright green onions.

Servings: 6

Ajanta: Regional Feasts of India, by Lachu Moorjani

CHICKEN CURRY

All of the flavors work together here: no spice is obvious, yet all are essential to the balance of this true Indian chicken curry.

Remove the skin from:

3-1/2 pounds chicken parts

Separate the legs into thighs and drumsticks; cut each breast half diagonally in half through the bone. Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Heat in a heavy, wide skillet over medium-high heat until shimmery:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Add and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, seven to 10 minutes:

2 teaspoons very finely minced garlic

2 teaspoons very finely minced peeled fresh ginger

1 ½ teaspoons garam masala

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

Add the chicken and cook, stirring, until the chicken loses its raw color, two to three minutes.

Stir in:

1/2 cup low-fat yogurt

Cook, stirring occasionally, over high heat until the liquid has reduced and thickened and the oil separates and pools, three to five minutes. Stir in:

1 cup water

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 fresh serrano or jalapeno pepper, quartered lengthwise

3/4 teaspoon salt

Reduce the heat so that the liquid bubbles gently, cover, and cook until the dark meat pieces release clear juices when pierced with a fork, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the chicken to a platter or wide bowl and cover to keep warm. If the sauce is thin and runny, uncover the pot and boil over high heat to reduce and thicken it. Pour over the chicken.

Source: Joy of Cooking, Irma S. Rombauer

Reach Marcia Vanderlip at 573-815-1704 or e-mail mvanderlip@columbiatribune.com.

http://www.columbiatribune.com/news/2009/jul/22/the-golden-years/?food

The Szechuan peppercorn is back after a long-term ban

Descriptions of Szechuan peppercorns could apply to a drug as easily as a spice.

The peppercorn smell is wild and perfumed, and the taste is electric. Devotees swear it’s both addictive and medicinal. It literally numbs the mouth, but also imparts a woodsy hint of pine and cedar, and an intoxicating touch of acid sweetness, like a lemon soda.

		Meryl Schenker / P-I
	The Szechuan peppercorn is an essential ingredient in Szechuan cooking. Its numbing spiciness is surprising for those new to the cuisine.

The ingredient — technically the dry berry husk of the prickly ash tree — was banned by the U.S. government for years, even seized from local store shelves for fear it could spread a canker to citrus trees.

Even during the ban years (1968 to 2005, with the most serious crackdown near the end) those in the know found ways to get a Szechuan peppercorn supply. For those without a source, though, their relevant recipes were bleak. But now, with a minimal amount of legwork, the opportunity is open to anyone interested in taking that gateway bite of authentic flavor.

"It’s different than hot," said Chengdu native Ming Liao, manager of Bamboo Garden restaurant in Bellevue, which specializes in Szechuan food. "Also, it’s spicy — but different than spicy."

The restaurant goes through nearly a pound of the peppercorns a day, said owner Stacy Zhong. It’s no surprise, given the peppercorn’s central role in the kitchen.

The spice is "as integral to Szechuan cuisine as salt and pepper is to Western food," said food writer Diana Kuan in an e-mail to the P-I. Kuan is currently in southern China for her "Appetite for China" blog.

"A typical meal may start with cucumber salad and cold noodle dishes flavored with Szechuan pepper," she writes. "The main dishes could include ‘mouth-watering chicken’ bathed in Szechuan pepper oil, fish bathed in Szechuan pepper oil and chile peppers, noodles in a Szechuan pepper sauce, and green beans stir-fried with crushed Szechuan peppers. It’s pretty much evident in every part of the meal, except the rice, beverages and fruit that’s served for dessert."

The numbing spiciness is surprising for those new to the cuisine, she said, but easy to adapt to, and even to crave.

Physically, the compounds in the Szechuan (also spelled Sichuan) peppercorn as well as the related Japanese sansho "appear to act on several different kinds of nerve endings at once, induce sensitivity to touch and cold in nerves that are ordinarily nonsensitive, and so perhaps cause a kind of general neurological confusion," food scientist Harold McGee wrote in his classic book "On Food and Cooking." He compared the buzzing, numbing effect to touching the terminals of a nine-volt battery to the tongue.

In the Bamboo Garden kitchen, chef Mingjei Lee scatters the spice with a flourish over classic dishes such as ma po tofu and restaurant specialties such as Swimming Fire Fish, sometimes using it freshly toasted and ground to a fine powder, sometimes steeping the peppercorns in oil, sometimes opting to use them whole.

The oil has a stronger flavor, Lee said through a translator, while the toasted whole peppercorns have a more attractive odor. Almost always, he adds the ingredient in the final moments of preparing the dish to impart the maximum flavor and prevent the spice from burning. Most often, it’s used in conjunction with chiles, creating a combination of spicy heat along with the peppercorn buzz.

"If it’s just numbing," said Zhong, "it’s not that interesting."

The peppercorns now found in the U.S. are legal if they have been heated to remove any risk of canker. It can still be hit or miss for retailers to find a reliable supply, though, said Jason Nakaya, central grocery manager at Uwajimaya.

On a recent visit, I found both whole and ground peppercorns on the shelves of the Seattle Uwajimaya, but Nakaya said it’s always safest to call in advance and make sure they’re in stock. He thinks vendors aren’t always willing or able to comply with the new standards, making the supply chain spotty.

		Meryl Schenker / P-I
	Szechuan peppercorn is the key to classics such as the ma po tofu served at Bamboo Garden in Bellevue.

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MA PO TOFU
SERVES 2-3 AS A MAIN COURSE

• 1 block bean curd (about 1 pound)
• 4 baby leeks or two regular leeks (or a handful of scallions can be substituted)
• 1/2 cup peanut oil (as little as 3 tablespoons is OK if you want less oil)
• 6 ounces ground beef (ground pork, generally more common in Szechuan dishes, can be used instead)
• 2 1/2 tablespoons Szechuanese chili bean paste
• 1 tablespoon fermented black beans
• 2 teaspoons ground Szechuanese chiles (optional)
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
• Salt to taste
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 6 tablespoons cold water
• 1/2 teaspoon ground roasted Szechuan pepper

Cut the bean curd into 1-inch cubes and leave to steep in very hot or gently simmering water that is lightly salted.

Slice the leeks at a steep angle into thin "horse ear"-shaped slices 1 1/2 inches long.

Season the wok, then add the peanut oil and heat over a high flame until smoking. (If using a pan, add the peanut oil and heat over high heat). Add the minced beef and stir-fry until it is crispy and a little brown, but not yet dry. Turn the heat down to medium, add the chili bean paste, and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until the oil is a rich red color. Add the fermented black beans and ground chiles and stir-fry for another 20-30 seconds until they are both fragrant and the chiles have added their color to the oil. Pour in the stock, stir well, and add the drained bean curd. Mix it in gently by pushing the back of your ladle or wok scoop gently from the edges to the center of the wok or pan — do not stir or the bean curd may break up. Season with the sugar, a couple of teaspoons of soy sauce, and salt to taste. Simmer for about 5 minutes, until the bean curd has absorbed the flavors of the sauce. Add the leeks or scallions and gently stir in. When they are just cooked, add the cornstarch mixture in 2 or 3 stages, mixing well, until the sauce has thickened enough to cling glossily to the meat and bean curd. Don’t add more than you need. Finally, pour everything into a deep bowl, scatter with the ground Szechuan pepper, and serve with rice or vegetables.

From "Land of Plenty" by Fuchsia Dunlop

MAO DOU (SOYBEANS IN THEIR PODS)
SERVES 4-6 AS A STARTER

• About 1 pound frozen soybeans (edamame) in their pods
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon whole Szechuan peppercorn
• Walnut-size piece of unpeeled fresh ginger, crushed

Put the frozen beans in a pan and cover generously with boiling water. Bring the water back to a boil, add the seasonings, and then simmer for 5-6 minutes. Drain and then refresh in cold running water. Serve at room temperature. (Tester’s note: While the cooking pot emitted a marvelous fragrance for this dish, the pods in the end are only very lightly flavored. It’s a good dish for getting a hint of the peppercorn without the full-on effect.)

From "Land of Plenty"

SZECHUAN CUCUMBER SALAD
SERVES 6-8 AS AN APPETIZER

• 1 large or 2 medium-size cucumbers, peeled
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil, such as peanut or vegetable
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Szechuan pepper, ground or whole, or substitute red chili flakes
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 or 2 teaspoons chili garlic paste

Cut the cucumber(s) in half lengthwise, then cut each half again so you have quartered strips. Cut or scoop out the seedy middle section. Slice each strip into 1-inch cubes. Put the cucumbers in a bowl, and toss with salt. Set aside for 5-10 minutes, as the salt draws out excess moisture from the cucumbers.

Heat a small pan on medium-low heat. Add cooking oil, then add garlic and Szechuan pepper. Cook until fragrant, but be careful to not to let the garlic burn. Set aside in a small dish to cool.

Drain the cucumbers through a strainer or sieve, and return them to the bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix the rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and chili garlic paste. Pour the mixture over the cucumbers. Add in the garlic and pepper that was cooling, and mix well. Serve at room temperature, or chill in the refrigerator for up to a day to serve cold.

Courtesy of Diana Kuan, appetiteforchina.com

 

SPICY TIPS

Ken Hom, author of "Easy Family Recipes From a Chinese-American Childhood," gives this advice in his book for selecting and using the peppercorns:

Avoid packets with dark seeds; they should be a vibrant, rusty, reddish brown.

They are best when vacuum-packed, for they quickly lose their aroma if left out too long.

To roast them, heat a wok or heavy frying pan to medium heat. Add up to 1/4 cup of peppercorns, and stir-fry about 5 minutes, until they brown slightly and begin to smoke. Remove the pan from the heat and let them cool. Grind them in a peppermill or clean coffee grinder, or with a mortar and pestle. Sift the ground peppercorn through a fine mesh and discard any of the hard hulls. Seal tightly in a screw-top jar. Alternatively, keep the whole roasted peppercorns in a well-sealed container and grind as needed.

Curcumin, an ingredient in the curry spice turmeric, may help prevent heart failure.

That’s according to two new studies done on rats, not people.

In both studies, researchers gave curcumin to rats. The rats then got surgery or drugs designed to put them at risk of heart failure.

The rats that got curcumin showed more resistance to heart failure and inflammation than comparison groups of rats that didn’t get curcumin.

Also, in one of the studies, the researchers saw signs that curcumin treatment reversed heart enlargement. The other study didn’t include that experiment.

Together, the studies suggest that curcumin short-circuited the heart enlargement process, though it’s not clear how it did that.

Both studies showed no sign of side effects from curcumin.

The researchers included Tatsuya Morimoto, MD, PhD, of the National Hospital Organization in Kyoto, Japan, and Hong-Liang Li, MD, PhD, of the University of Toronto’s cardiology division.

The studies "came to nearly identical conclusions," says an editorial published with the studies in February’s edition of The Journal of Clinical Investigation.

But editorialist Jonathan Epstein, MD, cautions against counting on curcumin to prevent heart failure in people, since the findings in rodents may not apply to people.

Epstein works at University of Pennsylvania’s cell and developmental biology department, Cardiovascular Institute, and Institute for Regenerative Medicine.