vikas khanna
my diet
Spice Route
coriander
ground
cardamom
A celebrated Indian
chef shares the secret
ingredients that will add
years to your life
ground
cumin
turmeric
When I was 12, I spent a
month eating nothing
but potatoes. It wasn’t
by choice…so did seven
others in my family. We
lived in Amritsar, India, near the Pakistan
border, where an armed conflict in 1984 cut
our city off from food and supplies. The only
reason any of us are alive today is that my
grandmother had squirreled away hundreds
of potatoes. Even more amazing—and what
continues to inspire me to this day as a chef
in my restaurant, Purnima—is that not one
of those comforting curries she prepared in
that stressful time tasted the same. She also
happened to have quite a stash of spices.
Nothing goes into Indian food by default.
The Brahmins, mystics, and sages that
historians credit with developing the Indian
diet more than 7,000 years ago knew that
spices, herbs, and other botanicals could
have profound effects on the body. As
strange as it may sound, Indians stay healthy
by adding spices to their foods in the way that
Americans use salt and pepper. I never even
heard of over-the-counter cold medicines
or pain relievers when I was a kid, and
there certainly wasn’t a drugstore on every
corner. If I had a sore throat, for example,
my grandmother would boil a teaspoon of
turmeric and sugar in a cup of water. I’d drink
it before bedtime and wake up feeling fine.
Turmeric isn’t some weird, hard-to-find
ingredient either. If you put mustard on hot
dogs and hamburgers or use chili powder,
you’re probably already eating it. Using
other Indian spices can be as simple as
grilling fennel with a fillet of fish or brewing
cardamom with your coffee. Here are some
of the health-packed spices I use in my
kitchen and the best ways to use them in
yours. AS TOLD TO VERONICA HINKE
cumin
seeds
star
anise
ground
coriander
cardamom
seeds
fennel
seeds
saffron
Vikas Khanna,
37, is the head chef at Purnima,
a New York restaurant he opened after excelling
on Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares .
Saffron
Saffron’s bright orange
color comes from a
natural acid called
crocetin, which studies
suggest may help prevent
neurological disorders
such as Parkinson’s
disease. Bold color and
health benefits aside,
saffron also provides a
hint of honey flavor. “Try
coating chicken with it,”
says Khanna.
Turmeric
Researchers at the
University of California at
Los Angeles have found
that curcumin, a chemical
in turmeric, helps deter
the accumulation of
amyloid plaques in the
brain, tiny blockages that
may cause Alzheimer’s
disease. Turmeric’s
prevalence in India, the
researchers suggest, may
help explain why so few
of the country’s senior
citizens have the disease,
whereas the statistic is
close to 13 percent in the
United States, according
to the Alzheimer’s
Association. A different
UCLA team found that
curcumin might be
absorbed more effectively
when cooked. “It’s bitter,”
says Khanna, “so add it
in small doses to broths,
sauces, and soups.”
Cumin
Just half a teaspoon of
these tiny seeds carries
more than double the
antioxidants found in
half a cup of chopped
tomatoes, according to
the USDA, and nearly
twice as much as a
medium-size carrot.
Sprinkle the light-brown seeds into soups
and sauces to add a
bittersweet peppery note.
Cardamom
This spice has many
varieties, each with
its own distinct flavor,
but Ray Sahelian, MD,
a Los Angeles–based
nutritionist, says they’re
all high in antioxidants.
The spice can also help
restore healthy levels
of glutathione, which
protects cells from
toxins. Add the pods to
your tea while it steeps
or grind them with your
coffee beans, a popular
tradition in Middle Eastern
countries. “You can knead
the powder into cookie
dough too,” says Khanna.
Fennel
Fennel contains nearly
as much potassium per
cup as bananas, and
upping your potassium
intake is as important
as decreasing salt or
sodium consumption
in maintaining healthy
blood-pressure levels,
according to researchers
at the University of Texas
Southwestern Medical
Center. Add fresh fennel
to the grill, recommends
Khanna, or pour hot water
over its seeds to brew a
licorice-tasting tea that
will open your sinuses.
Coriander
The seeds of the cilantro
plant, coriander contains
kaempferol, an oil that
researchers at Baylor
College of Medicine claim
may inhibit the growth of
pancreatic cancer cells.
“I use coriander to add a
tangy citrus flavor to my
naan, an Indian flatbread
that’s similar to pita,”
says Khanna.
Star Anise
Anethole, the essential
oil in star anise that gives
the star-shaped spice
its distinctive licorice
flavor, helps reduce
inflammation, according
to a study at the University
of Texas M. D. Anderson
Cancer Center. The best
way to benefit from it?
Khanna suggests using
the ground seeds as a rub
for meats.
LEVI BROWN
BestLifeOnline.com
