Try Colour

Try Colour – By Chef Kunal

Wishing you all from the bottom of my heart a very heart felt and an inspiring Independence day. Seldom we realize the meaning of sacrifice for freedom and importance of breaking free and very often we fall back into the very clutches that we got free from. Food is what nourishes and that very food can be the reason for our suffering. Discipline along with the knowledge of what to eat, together can guide us to the path to break free from illness and sufferings. 

Tricolor or the Indian national flag is the symbol of our identity and culture. I really don’t know what went into deciding the color of our beautiful national flag but there is a hidden code there which I have tried to break. The 3 prominent colors (Saffron, white and green) speak aloud what could become the strength/identity of a healthy nation. The saffron orange color depicts courage, the white denotes peace & purity and the green for prosperity.

In my honest food research I found out that color of our daily food could become the guideline for a healthy life. Saffron or the orange color in our national flag not only depicts the courage & sacrifice but also signifies that all orange colored fruits and vegetables that we know of, all most all of them get this orange color because of the presence of Beta Carotene. Vitamin A and Vitamin C are highest in orange colored foods. The naturally occurring antioxidants, vitamins and fiber in such foods are good for the immune system, skin, eyes and heart.

Beta-carotenes are high in antioxidants and help boost the immune system of our body along with Vit A and Vit C. All three fight against free radicals in the body and at the same time improve the vision and enhances skin. Common examples are oranges, carrots, yam, papaya, mango, peaches, pumpkin, peaches, muskmelon etc.

The white color foods are very tricky. I admit it is near impossible to avoid them but control and eating in moderation will have lasting good effects on mind and body. 

White colored foods refer to foods that are white in color. Now there are healthy white foods such as onions, cauliflower, turnips, garlic, fish, low fat milk and milk products, etc.  onions and garlic are known for their anti inflammatory properties and a good oily fish has essential fatty acids required by the body. Milk skimmed from its fat is high in calcium, phosphorus and proteins. Tofu is another wonder ingredient that if included in the white diet supplements body with natural vegetarian protein. Also tofu is low in calories and high in calcium and iron.

And on the other side there are white foods that are usually processed and have high carb content. Eg. Maida, bread, paste, cereals, sugar, salt etc. Processed white foods usually are low in fiber, high in salts & sugars and creates intense cravings, leading an individual to eat more. Processed white foods in the long run pose health concerns that become chronic. A lot of white foods are canned or frozen for convenience. the process of increasing the shelf life of white foods involves use of preservatives, high salt, high sugars and high acidity. All these pose health hazards in the long run. Choose wisely the white, it can be really deceptive.

Green foods are one of the most common and most talked about. They are a very important source of nutrition and have to be an important part of every meal. The god part about green foods is that they are abundant and it is not really difficult to find few that will tantalize your taste buds. The very common ones are spinach, broccoli, cucumber, fenugreek, cabbage, gourd, snake gourd, tinda, lettuce, okra, beans etc. 

Each and every green colored vegetable or fruits are loaded with fiber, are low in calories and have good amounts of antioxidants. Many of the green foods are superfoods that have high antioxidants and plenty of vitamins and at the same time low in calories. Even a huge serving of these greens will not lead to weight gain and at the same time will give health and nutrition to the body. 

Last not the least the bit of Blue that resonates from the national flag has a very deep meaning. Blue & Purple foods like the blue berries, banana flower, brinjals, black grapes, plums, red cabbage etc are known for their antioxidant properties as well as it lowers the risk of heart related ailments and memory loss.

These blue and purple foods are a rich source of anthocyanin. Anthocyanin when naturally consumed help in protecting the body from urinary track infections, stomach ulcers and gum infections. 

Independence day is a day to relax, stretch and rejuvenate. Try the tri color this independence and break free from ailments. Make tri color a part of your life the same way our national flag is.

Banana Flower Salad 

No of Portions -- 2

Preparation Time – 15mins

Ingredients:-

Purple banana flower shredded (filaments removed) – 2 ½ cup

Tamarind paste – 2 tbl spn

Jaggery – 100 Gms

Toasted sesame – 1 tbl spn

Toasted peanuts – ½ cup

Mint leaves – 1 cup

Olive oil – 2 tbl spn

Salt – 1/4^th of a tsp

Method:-

• Thinly slice the banana flower and keep aside in a bowl in ice water. Separately in another bowl put crushed jaggery, tamarind pulp and olive oil. Mix in all of these nicely.
• Drain the shreadded banana flower and place in a bowl. Now sprinkle toasted sesame, peanuts, mint leaves and salt on the banana flower. 
• Pour over the dressing and mix well. Serve immediately.

Grilled Tofu Skewers 

No of Portions -- 2

Preparation Time – 15mins

Cooking Time – 15mins

Ingredients:-

Hard Tofu Cubes – 200 Gms

Hung yogurt (low fat) – 70 gms

Salt – to taste 

Black pepper pwd – to taste

Ginger paste – 2 tsp

Garlic paste – 2 tsp

Basil leaves – ½ cup

Cashewnut paste – 1 tbl spn

Red chilly powder – 1 ½ tsp

Oil – 2 tbl spn

Wooden skewers – as required 

Method: -

• Finely chop the basil leaves and mix with the rest of the ingredients except tofu to make a marinade.
• Now apply the marinade to tofu, skewer it and let it rest for an hour.
• Heat a thick bottom pan and drizzle little oil. Cook tofu on all sides and serve hot.

Palak aur Soya

No of Portions -- 1no

Preparation Time – 12mins

Cooking Time – 12mins

Ingredients:-

Spinach leaves – 3 cups

Butter – 1 ½ tbl spn

Onion chopped – 2 tbl spn

Garlic chopped –1tbl spn

Green chilly chopped – 2 tsp

Turmeric – 1 tsp

Black pepper pwd – 2 tsp

Coriander pwd – 2 tsp

Soya leaves (dill leaves) — ½ cup 

Salt – to taste 

Method:-

• For palak soya boil water and add the washed spinach leaves for 15 seconds and take them out. Immediately place them in chilled water. Remove and drain excess water. Roughly chop the spinach and chop the soya leaves. 
• Melt butter and add the onion, garlic, green chilly and sauté them till transparent. Now add the chopped spinach and sauté for 5 minutes. Add salt, turmeric, black pepper and coriander pwd and sauté for another minute.
• Now toss the in the dill and remove immediately.

Fruit Chaat in Orange and Dill Dressing

No of Portions -- 2

Preparation Time – 15mins

Ingredients:-

Orange segments – 20nos

Mango diced – 1 cup

Peaches diced – 1 cup 

Carrots diced – 1 cup

Pomegranate – ½ cup 

Olive oil – 1 tbl spn

Fresh Orange juice – 100ml

Chaat masala – 2 tsp

Roasted cumin – 2 tsp

Lemon – 1 no (optional)

Dill chopped – 1tbl spn

Salt – to taste

Method:-

• Place the entire fruits in a large bowl.
• Separately in a clean bowl pour the orange juice, chopped dill, add the chaat masala, roasted cumin and lemon juice. (Use lemon juice only if you need extra pungency or if the orange juice if not acidic enough).
• Pour in olive oil little by little and keep whisking it. Now pour this dressing over the fruits.  Let the fruits sit in the extra orange juice for a minute or two. Serve immediately.