Make your own spice mix
Turmeric's health benefits are well documented now and many "experts" are encouraging people to use it on a daily basis. However like any powerful machine one has to know how to use it properly or you can have an accident. I have seen the accidents as a result of turmeric - overuse or improper use overheating the liver and causing all kinds of problems for psoriatic elbow to inflamed joints to mention just a few.
So how is it best to use turmeric? Besides all its wonderful benefits Turmeric is also heating to the liver and drying. Therefore it needs to be cooked with unctuous substance like ghee and also cooling spices like coriander and fennel.
So here is the recipe for our basic spice mix that is used when cooking lentils, chicken or fish and veggies. Once you have made the spice mix it needs to be stored in a glass jar that is kept tightly closed so that the aromatic components to not escape. Also only make enough for 1-2 months - max 3 months. You want this fresh and aromatic. The natural aromatic components of the spices are the messengers in our physiology. Many are spice deficient rather than vitamin deficient.
Grind up the following spices in these proportions - if you have bought the spices as powders be sure they are fresh and smell wonderful. I use a small coffee grinder to grind my spices. Works really well.
6 parts Coriander seed
6 parts Fennel seed
1 part Cumin seed
1 parts ground Turmeric
You can add 1/2 to 1 part black pepper, fenugreek, cinnamon, ginger. However be very cautious as all these spices have some heating qualities so we don't want to over do it. We need to cool the heating qualities of the turmeric with the coriander and fennel seed. Remember balance.
So now you are ready to go. You can add 1-2 teaspoonfuls of the spice mix to 1-2 teaspoonfuls of ghee and saute a few seconds until they toast a bit and start to smell wonderful then add your lentils, veggies or chicken and stir it in - add some water - depending on what you are making and your have a wonderfully balances dish with all the medicinal benefits of the spices.
Enjoy.
So how is it best to use turmeric? Besides all its wonderful benefits Turmeric is also heating to the liver and drying. Therefore it needs to be cooked with unctuous substance like ghee and also cooling spices like coriander and fennel.
So here is the recipe for our basic spice mix that is used when cooking lentils, chicken or fish and veggies. Once you have made the spice mix it needs to be stored in a glass jar that is kept tightly closed so that the aromatic components to not escape. Also only make enough for 1-2 months - max 3 months. You want this fresh and aromatic. The natural aromatic components of the spices are the messengers in our physiology. Many are spice deficient rather than vitamin deficient.
Grind up the following spices in these proportions - if you have bought the spices as powders be sure they are fresh and smell wonderful. I use a small coffee grinder to grind my spices. Works really well.
6 parts Coriander seed
6 parts Fennel seed
1 part Cumin seed
1 parts ground Turmeric
You can add 1/2 to 1 part black pepper, fenugreek, cinnamon, ginger. However be very cautious as all these spices have some heating qualities so we don't want to over do it. We need to cool the heating qualities of the turmeric with the coriander and fennel seed. Remember balance.
So now you are ready to go. You can add 1-2 teaspoonfuls of the spice mix to 1-2 teaspoonfuls of ghee and saute a few seconds until they toast a bit and start to smell wonderful then add your lentils, veggies or chicken and stir it in - add some water - depending on what you are making and your have a wonderfully balances dish with all the medicinal benefits of the spices.
Enjoy.
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