Talismanic turmeric

Trendy and tenacious, turmeric is all things healthy but it does not mean that it needs to be considered bland and insipid. Sharmila Chand tells you how to give the yellow wonder a healthy twist

Given the current scenario, nutritious food is the need of the hour. Even chefs across the country are giving their best shot to offer healthy food without compromising on flavours. They believe turmeric can be a key ingredient to enhance the taste and well-balanced texture in many dishes, while also aiding in boosting immunity.

Chef Neeraj Tyagi, who is passionate about curating and presenting innovative dishes with a distinctive twist, believes that Rajasthani Kachhi Haldi, Mutter Makhane, a speciality dish from Rajasthan, is not only robust in flavours but is also packed with essential nutrients to build immunity. A fresh turmeric and yoghurt curry mildly flavoured with traditional spices, it can be served with crispy chapatis. Chef Tyagi says, “This dish is influenced by traditional home-style cooking, where a blend of Indian spices and raw turmeric are ground together using the traditional stone grinding method called sil batta. This mixture is then tempered with mustard oil, whole red chillies, cumin and ginger garlic paste and cooked till the time the oil gets separated. Yoghurt is added to give a smooth consistency and finally, fresh green peas are added and garnished with fried cashew nuts and foxnut (makhana). Foxnuts render a nice nutty flavour to the dish and balance out the overall taste and texture of the dish. The tradition of stone grinding brings an extraordinary flavour to this particular recipe. The dish is popular in Jodhpur and is primarily made in desi ghee.”

Kickstarter soup

A kickstarter

With 18 years of experience, Chef Tarun Sibal, an expert at food and liquid culture, swears by his one bowl wonder of Kickstarter Soup which he believes is full of goodness and deeply satisfying. It acts almost like a kickstarter and keeps one going for the entire day. He explains, “In the recipe, raw turmeric is used on two counts — at first to increase the vitality and potency of the soup and then to enhance the immunity quotient. Raw turmeric adds some amount of pungency and gives loads of earthiness, complementing the sweetness and sourness of tomatoes and orange.”

Crème Brûlée

A healthy twist

With over 12 years of cross-cultural experience in the F&B industry, Chef Suraj Kumar Sahoo’s passion reflects in his French classic — the traditional Crème Brûlée — which is made with vanilla beans and caramelised sugar. A combination of rich creaminess and perfect crunch, it is a perfect dessert to entice and indulge. But Chef Suraj gives the traditional dessert an Indian immunity booster twist. Reminiscent of the haldi milk, and known as the fail-safe grandmother’s recipe for a seasonal cough, the Turmeric Crème Brûlée combines the richness of the French classic dessert with the goodness of turmeric.

Versatility galore

Known for thinking out of the box and curating dishes with the best of local produce, Chef Vaibhav Bhargava’s Turmeric Fish Tikka With Turmeric Aioli utilises turmeric’s versatility. He says, “I wanted to use turmeric for all its properties so combined it with fish as the combination works very well. I use turmeric to marinate the fish so that it is full of flavour and has a healthy quotient, too. Sole fish is marinated with turmeric and other spices and then grilled in tandoor, and finally served with saffron and turmeric aioli.” A perfect dish with clean flavours for fish lovers to rejoice.

Turmeric Galangal Kaafirlime

Cocktail anyone?

Interestingly, turmeric is being used not only as a primary ingredient by chefs for their innovative dishes but these days even mixologists are taking full advantage of its properties in their curated beverages. Hence, Premix Turmeric Galangal Kaafirlime is an exclusive preparation by Gaurav Sahai, an F&B consultant.

Gaurav explains, “This cocktail is healthy and rich in antioxidants. The perfect amalgamation of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of turmeric and galangal make the most interesting combination for a fresh cocktail premix.”

So, go ahead and get your dose of a healthy fare!