Turmeric, apart from being a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, gives an original touch to your dishes. See how it enhances the flavor in these delicious recipes.
For the traditional medicines of India and China, turmeric is a basic medicine with a multitude of indications. It treats, among other problems, poor digestion, liver disorders, joint pain, fever, cough, menstrual disorders or, in topical application, eczema and other skin pathologies.
In cooking, turmeric is ideal to take with legumes, such as red lentils and chickpeas or with vegetables. In pasta or couscous dishes it also gives a good touch of flavor and color. You can add it in cooking or dressing.
Although turmeric is a much less valued spice than saffron – and also cheaper – it is a true culinary treasure that crosses borders to give color and flavor to a wide variety of dishes.
In the kitchen it should be used with moderation, since an excess would give a touch too bitter. Its use is characteristic of Indian cuisine, which skillfully mixes it with other spices to achieve subtle differences in flavor and flavor all kinds of dishes.
Take advantage of the power of turmeric, with its anti-inflammatory and calorific effect in these tasty recipes.
CORAL LENTILS WITH CORIANDER AND TURMERIC
Do not miss the opportunity to try this rich recipe, in which it is combined with other powerful spices, such as ginger, coriander, cayenne pepper or cumin. In addition, the recipe incorporates black pepper, to improve the absorption of curcumin. Olive oil also helps in this regard.
Ingredients for 4 people
- 200 g coral lentils
- 1 white onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 2 medium tomatoes, peeled and seeded
- 2 cm grated ginger root
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cayenne chilli, without seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- Fresh cilantro
- Olive (or sunflower) oil
Preparation (25 minutes + 45 of cooking)
- Sauté the onion, with olive oil and salt.
- Add the green pepper and chilli, and once soft, the garlic and ginger.
- Towards the end, add the tomato, cumin, pepper and turmeric.
- Add the lentils to the sofrito already made, the bay leaf, and cover them with water or vegetable broth.
- Cook 20 minutes over low heat and garnish the dish with fresh cilantro.
One serving of this recipe provides 238 calories, 29 grams of carbohydrates, 13 grams of protein and 8 grams of fat, in addition to 4.2 mg of iron.
TOFU SKEWER WITH TURMERIC AND SESAME
Tofu, the tofu, gains in flavor when we mix it with turmeric, either in fillings, sautéed or on skewers.
In this recipe the combination of spices in the dressing not only flavors the tofu, but also enhances the absorption of turmeric. This is due to the presence of black pepper and the use of olive oil and onion, which also contribute to improving the bioavailability of curcumin. Black sesame seeds enrich the dish with their abundant minerals, while providing a crunchy and decorative touch.
Enjoy this recipe!
Ingredients for 4 people
- 300 g tofu, diced
- 2 red onions
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon black sesame
- Fresh cilantro, well chopped
- Olive oil and salt
- Soy sauce (optional)
Preparation (15 minutes + 10 of cooking)
- Prepare a spicy dressing by adding to the lemon juice a tablespoon of chopped onion, turmeric, pepper, half of the cilantro, oil, salt and, if desired, a little soy sauce.
- Macerate the tofu for about 30 minutes in this dressing, so that it soaks well and takes flavor.
- Cut the rest of the onion into very thin rings, let it submerged water for a few minutes and drain it well.
- String the tofu on previously moistened skewers.
- Cook the skewers in the preheated oven at 180° C or on the griddle.
- Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and the rest of the cilantro and serve the thin onion rings. Chopped fresh cilantro and onion rings will bring freshness to the dish.
Nutritional information: one serving of this dish provides 146 calories, 6 g of carbohydrates, 9 g of protein and 9 g of fat, in addition to 38% of the calcium needed per day.
TURMERIC VEGETABLE SAMOSAS
In this recipe it flavors a combination of vegetables among which is the onion. This combination enhances its anticancer effect. In a study published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology it was observed that when combining 480 mg of curcumin with 20 mg of quercitin (present in onions) the number of intestinal polyps or precancerous lesions fell by 60.4% and their size was reduced by 51%.
Consuming turmeric and onion together will surely not achieve the same results as in the study, but it could contribute to our health with some protective effect against cancer. Enjoy these delicacies of Indian cuisine!
Ingredients for 4 people
- 6 sheets of brick paste
- 100 g onion
- 100 g leek
- 100 g carrot
- 100 g red pepper
- 100 g zucchini
- 100 g green beans
- 1 piece of cabbage
- Chopped garlic
- Lemon juice
- A soft oil
Spices:
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin grains
- 1/2 teaspoon seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon cilantro
- Some fresh cilantro
Preparation (20 minutes + 45 minutes cooking)
- Cut all vegetables into thin strips.
- Boil lightly or steam the green beans.
- Sauté them in a mild oil, adding them in this order: onion, leek, pepper, carrot, minced garlic, cabbage and zucchini. At the end add the lightly cooked green beans.
- In a mortar grind the seeds with the ginger and add the turmeric.
- Pour the seeds with the spices over the vegetables and leave on the fire for 5 minutes.
- Salt and pepper and drizzle with lemon juice and fresh cilantro.
- Cut the brik leaves in two.
- Put some filling on each half of the brick sheets and fold them into a triangle shape.
- Fry them in a good olive oil and serve them with a tomato jam or turmeric mayonnaise.
Nutritional information: One serving of this recipe gives you 192 calories, 21 g of carbohydrates, 5 g of protein and 7 g of fat.
