Hearing the words “turmeric” and “anti-inflammatory” in the same sentence was enough to put me on an experimental roll. My mother has rheumatoid arthritis. Functional foods that help prevent a recurrence of the pain and swelling – and keep her off of the steroids that induce what I unscientifically refer to as “Mighty Mouse” syndrome – are worth incorporating into our repetoire.
Coincidentally, I tired of Caribbean cooking. Somehow, everything tasted like adobo or a package of pre-mixed seasoning with achiote, the ground seed that gives color to arroz con pollo. Not that these Latin staples aren’t wonderful. They are. I grew up on them, loved them, depended upon them for years to deliver the base for many of my family’s favorite dishes. It was just that, these days, every time I tasted a dish using them, that was all I tasted. It was predictable. I was bored with the flavors.
The first thing to know about turmeric is that it stains everything. So did achiote. Would turmeric work in Spanish rice? Yes! The flavor is not identical, but I like it. It has depth, it’s different, it’s satisfying, and the cilantro provides reassurance, that yes, this is home. Turmeric works in red beans and black beans as well.
That was the end of my experimentation … for a while.
Then, I discovered a cookbook with a plethora of delicious recipes, many of which used turmeric, and many of which were are vegetarian.
A few months ago, my cousin’s husband, Terry, a communications professor, mused aloud that he’d like to travel to Iran. He is one of the more adventurous travelers I know. His wife sings in a chorus that travels. Between his business and her singing, they hike, sing, and lecture overseas several times a year.
Soon after, a woman I once worked with and always admired, Phyllis Stoller, who runs the Women’s Travel Group out of New York, announced her company was organizing a trip to Iran. Intriguing.
Around the same time, Check Please, our local public television food show, raved about a local Persian restaurant, offering an easy and affordable way to satisfy our culinary curiosity. The food was, as promised, delicious. The restaurant even had a little section with Persian spices for sale. The quest to replicate some of the dishes at home led me to Joon, Najmieh Batmanglij’s wonderfully approachable book of everyday Persian recipes. Many are vegetarian and many feature turmeric.
What followed was a month of sharing and photographing recipes from the book, including:
- Kuku, an egg-based dish where the eggs are a simply a vehicle for holding an abundance of vegetables or greens together, laced with fragrant spices;
- Turmeric & Lime Roast Chicken, with a beautiful deep golden color and a citrus kick;
- Turmeric & Ginger Chicken Soup, comforting and healthy; and
- Saffron Basmati Rice, with a crunchy layer of rice (tah-dig) mixed with saffron, yogurt, and olive oil. (I added turmeric to this, too.)
My favorite is Kuku Sabzi. It is quite appropriately a rite of spring. Overflowing with greens and herbs and flavored with advieh, a dried spice mix that includes rose petals, it is healthy and heady. Glistening garnet-colored barberries sauteed quickly in a splash of olive oil provide a jewel-like garnish.
Here’s a quick video followed by the recipe.
Joon! (Enjoy!)
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