From My Curry House to Yours

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I have often been asked “Hey Anita, can you tell me about a good Curry House here in Houston?” Many of my Brit friends confess that whilst in Houston, they miss curry the most. In fact one of them even told me that she looks forward to going back to the UK because she can have curry!! That is so believable! Curry is so much part of the British Heritage that the Chicken Tikka Masala is considered Britain’s National Dish ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_tikka_masala) replacing the humble Fish and Chips.

And an American friend told me that she was introduced to Curry only a couple of years back (!!!).”Imagine all those years wasted because I had not discovered Chicken Curry”, she groaned! To make up for time lost, she said she craves it all the time, even including it on the family Christmas Dinner.

So when I am asked to recommend a ‘good’ Curry House, I calmly tell them, “It’s in your own house!”

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I conducted the Spice-Of-Life Sessions last week to a full house. They were energetic and lengthy (remember no curry in a hurry!) as we went through the process in copious detail. The recipe and the spices unraveled themselves, revealing all those hidden therapeutic secrets held within. Who could think that bright yellow turmeric (curcumin) had the power to stave off deadly forms of cancer or that coriander could keep that blood sugar from soaring (anti-diabetic)? That capsaicin (chilly powder) actually released endorphins that gives us that OMG ! feeling. The list was endless: (http://www.doctormurray.com/books/the-encyclopedia-of-healing-foods/).

The vegetarian curry was no less popular. Just currying up some vegetables made them appetizing and finger-smacking! Paired with a dal, it’s the ideal protein- vitamin fix. No more boring salads, steamables and supplements when you could simply spice some vegetables up!

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No wonder Curry is addictive and oh-so-flavorful!!!

I went through the origins of Indian cuisine, tracing back its roots to Ayurveda, the ancient treatise on health and longevity. It never ceases to amaze me that more than 5000 years ago, men wandered the forests picking up herbs and fruits, eking out miraculously healing powers from them. http://www.bluelotusayurveda.com/nutrition_art.html . The philosophy that Food (not drugs) is Medicine resonates strongly when endorsed by modern research. It becomes food for thought!

The ultimate validation was when the Dr. OZ show on 20^th January recommended the Indian Diet to prevent Alzheimer’s disease. It was yet another reason to dig in!!!

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So, my friends, whenever you go grocery shopping, buy that bunch of spices and get started on converting your own house into your Curry House.