Recipe: Tropical Turmeric Rice - with a Twist!

Ah turmeric - one of the buzzwords in health, and rightly so!

The turmeric plant is a close cousin of ginger, and a rhizome (root vegetable) that grows in the warm, tropical climates of Asia. It’s classic golden sunset colour is a signature in many Asian cuisines, including Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, China and India. Turmeric is a medicinal plant across all of these cultures, and today modern science hails it’s active ingredient, curcumin, for a range of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that can support arthritis, joint and muscle soreness, colitis, immune conditions, allergies, high cholesterol, skin conditions and many others. In fact, the research is still out to understand the extent of the many benefits of turmeric and how they work - but let’s turn to more ancient sciences for a deeper and more holistic approach.

From the Ayurvedic perspective, the magic of turmeric is due to it’s energising, drying and warming qualities which help to:

1. Clear the blood and lymph (including skin and cholesterol);

2. Stimulate the liver, bile and reproductive organs to detoxify (which balance hormones like oestrogen, and reduces cysts and menstrual pain); and

3. Support gut health by eliminating bad bacteria, parasites and Ama (toxins).

But these days, we often go from zero to a hundred too quickly with health foods. That has certainly been the case with turmeric, now seen in high doses through supplements, lattes, kombucha, smoothies, etc. An excess of turmeric causes overheating, dryness and overstimulation - often aggravating the inflammation that the turmeric was meant to heal! In Ayurveda, as well as modern medicine such as Johns Hopkins Medicine, it is known that an excess of turmeric, especially in supplements, can also increase the risk of kidney stones, as well as interfere with chemotherapy, blood thinners, pain relief and immunosuppressive drugs.

For the wrong person, in the wrong time, or in the wrong combination, even the best medicine can be poison.

The active component in turmeric is absorbed best as part of a balanced meal - as with all food! So here is a dish that celebrates turmeric in all it’s glory. Nasi Kunyit is an Indonesian staple that translates simply to Turmeric Rice, and it’s a favourite at my house when anyone has a cough and cold, or on humid days when digestion feels sluggish. I’ve added a couple of Ayurvedic tweaks and some protein too, to stay satiated and strong.

Nasi Kunyit garnished with coriander leaves and cucumber slices.

Turmeric Rice with a Twist (serves 6)

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups jasmine rice

• 2 tblsp split mung/ other small lentils

• 1/2 tsp fresh/ powdered turmeric

• 1 tsp salt

• 2 tsp crushed white pepper

• 2 pandan/ screwpine leaves, tied into a knot

• 3/4 cup coconut milk

• 1 cup chopped coriander leaves

• Optional garnish: lime wedges, fresh cucumber slices, roasted peanuts and fried anchovies

Method

Wash and drain the rice and lentils in water twice to remove husk and excess starch, cover with water and set aside for 15-20 minutes.

Using a deep pot, pressure cooker or rice cooker, add the rice, lentils, turmeric, salt, pepper and pandan leaves. Pour in a half cup of coconut milk, reserving the rest for later. Give the ingredients a stir, and then cook for twenty minutes until the rice is soft.

While the rice is still hot, remove the lid and fluff with a fork. Then sprinkle the remaining coconut milk and coriander leaves in, and gently tif through (if possible, switch the heat back on for a few minutes to ensure the coconut milk is well combined).

Serve the rice hot, alongside the lime wedges, roasted peanuts and fried anchovies.

The twists are: the use of jasmine rather than the traditional glutinous rice which can be heavy for some to digest, introducing some lentils, peanuts and anchovies for protein (another buzzword!), and the chopped coriander for some fibre and freshness!

“Life is a continuous dance of change and inner balance - no two days are the same.”