FOODIE SPECIAL... COOKING WITH SEEDS

COOKING WITH SEEDS   Roasted, pureed or plain, seeds add flavour and health to dishes.  Here's more on the culinary trend everyone is dabbling in... It's almost like the ingredient we've all been ignoring for so long now.  Tiny seeds have been used in savoury and festive sweet preparations in  India and they've been part of your grandmother's `nuskhas' or remedies for years now. Yet, it's only of late that seeds are increasingly finding their  way into culinary preparations. Chock full of protein, healthy fats, dietary  fiber, vitamins, minerals and more, seeds can add flavour and crunch to everything from breakfast dishes to salads, deserts and yoghurts. Here's more on these tiny powerhouses... HOW TO USE SEEDS IN THE KITCHEN Commonly used as toppings for biscuits or in bread, they're also an increasingly smarter choice for cooking now, believes city-based chef Joel  D'Souza. “Seeds literally have no limits,“ he starts. “They give dishes a  wonderful texture. Earlier, you used just used them in breads and maybe  a pulao, but now they're in syrups, smoothies, cookies, in fact, everything. Did you know ground seed can also replace fat? And something as simple as  pomegranate seeds in a leafy salad can be delicious,“ he says. Food blogger Assad Dadan has a quick fix. “I have added sunflower seeds to  my regular salad, which has iceberg lettuce, carrots and grilled chicken with  some lemon vinaigrette. It tastes great. I also had a sandwich recently -a tuna  sandwich in sunflower seed bread. The seeds added a keen taste to it along  with a likeable, slightly raw-ish, grainy texture.“ HEALTH BOOSTER It's not just for the taste, seeds are also a serious source of nutrition, says  dietician Sheela Tanna. “Seeds like pumpkin, sesame and flax can be used  in day-to-day cooking.These seeds have cold pressed oils, so those people  worried about their weight and cholesterol can safely eat them. lesterol can safely eat them.They increase HDL (good cholesterol) which acts as a  vacuum cleaner and lowers LDL (bad cholesterol), the biggest villain today.  Seeds also have good fat that improve skin tone and hair,“ she adds. KEY SEEDS AND BENEFITS  PUMPKIN SEEDS Pumpkin seeds are said to benefit sleep, help lessen the recurrence of kidney  stones and bone loss. A rich source of zinc, some studies say they are also effective at beating depression.The seeds also have tryptophan, an amino  acid that converts to an amino acid that converts to serotonin and finally to melatonin, known as `sleep hormone'. BEST HAD: Boil seeds in salt water and wipe them. Drizzle them with oil and salt and roast them in an oven at  320F for 10 minutes. 1 cup of roasted pumpkin seeds = 168 mg magnesium,  over half of the 310 mg that adult women should consume daily FLAX SEEDS Hailed as the `ultimate powerhouse' of nutrition, flax seeds are rich in Omega-3 fatty and fiber (prevents constipation) as well as lignans  (naturally occurring forms of the female hormone estrogen). It also has alpha linolenic acid which can protect blood vessels from damage. BEST HAD: Ground, roasted flax can be added to smoothies, soup and juices. SESAME SEEDS Sesame seeds are rich in iron, calci um, manganese and vitamin E and sesame  oil has a high amount of antioxidants. While the white seeds have more iron,  black sesame seeds have more flavour and aroma. Since, they are rich in fibre, they promote a healthy digestive system. BEST HAD: In til laddoos, chikki and you can also add them to bread and  cookie batter or your Oriental stir-fry. CHIA SEEDS Called a `superfood', tiny chia seeds are packed with high amounts of fibre,  omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, proteins and other minerals and can help the  joints function better. Did you know per gram chia seeds have 8x more omega-3 than salmon, 3x more iron than spinach and 5x more calcium than  milk! BEST HAD: Grind them into flour, sprinkle them into your yoghurt,  salad or dessert. They can even uses as an egg substitute in baking as  they can get gelatinous. SUNFLOWER SEEDS Sweet, nutty sunflower seeds have vitamin C and can aid cardiovascular health. They also have vitamin E and selenium which prevents cell damage  as well as dietary fibre. The magnesium in these seeds helps nerves relax. they are said to promote a healthy digestive system. BEST HAD: Raw or roasted. You can also add them to pesto or make some sunflower seed butter. KALONJI Also known as Nigella Sativa, kalonji has a lot of medicinal value too and  is hailed as a cure for everything from flu to indigestion, allergies and high  blood pressure. It is also said to improve eyesight, alleviate toothache and joint pain. BEST HAD: Sprinkle it over savoury biscuits, add it to your rice, dal or even  pickle. Its also a part of the Bengali panch-phoran (five-spice mix).  Mix it a little in hot water and inhale the fumes to get relief from nasal congestion. WATERMELON SEEDS  These are probably the most ignored seeds. So, next time don't throw them  away. Watermelon seeds are a rich source of magnesium, iron. The seeds also have protein and amino acids and strengthen hair. In addition, they make for a low-calorie, protein-rich snack. BEST HAD: Bake them with olive oil and salt or with some cinnamon-sugar.

Ismat Tahseen

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