WHITE ONIONS

Recently, while driving to a beautiful seaside area called Kashid (just 3-4 hours away from Bombay, pristine white beaches!), I noticed many stalls selling white onions. We had a local in our car, so I asked him why is so much of this variety sold here. He said a lot of farms around grow it and sell it, as it is used in Ayrvedic medecine (it seems it helps kids with severe coughs). Which prodded me to look a bit further and here is what I found:

--> White onion is a type of dry onion that has a pure white skin and a mild white flesh.

--> Because white onions have a slightly higher water content, they are somewhat sweeter then yellow onions.

--> Usage: In Mexican food; raw on burgers and in potato, pasta and lettuce salads; barbecued on shish kebabs; sautéed in casseroles, stews, soups and roasted beef, pork and poultry dishes

--> Contain vitamin A & C, calcium and iron

--> Are fat- and cholesterol-free, and very low in sodium

--> Are more prone to molding than yellow onions because of their higher water content. So must be stored in a well ventilated place

--> Onions contain anti inflammatory, anticholesterol, anticancer, and antioxidant components and are considered effective against Respiratory Disease, Tooth Disorders, Anemia, Skin Disorders, Ear Disorders, Cholera, Urinary System Disorders, Bleeding Piles, common cold, heart disease

--> Ayrveda prescribes the mix of betel leaf juice and white onion juice to fight asthma

My favourite comfort snack

I love corn, or as it is called in India, butta. All over the country, coal roasted corn rubbed with salt and spices (chaat masala) is a typical monsoon treat, and you see many stalls around, with vendors furiously fanning the fire in small iron burners. It is very safe to eat, as I would guess no bacteria survives the high temperature. But I still prefer to have it home made, in two different ways:

1) Just boiled and salted.

2) Roasted directly on the gas burner, then coated with a mix of butter, salt, black pepper and lime juice. It is YUMMY!!!

When we go for a movie, my favourite intermission snack is boiled corn kernels, mixed with butter, lemon juice, black pepper and masala.

Gurtaj's loves his childhood snack of corn and cheese baked on toast. I do a variation of it, adding a bit of chopped onion and fresh coriander.

I put boiled corn kernels, greeen peas and sauteed onion when I want to give some crunch and colour to steamed rice.

Sauteed capsicum, corn and mushrooms is one of my favourite combos.

And I think corn is a must in any vegetable bake (with or without pasta).

At dinner in Kandahar restaurant (Hilton Towers, erstwhile Oberoi), we had an amazing starter of tandoor roasted corn coated with spicy masalas, served on an elegant vintage skewer (looking very much like what a woman would put in her hair to keep her bun together).

Cream of corn soup, of course!!!

At Noodle Bar in Bombay, they serve an amazing starter or fried corn cream cubes, delicious with soy sauce!

And recently, on my friend Lulu's blog, Lulu Loves Mumbai, I read about a tantalizing way to cook corn on the cob in a Goan curry!

Some time ago I got scared off corn, being told that that's what pigs have so that they get nice and fat. But believe me, it was not for long! I believe that any vegetable (including the villified potatoes), if eaten in moderation and as part of a healthy diet, is good for you. And on prodding further, I discovered that corn has plenty of health benefits:

--> Cooking sweet corn, whether you cream it, steam it or keep it on the cob, unleashes beneficial nutrients that can substantially reduce the chance of heart disease and cancer, according to Cornell food scientists.

--> It is a low-fat (!!) complex carbohydrate.

--> Its insoluble fiber is tops at tackling common digestive ailments (like constipation and hemorrhoids) by absorbing water, which speeds intestinal movement.

--> It is a surprising source of several vitamins, including folic acid, niacin, and vitamin C. The folic acid in corn is known to be an important factor in preventing neural-tube birth defects. It's just as important in preventing heart disease, according to studies that show folic acid can prevent a buildup of homocysteine, an amino acid, in the body. Long-term elevation of homocysteine has been linked to higher rates of heart disease; folic acid helps break it down.

--> Is a great source of thiamin, which supports your memory and fights Alzheimer's disease.

--> Contains pantothenic acid, necessary for carbohydrate, protein and lipid metabolism. Pantothenic acid is an especially valuable B-vitamin when you're under stress since it supports the function of the adrenal glands.

The picture was taken during our drive from Manali to Leh, at Rothang Pass

A biosphere called coconut

Whenever in India, if you get thurtsy on the road, if you feel de-hydrated from the scorching sun, the safest, fastest and yummiest fix would be a green coconut!

You will see them being sold all over the place. It will also work if, while running around in the city, you have forgotten to eat. As under its shell, the coconut is a real nutritious bomb (at a recent consultation with a nutritionist, she was speechless when I told her I drink the water of one coconut every morning. It was news to me, but it seems it has plenty of calories!)

Consider this:

- Due to its sterility, pH, mineral, and sugar content, coconut water had been successfully used as liquid in intravenous therapy in emergency situations (Wikipedia)

- It is also marketed as a sports drink, because of its high potassium and mineral content, which helps the body recover from rigorous exercise

- During the Pacific War (1941-45) it was used for emergency plasma transfusions to wounded soldiers (http://www.knowledgebase-script.com/)

- It has the same level of electrolytic balance as our blood

- Ayurveda considers it an aphrodisiac (!!!)

- It is supposed to improve mental concentration

- Indian traditional medecine uses it in the case of jaundice, urinary stones, skin infections, measles, sun burn, diabetes, and even cancer

- It's a tasty, healthy cocktail in a completely biodegradable 'cup'

- The shell keeps the liquid always cool

The first ever time I had a coconut on the roadside was after one of my many exhausting expeditions to the Foreigner's Registration Office (they drove me mad before making me an honest and legal inhabitant of India!!!). I had asked a friend to accompany me to 'scare' them a bit - Somit Sen, the then crime reporter of The Times Of India. I was so unnerved and exhausted by the visit, that he took me to a coconut vendor for a refreshment. At first, I flinched, as I was still in my "nothing from the roadside!" phase. He noticed, and said: "If there is anything you can have anywhere in the world without a doubt in your mind, it is the water of a freshly pierced coconut." Being the perfect gentleman, he pushed some onlookers on the side, asked the vendor to wipe his knife and pierce the coconut in front of us. Then he pulled out a clean straw from a packet lying on the side. I was so thursty that I didn't need much convincing. I gulped down the fresh, cool liquid, and within the next few minutes I felt lighter, literally rejuvenated! Thus started my love affair with coconuts!

When I was working at Leo Burnett (the office was at Kemps Corner at that time), there was a coconutwalla always standing outside. Daily, the first thing I saw when walking towards the door, was his smiling face. In the morning, he was the only outsider allowed freely beyond the electronic door. He used to come inside with his huge basked and quench our morning thirst. He knew the preferences of each and every one of us - who liked the malai (the meaty part inside the coconut - if you wanted it, he would skillfully scrape it for you and add a small plastic spoon to the order), who didn't, who liked a small coconut, who had a very big 'capacity'. Service at your desk! He would later discreetly come and collect the shell. All that for 12 rupees!

Nowadays, our cook brings fresh coconuts home every morning. I drink it plain, Gurtaj, with a squeeze of lemon juice. After the first few sips, I know there's a wonderful day ahead!

Green coconuts, Rs 15, everywhere around Bombay