Turn on to turmeric

by Gail Johnson on January 29th, 2007 at 4:29 PM

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It turns curries bright yellow and sparks brain waves, too.

When dreary winter days demand comfort food, it doesn’t get much better than a dish of aromatic curry. And it turns out that the spice might do more than just hit the gustatory spot. Recent research shows that curry might keep the brain sharp.

A study published in the October 27, 2006, issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology found that people who consumed curry regularly scored higher on a mental examination than those who rarely ate it. The study, headed by the National University of Singapore’s Tze-Pin Ng, involved 1,010 Asians between the ages of 60 and 93. Those who ate curry daily or monthly showed significantly better cognitive function than those who ate it once every six months or less, or never at all. Participants were given the Mini-Mental State Examination, a common test that provides a global measure of cognitive performance, including memory, attention, language ability, and the visual perception of spatial relationships between objects. [story continues below]

Vij’s Family Chicken Curry

1/2 cup canola oil
2 cups finely chopped onions (2 large)
7.5-cm stick of cinnamon
3 Tbsp finely chopped garlic
2 Tbsp chopped ginger
2 cups chopped tomatoes (2 large)
1 Tbsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp turmeric
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1 Tbsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1.4 kilos chicken thighs, bone in
1 cup sour cream, stirred
2 cups water
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (including stems)

In a large pan, heat oil on medium heat for one minute. Add onions and cinnamon, and sauté for five to eight minutes, until onions are golden. Add garlic and sauté for another four minutes. Add ginger, tomatoes, salt, black pepper, turmeric, cumin, coriander, garam masala, and cayenne. Cook this masala for five minutes, or until the oil separates from the masala.

Remove and discard skin from the chicken thighs. Wash thighs and add to the masala. Stir well. Cook chicken thighs for 10 minutes, until the chicken looks cooked on the outside. Add sour cream and water and stir well.

Increase the heat to medium-high. When curry starts to boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring two or three times, until chicken is completely cooked. Poke the thighs with a knife. If the meat is still pink, cook for five more minutes.

Remove and discard the cinnamon stick. Cool curry for at least half an hour. Transfer cooled chicken to a mixing bowl. Wearing latex gloves, peel chicken meat off the bones. Discard bones and stir chicken back into the curry. Just before serving, heat curry on medium heat until it starts to boil lightly.

Stir in cilantro.

Serve with naan or rice. Serves six.

From the book Vij’s: Elegant & Inspired Indian Cuisine by Vikram Vij and Meeru Dhalwala. Photography by John Sherlock. Published by Douglas & McIntyre Ltd. Reprinted with permission of the publisher.

The key ingredient to curry’s health benefits is curcumin, which is found in turmeric. Curcumin is said to contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which, the study noted, show promise as “neuroprotective agents” against Alzheimer’s disease.

The researchers also noted that the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease is purportedly lower among the elderly in India than in those of the same age group in the United States.

Furthermore, a study published last fall in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism found that turmeric—which gives many curries its bold yellow hue—might prevent rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis.

Who better to turn to for turmeric-laden recipes than Vikram Vij, the Vancouver chef who recently released Vij’s: Elegant and Inspired Indian Cuisine? Try his recipe and you just might save your brain cells.