Say yes to fresh, seasonal produce, this summer
Each season brings with it a new set of fresh vegetables, and experts, too, feel there can be no better way of absorbing all nutrients than consuming fresh, seasonal produce. “Non-seasonal ones have preservatives added to them to increase their shelf life and make them stay fresh for long. In the process, they lose out on nutrients and antioxidants,” cautions Mukul Nagpaul, nutritionist and fitness expert.
During this time of the year, vegetables such as brinjal and pumpkin are widely popular.
Gourds, too, are in abundance, such as bitter gourd, bottle gourd, ivy gourd and ash gourd, to name a few.
“Bitter gourd is a veggie that can’t be missed. It is a great blood purifier and keeps diabetes at bay by regulating blood sugar. It is a powerhouse of nutrition, containing vitamin C, calcium, iron and potassium. Don’t judge it by its bitter taste, you can try consuming it in interesting, unconventional ways such as chips, bharli karli, bagara baingan and the crisp begun bhaja,” says chef Reetu Uday Kugaji, who recommends trying khatte baingan or chok wangun: “It involves deep-frying the baingan and then simmering it in a unique mix of spices such as asafoetida, cumin, Kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric, fennel powder, ginger powder, garam masala powder, green chillies, tamarind pulp and tamarind water.”
If you’re looking for a tasty yet healthy treat, here is a recipe by chef Natasha Gandhi.
BOTTLE GOURD KULFI (Makes two kulfis)
Ingredients:
100g lauki aka bottle gourd 200ml milk 3tbsp jaggery 4-5 whole elaichi Method: In a saucepan, add milk along with whole elaichi. Bring this to a boil and let it simmer till it’s reduced by half and thickens.
Peel and grate the bottle gourd, blitz into a coarse paste and add to the milk. Cook till it reaches a boil. Turn off the heat, add jaggery powder and stir well. Once the mixture is cooled, pour it into kulfi moulds and freeze overnight or for five to six hours.