Bombay-native Raghavan Iyer, a Certified Culinary Professional (CCP), and a member of The International Association of Culinary Professionals, has acquired degrees in Chemistry (Bombay University), Hotel, and Restaurant Management (Michigan State University). Fluent in six languages, he is a cookbook author, culinary educator and consultant to numerous national and international clients, and leads food and cultural tours to India. 

Iyer is the author of Betty Crocker’s Indian Home Cooking (Wiley, 2001) and The Turmeric Trail: Recipes and Memories from an Indian Childhood (St. Martin’s Press, 2002) – 2003 James Beard Awards Finalist: Best International Cookbook. His latest book is 660 Curries: The Gateway to Indian Cooking (Workman Publishing, 2008). 

He received the highly coveted 2004 International Association of Culinary Professional’s Award of Excellence (formerly the Julia Child Awards) for Cooking Teacher of the Year, and was a Finalist for a 2005 James Beard Journalism Award. Iyer is co-founder of the Asian Culinary Arts Institutes , Ltd.,  He has appeared in numerous radio and television shows including The Splendid Table, A Chef’s Table, and the WGN Morning News. His numerous articles have appeared in national food publications including Cooking Light, EatingWell, Fine Cooking, Weight Watchers Magazine, Cooking Pleasures, and Gastronomica.

Guest Blogger Raghavan Iyer--

Saucy Spicy Simple Sensational

I find it easy to claim that curries are inherently healthy, redolent with healing spices, fortified with protein-rich legumes, and brimming with fresh seasonal vegetables. Why? Coming from a country that boasts a saucy repertoire for 6000 years, these gifts of nature fulfill your body and excite your soul. Let me first begin my defining what a curry is, and then I can shed light on the health and nutritional benefits of the ingredients that shape the wide world of Indian curries.

In England and the rest of the world, “curry” is the catchall word for anything Indian that is mottled with hot spices, with or without a sauce, and “curry powder” is the blend that delivers it. In keeping with my culture, I define a curry as any dish that consists of either meat, fish, poultry, legumes, vegetables, or fruits, simmered in or covered with a sauce, gravy, or other liquid that is redolent with spices and/or herbs. In my India, curry is never added – it just is! Having said that, spices, herbs, and even legumes are the backbone that builds, holds, and strengthens the flavors of curries, in addition to providing nutritional and medicinal benefits.

The branch of medicine, about 3000 years old, called ayurveda, is deeply entrenched in the health benefits of these building blocks of curries. Indians have judiciously doled out blends, pastes, and concoctions while maintaining a balance to the inner workings of their bodies. There is a reason why when we consume massive amounts of legumes (when we have over sixty varieties of lentils, beans, and peas in India, you can see why we do this, not to mention the economic benefits, wide-availability, and chock-full of proteins and fiber), and with that comes the body’s challenge of digesting them. Many hard-to-process complex sugars, called oligosaccharides, are easily broken down by spices like turmeric, asafetida, and Bishop’s weed (hence their inclusion, singly or combined, in legume curries). Ginger, a rhizome, shreds, minces, and purees its way into many curries, along with garlic, infusing not only heady flavors, but also curing certain stomach ailments along with the added advantage of increased blood circulation.

Which brings me to the king (or queen) of spices in the world of alternative (and now conventional) medicine – turmeric. This rhizome (a close sibling of the ginger), in the dried ground form, is what notoriously colors and flavors commercial curry powders, oftentimes in large proportions. Yes, the taste it exudes is one of astringency, but what makes it wondrous is the chemical it houses called curcumin (not to be confused with cumin) – a proven, cancer-fighting warrior. Another study touts it as a preventative tool for keeping Alzheimer’s at bay. Not to mention the anti-inflammatory properties, when in paste form, it is wrapped as a poultice around wounds. Smear the paste on your hands and feet like the brides do in India, and witness its smooth, rich moisturizing effects.

Eating lower on the food chain is now the buzz in the culinary world, a practice steeped for thousands of years in Indian curries. With a plethora of grains, legumes, spices, vegetables, fruits, meats and seafood (albeit in small quantities), it is no wonder 660 Curries is a piece of cake – a curry a day for two years (with time off for holidays) to nourish your body and soul with vibrancy and sauciness.

Related: Protective Antioxidants in Every Bite

              Raghavan Iyer's Minty Kidney Beans With Potatoes