Eating is Fun / Eating is Yuck! – A variety food column

By Tara Narayan

COFFEE-drinkers think they’re a notch above tea-drinkers but I’m a tea-drinker with minimal milk in it…of course, I will add crushed ginger or crushed cardamom or chopped citronella leaves or mint leaves in my tea water on the boil – but lately, I’ve been thinking less tea and more coffee. I’m smitten by coffee all over again. Of course we know that too much black coffee to stay alert is bad and creates acidic conditions in the stomach. It’s not like I’m saying drink seven cups of black coffee and in any case black coffee is bad news and as dead as the dodo in the health-conscious coffee drinking world.
How about a cup of coffee with a pinch or two of real cinnamon powder in it? I have it on good account that we must shun all the razzmatazz coffees doped with lots of sugar and fake creamers, all the foamy lattes and expresso and jazzy coffees. You want to treat your coffee with more respect!
Drink it with a little cinnamon powder stirred into it and chances are you’ll be putting your genes on fat-burning mode right away. Now I have it on good account that drinking cinnamon-spiked coffee is the latest thing to do and more and more folk are switching over to just plain pure coffee with some cinnamon in it.
WHICH reminds me it is really cinnamon I want to rave about here more than coffee! That’s because I was angry with myself for having missed the cinnamon session and film presentation by Dr Shekhar Mande at the recently-over 7th India International Science Festival which took place in Panaji from Dec10 to 14 as part of the on-going Goa@60 celebrations. It got me thinking about cinnamon and all its goodness anew. Who’d think the powder of a tree would be so delicious in a variety of recipes we are familiar with in many cuisines of the world.
Cinnamon has all kinds of properties you want to know about. Once upon a time I found myself wandering around the wet market in Jakarta and I remember being rooted on the spot, when I saw this spice vendor lugging long, thick, fat, brown sticks of cinnamon curling inwards…richly aromatic, one needed a stone to break off a piece to suck in the mouth to get a cinnamon burn! I’d bought a few sticks, pieced them and lugged them in my backpack back for mother dear in Mumbai that was Bombay. She was so pleased and we had cinnamon at home for ages to put bits of in Gujarati tuver-ni-dal and various seasonings and temperings….a pinch in dudhpak, gajar halva, ever tried sprinkling cinnamon powder on buttered toast? Ah well, just use your imagination.
The fiery rich sweetness of real cinnamon is not like the poorer flavour in cassia sticks! Cinnamon practically never rots. We know cinnamon and apple pie go together and the Germans like to spike some of their sweet breads with it and the French too love it in their apple desserts and cakes and dusting atop doughnuts. Never mind that most plethora of confectionary is a no no and you should enjoy it only occasionally on special days. By all means a pinch of cinnamon in tea and coffee is the way to go…especially coffee!
Cinnamon is one of our much loved spices or condiments and is basically the inner bark of several tree species from the genus Cinnammum. It’s an aromatic flavouring in various cuisines, breakfast cereals, snacks sweet and savory and in many a traditional dish. I have it on good account that cinnamon lowers blood sugar levels, has a powerful anti-diabetic effect. It is one of most agreeable antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, it promotes belly weight loss and all over and is good for the heart. Reportedly, cinnamon facilitates the easing away of visceral fat…it is antibacterial, anti-viral, anti-parasitic, anti-fungal. In short, it is one of our healthiest spices. A friend I know drinks drinking cinnamon water with honey in it first thing in the morning and before I forget cinnamon is also a sedative relaxing muscles and removing tension from the body. Check it out.
Actually cinnamon, garlic and turmeric make for some of our good health-promoting ingredients, but please note, only in normal amounts consumed in food. Don’t overdo and consume in insane portions for this will only result in altered liver enzymes, thin the blood and change kidney functions. Always realize that more is not better but a little goes a long way, while a lot backfires with results you don’t want – like renal problems.
AT the 7th science and technology expo this year at the eco session they were for promoting the planation of cinnamon trees – quite simply because there is a demand for it. The government is looking at it in a mega way for it’s an investment in patience which can take you rolling to the bank! Do check out Dr Shekar Mande.

Some Cinnamon recipes…

KASHMIRI KAHWA
(A most famous drink of Kashmir served to family and friends to warm the cockles of the heart heart!)
Ingredients:
TAKE 4 tsp Kashmiri green tea or any green tea; an inch piece cinnamon twill or quill (dalchini); 2 cardamom (green elaichi), carushed; 2 cloves (laung; 2 tbs sugar; 4 pinches saffron; 8 almonds blanched, chopped.
method:
TO MAKE bring about three cups to a boil wih cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and sugar and pour over the tea. Leave to infuse over a very low flame for 2 to 3 minutes. Meanwhile dissolve saffron in a bit water by rubbing it gently. Strain the tea and add in the saffron liquid with fine almond crumble. Serve hot and sip slowly.

CINNAMON
OVERNIGHT OATS
A health-conscious recipe to like!
Ingredients:
TAKE one cups rolled oats; one cups unsweetened non-dairy milk (almond or coconut); 4 tsp light brown sugar; one tsp vanilla extract; one tsp ground cinnamon, pinch sea salt.
method:
TO MAKE Stir oats, milk, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon powder and salt together in a large bowl. Divide mixture into sealable jar or bowl and can store overnight in fridge up to 5 days. Those with celiac disease or who are gluten-sensitive must use oats labelled as gluten free. Enjoy!

CINNAMON
OATMEAL PANCAKES
Ingredients:
TAKE 2 cups rolled oats, two-and-half cups buttermilk (divided), half cup oat flour, 1 tsp baking powder, half tsp cinnamon powder; quarter tsp sea salt; 2 large eggs; 60 ml canola oil; 1 tbs honey or maple syrup, canola oil to spray for cooking.
method:
NOW TO MAKE in a large bowl stir together oats and 2 cups (500 mL) buttermilk. Set aside for an hour or until buttermilk is absorbed and oats are soft. (To do this ahead of time, cover and refrigerate overnight.) Next in a small bowl stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add to softened oatmeal.
Add remaining half cup buttermilk along with eggs, canola oil, honey or maple syrup. Stir until well combined. Heat large, heavy skillet, over medium-high heat and spray with canola oil or brush oil.
Take about half cup batter at a time and spread it out with bottom of ladle or spoon (it will be thick) to about 4-inch diameter. Cook at medium-low heat until edges appear dry and bubbles begin to break on surface. Using thin spatula, flip and cook until golden on other side.

Repeat with remaining batter. You may keep pancakes warm in 100degC oven while cooking the rest of the pancakes. Serve with honey or maple syrup or whatever you wish! Pancakes may be loaded with blueberries or sliced banana.

SMOKED
CINNAMON WHISKY
Ingredients:
TAKE 20ml cinnamon syrup, 40ml apple juice, 40ml whisky.
method:
TO MAKE take old-fashioned glass filled with ice and add 20 ml cinnamon syrup. Add 40ml apple juice followed by 40 ml of whisky. Stir well. For garnish, take cinnamon stick and smoke it with the use of lighter. (Only to be smoked and not burnt!) Insert the heated cinnamon stick in drink and serve up.
CINNAMON ROLLS
Ingredients:
TAKE one-and-half cups refined flour plus half cup sugar and powdered sugar; 1 tsp cinnamon powder; 2 cups butter (softened); half tsp sea salt; quarter cup milk, half tsp baking powder.
method:
TO MAKE in a bowl add flour, 1 tbs sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon powder, 1/2 cup butter and baking powder. Mix it together. Add milk to form a smooth dough. Keep aside. In another bowl add 2 tbs butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 2 tbs cinnamon powder. Mix it together till it is a fine mixture.
On a clean slab roll the dough in a rectangle. Spread the mixture evenly on the dough. Cut strips of 1 cm in width and roll it delicately. Place all the cinnamon rolls on a buttered tray and bake. If you want to glaze rolls mix 2 tbs icing sugar with 1 tbs milk and brush it on cinnamon rolls before baking.