5 Indian herbs and spices to include in your next superfood meal

Indian food is often regarded as being unhealthy because it can be high in saturated fats such as ghee, cream, oil and coconut milk. However, in these health conscious times, Indian food is changing and many chefs are starting to put a real emphasis on the healthy ingredients included in many dishes. A lot of these ingredients, especially the wide variety of Indian herbs and spices used, are actually superfoods that will give your body a big healthy boost. Here are five of our favourites.

1) Turmeric

Turmeric is the yellow spice that gives many Indian dishes their vibrant colour, but it is also a nutritional superstar amongst Indian herbs and spices. The spice has been used in Indian cooking for thousands of years and has long been believed to have medicinal properties, something that recent scientific studies have backed up. The main compound in turmeric is curcumin, a powerful anti-inflammatory that helps to fight many of the prevailing diseases in the Western world such as heart disease and cancer.

2) Cumin

Cumin is widely used in Indian food and gives many dishes their distinctive, aromatic taste. Cumin is brilliant for your digestion and has also found to be helpful for problems such asthma, bronchitis, anaemia and the common cold. It is remarkably low in sodium – a tablespoon of cumin contains just 10 milligrams – which is great for your health as too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure. Low sodium spices like cumin can add bags of flavour to healthy dishes without resorting to high sodium flavourings like salt.

3) Dried mint

Mint is widely regarded as health food, but dried mint is actually the best choice as it contains more vitamins, minerals and fibre than the fresh stuff. It’s wonderfully aromatic and will give your dishes a zesty lift, and it has loads of health benefits too. Mint is very soothing for your stomach and aids digestion, it can help you lose weight, it helps to relieve the symptoms of asthma, and it’s very beneficial for skin problems.

4) Fennel seeds

Fennel seeds have a slightly sweet taste that is often compared to liquorice, but that doesn’t stop it being one of the most used Indian herbs and spices in savoury dishes. Fennel seeds are excellent for your digestion and are a brilliant remedy for flatulence and indigestion, and they have been used to soothe colic pain in new babies. Despite their tiny size, these seeds pack a massive punch when it comes to vitamins, containing vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, and many B-complex vitamins like thiamine, pyridoxine, riboflavin and niacin. They are also full of fibre, which is essential to a healthy diet – just 100g of fennel seeds provide 39.8g of fibre. Impressive stuff!

5) Kashmiri Chilli Powder

Kashmiri chilli powder is milder than its more fiery counterparts, but that doesn’t stop it from being a nutritional powerhouse compared to other Indian herbs and spices. Just a small amount of Kashmiri chilli powder contains enough vitamin A to fulfil the daily recommended allowance, and it is also packed with vitamins B and E which can help to lower fat and cholesterol, which will help to prevent heart disease. It is also an excellent source of vitamin C, which has incredible antioxidant properties and helps to strengthen your immune system.

Why not try our healthy Vegetarian Kashmiri Chilli Potatoes by following the below recipe - it’s a guaranteed crowd pleaser! We’ve linked all the ingredients you’ll need below so you can start cooking up a storm...

Ingredients - click the ingredients to find them in our online shop

4 medium potatoes - cut into quarter inch thick slices

4 cups of water

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp lemon juice

Half a tsp coarsely crushed pepper

1 and a half tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder

2 tsp crushed fennel seeds

4 tbsp ghee or butter

1 tbsp short cut fresh pieces of ginger

Half tsp green cardamom powder

Chopped coriander leaves or dry coriander leaves crushed

Flat pieces of coconut pieces - optional

Method

Step 1 - Boil sliced potatoes for 5 minutes in 4 cups of water with 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp Kashmiri Chilli and 1 tbsp lemon juice

Step 2 - Cool the sliced potatoes and saute in a big frying pan with 2 tbsp of ghee/butter until golden

Step 3 - Heat another 2 tbsp ghee, add crushed pepper and ginger pieces. Cook until the ginger turns a little crisp

Step 4 - Add the fennel seeds and half a tsp of Kashmiri Chilli Powder and cook for about 30 seconds

Step 5 - Add 4 tbsp water and when the water comes to a boil add the potatoes.

Step 6 - Add salt to taste and cook for about a minute until dry.

Step 7 - Sprinkle coconut, half tsp green cardamom powder

Serve with a few coriander leaves!