How to knock the socks off your cold!
Two weekends ago I joined my neighbor for a trip to Jackson Heights. It had become a habitual joke on my part that every time I run into him in the elevator or hallway I would ask him to teach me how to make a good curry. In return I would need to make him a Schnitzel, but so far we’ve gotten stuck on having a glass of wine, the ‘appetizer’. We headed to Jackson Heights on the subway and got off at Roosevelt Ave to head to a place that he described as “You’d never go in there just looking at it from the outside. It’s a total hole in the wall, but the food is so great.” Well, I like to get my advice from the experts and he sure knows his stuff. We apparently didn’t have small appetites as we sat down at “Kabab King” and he proceeded to order the most incredible dishes for us: Chicken Tikka, Lamb and Beef Kebab, Paratha, an Indian bread with a spicy veggie filling, naan (yes, it was a must have), and more spicy chicken in a delicious stew. I was in heaven because I love Indian food that’s spicy, not greasy and simple. This hit the spot and when the bill came I couldn’t get over the fact that we had just eaten for 5 and paid only $30.
Afterwards we rolled over to Patel Brothers, a huge supermarket, where I stocked up on mixed nuts, various spices, and fresh ginger, turmeric and avocados for $1 each. I explored the many veggies I had never seen before. The prices were so much cheaper – I’m almost afraid to tell you about it because you’ll find that shopping in NYC is such a rip-off (which it can be, of course). Check out the selection of different types of lentils. I counted at least 30!
I enjoyed the whole experience because Vinay, my neighbor explained to me the various goodies I should try: curry sauces, spices, and various beauty products. I picked up a bar of sandalwood soap that makes my entire bathroom smell incredible. Loaded with various bags we made it back to the city and celebrated such a successful culinary adventure with a kick-ass cup of tea.
I got a tutorial on how to make Indian tea and who knew how delicious it is. You should give it a go:
Boil 2 cups of water in a pot and add fresh grated ginger and turmeric, black pepper, black tea leaves (or any other tea you like) and milk. Pour through a sieve and enjoy.
This tea has so many health benefits. Check it out:
Ginger: settles upset stomachs and gas, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, reduces nausea and vomiting, anti-tumor activity in ovarian and colon cancer cells, boosts immunity
Turmeric: anti-inflammatory, reduces gas, reduces inflammatory bowel issues, reduces rheumatoid arthritis and boosts liver function, protective effects against certain cancers (colon, prostate, leukemia), reduces cardiovascular risks by preventing the oxidation of cholesterol in the arteries. cholesterol lowering, protection against Alzheimer’s.
I’ve been under the weather for a few days now and have been fighting it with various natural foods and supplements. I have been getting a daily shot of ginger, wheatgrass mixed with lemon, turmeric and cayenne pepper at my favorite breakfast place called “Sunfrost” in Woodstock.
I’ve also been making a super-delicious hot drink that has been keeping my sinuses clear and my stomach settled. It’s my version of the Indian Tea I was introduced to: I heat up a cup of almond milk and drop in a tea bag (my favorite is the Yogi Tea Chai Black). In my NutriBullet I pour 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, a big piece of fresh ginger and turmeric root, 1 clove garlic, a few dashes each of cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and then blend it up. I pour both the NutriBullet mixture and the cup of heated almond milk with the tea bag in a big mug and enjoy the hot, spicy goodness, knowing that it will know the socks off my cold.
Stay healthy! And, if you do happen to feel under the weather, you now know how to blast your health!