THE RIGHT WAY

common myths behind cooking them. “Many
believe that eating raw vegetables are the best,”

Chaudhary said. “However, this is not always true.

For example, kale is a super-food and provides so
many vitamins and minerals ina single serving. It
is good to eat it as part of your salad, but it is best
eaten when it is slightly steamed or boiled. This is
because leafy vegetables have complex cellulose,
which are hard to digest for the human body and
can take up a lot of the body’s magnesium and
zinc content to digest it, causing the deficiency
of these essential elements. Steaming or boiling
breaks down a lot of this hard-to-digest cellulose
and makes it easy on your stomach. If you boil

it, then use the water for making smoothies,

or mix it with the dough to make pasta.”

Beans and lentils are very good sources of
protein for vegetarians, and help in the smooth
functioning of the kidneys, but it should be
kept in mind that these beans can upset your
stomach too. This is once again because our body
lacks the enzymes needed to digest the beans
and legumes. Chaudhary suggests pre-soaking
the beans overnight before cooking them, and
throwing away the water used for cooking.
Canned beans should be avoided, as they are
more likely to cause issues with the digestion
due to high salinity and other preservatives.
Also, salt should be added to the beans once
they are cooked, and not before that. This
allows the peel of the beans to crack open.

Another food that can be made
healthier by using the correct way of
cooking is asparagus. Asparagus is rich in
vitamin K, essential elements like copper,
zinc and selenium, and much more. Most
of it remains intact if you roast or blanch
asparagus. Even though it is often sautéed
in olive or refined oil, asparagus doesn’t
require much oil for cooking, and it can be
avoided altogether. Instead, sauté it with white
wine vinegar, wine, or any broth (chicken
or soup) of your choice. Similarly, you can
sauté shredded cabbage in a broth for making
recipes that require crunchy cabbage bites.

Eggplants are like sponges, so they can
absorb a lot of oil when you fry them.
Eggplants are high in antioxidants,
which keep your heart healthy
and should be consumed more
often. Many complain
that they are bland in
taste and should be
mixed with a batter and

fried to make them edible. For that, Chaudhary
suggested: “Roast the eggplants before pan-
frying them. It will cut the fat and the goodness
will also remain intact to a greater extent.”

Roasting vegetables is a very healthy option
if you want to avoid taking supplements and
want to fulfill your body’s deficient minerals
and vitamins by eating good foods. Whole
tomatoes and cauliflowers should be roasted
and should be consumed hot. Roasting cooks
the food and also kills harmful bacteria on
top of making the food more digestible.

“Broccoli and cherry tomatoes are often
eaten as salad components,” she explained.
“They are good as they are, but heating
them in the microwave for a minute is often
recommended as it makes them soft, juicier,
and starts digestion early. [...] Our bodies invest
high amounts of heat in digestion otherwise.”

If you think zucchini is good for grilling
and stir-frying only, then you might want to
reconsider, Zucchini is best eaten raw with dips,
but it is also advised to wrap it in aluminum foil
and broil for five minutes with all the ingredients
and condiments you want to add to the dish. This
ensures that flavours blend in without it losing
a lot of nutritional value.

 

By CHITWAN KHOSLA,
FEATURES EDITOR

 

Although they aren’t vegetables, Chaudhary
suggested: “Chicken and fish should be marinated
and then grilled or broiled. Marinating allows
a lot of flavour to get in, and increases the
water-content in the meat, leaving less room
for absorption of fats and other things.

“You don’t always have to watch what you
are eating because you want to lose weight,”
Chaudhary concluded. “Healthy eating is
also important because you don’t want to be
gripped by a number of diet-related diseases.
Cooking the food in the healthiest way possible
is crucial, and should be researched in detail
before trying any new recipes. Don’t always
go traditional. Swap refined oil with complex
oils like olive, coconut, flax, or mustard. Grill
instead of pan-frying. Steam instead of boiling,
and roast your vegetables. Consult your family
doctor and get a complete check-up done at
least twice a year to better understand what
vitamins, essential elements, and enzymes
you are lacking and eat healthy accordingly.”