Monday, July 13, 2009

Is that an Indian Sloppy Joe?

My desire to make and eat anything "Indian" continues un-abated. Last Sunday I decided to try another of Vij's curries - this time the Ground Beef Curry.

The recipe calls for "Indian Sugar". Being a caucasion gal from Ohio, I had no idea what that was. Oddly though, I was introduced to it recently so when I rediscovered the recipe I was excited because I already had some in the pantry (and now need to get more!). My son had a birthday party at Chuck E Cheese this Spring and a friend of mine noted that there was an Indian Grocery Store on the other side of the strip mall (fun times). She'd gotten a huge bag of Jaggery and shared. What a TREAT! Turns out, not only is it fun to cook with and DELICIOUS... It is also:
Jaggery, being a wholesome sugar, without doubt is rich in the vitally important mineral salts: 2.8 grams per 100 grams, that is to say 28 grams per kilogram, while only 300 milligrams per kilogram is found in refined sugar.
Magnesium strengthens the nervous system & potassium is vital to conserve the acid balance in the cells and combats acids and acetone. Jaggery is very rich in iron, which, a composite of hemoglobin prevents anemia.
Which is nice, right?

It was really easy to make. The recipe called for an amazing (I thought) amount of salt, but after adding the Jaggery, balanced very nicely.

The heavy cream completely counteracted the "healthy" spin I put on the dish by using ground turkey instead of ground beef, but it was SO pretty.


The meal was served with store-bought Naan, a salad from the garden and a Newcastle just to make it really feel like a sloppy joe.
The next day, SM had one for lunch on a hamburger bun.
Perhaps this IS the start of Curry Sunday.

until next time!