by Louis Singh | dishalicious.com

“This is like medicine,” my Vietnamese mother says as she places this dish in front of me.  When feeling ill, she always turns to food, and she swears by the healing powers of turmeric.

And she’s right.  A quick search on turmeric reveals tons of information about its anti-inflammatory power, its ability to relieve Rheumatoid arthritis, its cancer-fighting abilities and on and on and on.

Turns out this little rhizome is a healthy powerhouse.  But it does come with a few side effects…



IT WILL STAIN THE CRAP OUT OF YOUR FINGERS!

In fact, it’s often used as a dye for clothing and for naturally coloring food.  Just be sure to wash your hands after handling it if you don’t want yellow digits all day.

The only other side effect is deliciousness.  So you’ll just have to deal with that one.  Try out this spin on a classic Vietnamese dish (Gà xào lăn) adding JBG’s organic spinach.

For about 4 people, you’ll need:



½ red, yellow or white onion, sliced

3 scallions, cut into pieces

4-6 cloves of garlic

¼ cup lemongrass, minced

2 pounds chicken, cut into 1-2” pieces

1 bunch spinach, washed

3 tablespoons turmeric

2 bay leaves

salt & pepper to taste

Here’s how:

-Warm a skillet over medium high heat with about 2 tablespoons of your favorite oil.  Add the onion, scallions, garlic and lemongrass.  Season with a pinch of salt & pepper and sauté until fragrant and beginning to turn golden brown.  About 3-5 minutes.

-Add in the chicken and season again with a little salt & pepper.  Saute with the aromatics until almost cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.

-Add in the turmeric and bay leaf, stir well to coat.

-Add the spinach and stir well to combine.  Simmer it all together until the chicken is done and the spinach is wilted, another 5 minutes or so.

And that’s it.  Traditionally it’s served with steamed rice, but you could have it with quinoa or couscous.  Add in fresh cherry tomatoes as pictured above, try swiss chard instead of spinach, or add some fresh chilies for a kick.  Use this technique and what’s in your fridge to make your own recipes.  Get cooking!

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