I learned something very interesting yesterday from an Indian friend. I had a hankering for some Indian take out at lunch (sometimes, you just can plan and plan your meals, but you crave something and I figure as long as I make good choices and I get the essence of my craving, it's in line with my general principals....anyway, moving on). She informed me that most of the Indian places she goes to don't satisfy her palette. Now, she is a good cook so I figured it was just about flavor, but she went on to inform me that they thicken the sauces with both cornstarch AND baking soda. I didn't believe her, had to ask again. She said, no, they definitely add baking soda.
So, this explains why it's hard to digest Indian food from restaurants and gives you the burps (pee yew). Your stomach is supposed to be acidic (some other time I will launch into my spiel about not using Tums or other antacids). It is a digestive need for the stomach to be acidic. If you are stressed, sick, eating poor foods or eating foods with baking soda in it, your body can't properly digest or assimilate (transfer the nutrients from food to the form your body can use it) because the pH is not correct.
Just another reason to take a class, read a book, watch a show - anything to try and cook more at home! I have mastered a few Indian spice combinations and next time, I will just wait until I get home to satisfy that craving.
3 comments:
I have been reading this blog for some time. I am looking for baking soda but i can't find it anywhere. It is so weird that normal items are so hard to find here. It's usually with the herbs and spices. It is called bikarbonat. thank you for shearing your post.
Well, the restaurants in US are nothing compared to the ones in India (not just in terms of taste, but also in terms of using the baking soda)
Especially in the new concept of food courts that you find in the new malls in India, you eat anything, you'll end up feeling so stuffy, you'll wonder whats wrong with your appetite!
It tastes good, you'll also think that the quantity is too less for the amount you paid (well, not in terms of dollars, but in Indian rupees, its too much), but by the time you are half done, you are full!
This "adding the baking soda" concept has been in use since ages, to pacify the customers, who pay a certain amount for "tasty and filling" food and the restaurant cannot afford to not add the baking soda!
In short, if after having a very tasty lunch/dinner at an Indian restaurant results in flatulence, it can be only because you had too much of lentils or because of too much soda.
I find it hard to explain this whole thing when most people wrongly blame the spices in Indian food for any stomach problems resulting from having Indian food! :/
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