Medicinal food in a time of Covid-19

Someone asked me if there is a magical dish that could inoculate us against this rapidly spreading novel virus. Of course not. If there were, everyone would be wolfing it down now and hoarding the ingredients like toilet paper. However...

There are certainly foods that people have known for ages combat pathogens and/or boost the immune system. Please remember the original medicine was food and today's pharmaceutical industry is simply manufacturing overly expensive products based on the chemicals in these foods. Rx is the iconic abbreviation of recipe.   

In various posts over time i have revealed how some of these foods including spices work as medicine.  The Newari spice tea is effective against coughs and tickling throat. Garlic has historically been "killer of demons" because it's a sulfur drug that goes straight to the lungs and wipes out nasty stuff in them. For centuries plain yogurt has been the go-to cure for turista because its active cultures become antibiotics in the intestines. Bitter foods like broccoli and arugula can open or clean sinuses. Turmeric kills bacteria which is why the Nepali people rub it on raw chicken. Lime juice can do that too. Cinnamon is a wonder drug (anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-diabetic, antimicrobial) because it is the bark of a tropical tree loaded with chemicals that protect it from ants. (Cinnamon thwarts ants.)      And a British surgeon practicing triage on the killing fields of Greece during WWI discovered honey is a very effective antibiotic. Seafood, lentils, beans and especially chickpeas are good sources of zinc which seems to strengthen the immune system and may in fact thwart this virus. So eating these foods right now is a good way to keep your body clean and thus in fighting condition.    

There is no one magic bullet recipe but you can combine medicinal ingredients as best you can into at least one dish every day,  so you can feel you are "doing something" to contain and combat this pandemic. I have already posted a few pantry ready recipes to help you if the fresh food supply dwindles or you are quarantined from it.  Check out three posts back the pasta recipe perfect for right now: Venetian spaghetti with onions.       

Here are other very simple, medicinal recipes using mostly pantry supplies. They are from my can of chickpeas collection.

Catalan braised chickpeas with almonds

serves 4

2 cans of chickpeas, washed and drained

6 tbsp olive oil

1 sm garlic clove, mashed and minced

1 sm yellow or white onion, diced

2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley

2 lbs tomatoes, peeled and chopped (you can used boxed)

1/4 c vegetable broth

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp pine nuts

2 garlic cloves

2 oz blanched almonds (1/8 lb)

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan and fry the onion until it's soft. Add 1 tbsp chopped parsley, the minced garlic clove and tomatoes. Simmer, crushing the tomatoes with the back of the spoon, until you have what looks like sauce. Add veg broth and chickpeas. Simmer 10 minutes.

While that's happening, grind the almonds, pine nuts and garlic into a "pesto" which in this recipe is called "picada."  Stir it into the chickpeas and simmer another 10 minutes. Add a tbsp of veg broth if it looks too dry. Stir in the final tbsp parsley, season with salt and pepper and serve with bread and cheeses.

Turkish chickpea stew

serves 4 as a side, 3 as an entree

2 tbsp ghee or 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 sm red onions, halved and sliced into thin strips
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp coriander seed
1 tsp cumin seed, crushed with the back of a knife
1 tsp fennel seed
2 tsp ground Aleppo pepper
2 tsp sugar
2 14 oz cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
14 oz chopped tomatoes (boxed or canned is fine)
1 sm bunch flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 lb baby spinach leaves
salt and pepper to your taste
To serve: 1 lemon, the juice
1/4 c thick yogurt (4-5 tbsp)

In a medium size heavy pan, heat the ghee or oil/butter over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and spices and cook until the onions begin to brown. Lower heat if anything is burning. Stir in tomatoes and sugar. Add chickpeas and brown them lightly. Add parsley, salt and pepper. Heat thoroughly. Toss the spinach leaves on top, cover the pan, cut off the heat and let the leaves wilt in the steam, about 3-5 minutes. Transfer the stew to a serving bowl, add the fresh lemon juice and serve with a dollop of yogurt for each person.