The High Art Of The Pack Lunch

Description: a bed of rice flavoured with turmeric, and then layered on onions, red peppers, shrimp and mint.

The cooking part went a bit like this: I used a heavy 20 cm steel skillet with a lid and applied the highest heat with everything being cooked in safflower oil and ground black pepper. The pretty much diced onion was sauteed until the edges browned, then I added the chopped red pepper, cooking until the oil was tinged red. As I watched the red tinge spread, I was hoping to benefit from the antioxidant activity of the phenolics and flavonoids upon consumption. 

The shrimp went in last, cooked until they looked cooked but not overcooked with all that accompanying loss of fulsomeness. I occasionally used the lid to seal in the heat and moisture, keep those shrimp plump. After I scattered this mix on top of the rice, I momentarily cooked the mint in the same skillet.
 
And of course, I read something appropriate with the lunch,
 
"Oxygen species scavenger activities and phenolic contents of four West African plants"
Kouakou-Siransya et al, Food Chemistry, Volume 118, Issue 2, 15 January 2010, Pages 430-435

Abstract
 
In West Africa, Alchornea cordifolia, Baphia nitida, Cassia occidentalis and Boerhavia diffusa leaves are used in food and drinks, as well as in traditional medicine, to treat rheumatic ailments which incur oxidative stress. First, these plants were evaluated for their antioxidant properties through a scavenger effect on reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as hydrogen peroxide and hypochlorous acid. All of them showed dose-dependent antioxidant activity. The values obtained were comparable to those of antioxidant pharmacological substances: N-acetylcysteine and Mesna. Second, rates of total phenolic, flavonoid and proanthocyanidin contents were evaluated. The highest rates were to be found in the most active extracts, indicating that antioxidant activity could be influenced by these phytochemical groups.
 
The results of our study confirm the traditional use of these plants in inflammatory diseases, and demonstrate that they could contribute, through their phenolic contents, to attenuating tissue damage due to ROS. These plants can also be beneficial for health as a source of antioxidants when they are included in food and drinks.
 
Keywords: Antioxidant; Phenolics; Flavonoids; ROS; Alchornea cordifolia; Baphia nitida; Cassia occidentalis; Boerhavia diffusa
 
See: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2009.04.117


P.s. Red pepper, mint, dill, cilantro, basil and a visible red tinge to the oil,

Stellar Food

Oh dear, oh dear, walk on by. The banks of the Hudson (Latitude, Longitude: 40.831486, -73.951714) lie about 400 metres west of this watering hole. Continuing west and high, high in the sky, moves the recently new Moon, just above the Moon walks Gemini, with Mars high on their right, and below the Moon stands Orion/Osiris; my eyes yearn to travel to that line-of-sight effect, the three star belt, and there is Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse; to the south west lies Sirius, and just a touch north west, Venus skirts the horizon. What a beautiful night. To pause and rest after a long day’s journey. To find food and drink; company and talk. Keep dreaming. I am trying to figure out why the weary are served such a sodium rich and fatty fare. Speaking of the weary, I think folks will always be coming to this corner; it is easy and seductive and fast. I just can’t partake of this grub. Why ruin the heart for five Boneless Fiery Buffalo Wings; all that fat, a nice dollop of cholesterol and a pile on the salt disposition. Forget about the proteins and carbohydrates, they are meaningless in such company.

The Wings will get you 2260mg of sodium; the current recommendation (Rx) is 2400 mg/day. You fasted all day for the sake of sodium, unfortunately most United Staters down 5000mg of sodium that equates to 12,000mg of salt. Try eating 12,000mg of salt from a cute little Japanese bowl presented really sweetly with a bamboo spoon; you will not get far. Keep the seductive corner shop but regulate the fare it slides over the counter. Some are just not going to do it on their own. My heart wants to float with the stars rather then succumb to the pressure. The year 2006 saw 73.5 million, said United Staters, dancing to the tune of high blood pressure not to mention the other accompanying cardiovascular diseases. Look to the stars.

Currently the United States Food and Drug Agency (FDA) does not regulate salt in foods but a report released today and sponsored by the FDA, recommends that there are available human lives to be saved by doing so.  See Strategies to Reduce Sodium Intake in the United States, released: April 20, 2010, http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2010/Strategies-to-Reduce-Sodium-Intake-in-the-United-States.aspx

The report by the Institute of Medicine, which is the health arm of the United States National Academy of Sciences, identifies that “[w]hile numerous stakeholders have initiated voluntary efforts to reduce sodium consumption in the United States during the past 40 years, they have not succeeded. Without major change, hypertension and cardiovascular disease rates will continue to rise, and consumers will pay the price [with their blood and treasure] for inaction.”  In the absence of the Holy Grail, behavioural change, it is time for rigorous regulation of that pile on the salt disposition, nice dollop of cholesterol and all that fat.

A Man Falling

I came out of the shop and saw a man, 60ish, lying on the ground, an arranging of fallen limbs, a woman, 60ish, stood to one side watching him, sortofa disapproving demeanor, she just stood watching, waiting, another man, 60ish, was offering help but it was refused, the another man stepped away looking back with some contempt, I asked can I help you, his face showed he was all stressed out, his eyes were hurt, sweat gathered under his eyes, he had the same yellowish brown skin of my Uncle Ted, and the same yellowing to the whites of his eyes, he had sort of fallen to the side while in full stride, his right leg, must have been stepping out in front, his left leg must have been lifting from the ground behind him, he had fallen to his right, his good right arm now raising him up, his walking stick had fallen in front of him, his withered left arm lay at his side, he did not want my help, his right arm failed and his torso started falling towards the ground, I was still and useless, my whole being wanted to step in but I did not know how, I sensed a collision of upsets, pausing in how to preserve another's dignity, someone who did know how to step in, was at the periphery of my vision, he was coming towards us, he was well over 60ish and overweight, wearing a gold plushy hoodie, a look of concern, commitment and know what to do stuff, he stepped through the gawkers, he stepped behind the falling man, talking all the time, and embraced his torso, and raised him up, it was beautiful, I was in a hurry, I had forgotten my wallet, I went back home, got it and then came back, I looked for them, they were gone, I looked for the good Samaritan in the nearby shops, everyone had seemed so local, I wanted to thank him, for the lesson learnt, I re imagined some language I’d use, let me help you, for I suspect if the situation were reversed, you would help me. Tomorrow we start again,