Steam coming out your nose, your ears, your head - no its not that you are in the sauna but in your local Indian or Mediterranean restaurant feasting from all the new exotic tastes and flavours that have been introduced to our delicate Irish palates. Gone are the simple bangers and mash - being replaced by Rogan Gosh, Chicken Vindaloo, Beef Spiced with chillies etc. Having recently started eating Indian and spiced foods - their flavours have and addictive quality that the body craves every so often, well maybe once a week or so, in Hudsons, the award winning restaurant in Navan. Our weekly fix of New Orleans Style Chicken with fantastic spiced flavours of red and green chillies, plus marinades. After minutes of eating this fantastic dish your mouth would be consumed by fire as each morsel hits the taste buds. At least I can enjoy this dish, reassuring myself that it is really good for helping to aid digestion, improve circulation, increase the metabolism and eventually cleanse the system. The magic in hot spicy food, properly cooked, is the chemical ingredient in chillies and spices called capsaicin. So if you get the craving, go for it, but make sure you check that all the ingredients are fresh and not heated by microwave. Ask for yogurt to be used instead of cream.
There is a simple biological explanation for our desire for curries or chili-based food after a few pints. The pursuit of the curry high is really the search for the fiery chemical called capsaicin, which, when eaten causes an endorphin rush - a wonderful legal high.
But that's not the only reason we shouldn't feel guilty when ordering a chicken phaal with extra chillies in the local Indian eatery. To exploit this potential to the full we need to understand what a cornucopia of beneficial chemicals a curry can provide. It's literally like having a liquidised version of the local chemist sloshing around in those little tin-foil dishes.
There's credible medical research that suggests eating food that contains capsaicin will protect stomach linings from the ravages of alcohol, aspirin and other orally-ingested bad news. This is an effect demonstrated at the National University Hospital in Singapore. Capsaicin also has a protective effect against peptic ulcer disease.
Carry-On style jokes about the alimentary effects of curries are also verified by research from the Royal Adelaide Hospital in Australia. Gastrointestinal transit - the time it takes for food to pass through the body - is speeded up by eating capsaicin. The gastric emptying is slower so the food remains in the stomach for longer for a more efficient break down of nutrients.
So powerful is the effect of capsaicin that it's included in a group of drugs called rubefacients, that reduce skin irritation by creating counter irritation - mild pain will block the more intense pain.
Other ingredients like caraway, cassias oil, cardomom, cinnamor and coriander are described as being carminative in their effects - soothing the stomach and reducing flatulence. Also, look out for:
Garlic: As well as keeping amorous vampires at bay, garlic has long been associated with being beneficial to health. It is know to help reduce cholesterol levels by thinning the blood, helps mild hypertension and may positively stimulate the immune system.
Ginger: This root is linked to beneficial effects on inflammation and rheumatism. It has even been implicated in helping reduce nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy. This may be a useful ploy in getting the pregnant woman in your life to indulge in curries.
Nutmeg: Unique in having some positively weird side effects. Dr. Abernethy, of the University of Chicago, has connected the state of 'acute nutmeg intoxication' with hallucinations, palpitations and a feeling of impending doom - and they sell this stuff in the corner shops!
Chilli peppers come in all shapes and sizes - from small and deadly to large and friendly. Here are the common ones that tend to be sold through supermarket chains. Ideally, seek out an ethnic grocery - they're usually much cheaper.
Cayanne chillies: These are extra hot and either green or red. They're sometimes sold dried or powdered.
Serrano chillies. Bullet shaped to deliver the message with a bang. These are small but deadly and a typical ingredient of Thai cookery.
Jalapeno chillies. Fat fingered with a delicious sweetness. These are used as a toping on pizzas, an ingredient in sauces, roasted in the oven, or stuffed with meat.
Bird's Eye chillies. Literally too hot to handle. Their juice will blister your fingers. Tiny and ovoid in shape they provide that fire-extinguisher-in-the-face-please reaction.
Handling chillies can be risky if you touch your eyes or face - or any other sensitive area afterwards. Whether dried or fresh, their seeds and flesh can burn - so wear rubber gloves when handling them. Keep peppers in the fridge for two or three days, and fresh chillies for one week. Dried chillies can be kept for up to one year.
Enjoy!!