And another thing...

Well, a few more things about nutrition, since food IS one of my very favorite subjects.

Can we please cross potatoes off the list of food items that qualify as vegetables? Here, a meal usually consists of rice, dhal, a vegetable side dish, and maybe roti, too. All too often, the vegetable side is potato (or bitter gourd... yuk!) There's never enough GLVs for me (green leafy vegetables).

Also, we have to examine the methods of cooking being used. Often the vegetables here are heavily fried, or cooked so much the vitamins are all gone. On the other hand, there are some traditions that enhance the bioavailability of nutrients, like soaking and sprouting the legumes and grains. Phytic acid in the seed coat can block mineral absorption. Sprouting eliminates phytic acid, and also begins breaking down some of the harder to digest sugars and proteins, so sprouting makes the food more digestible and more nutritious. It also means less fuel will be used because they'll need less cooking time.

Other traditions, like vegetarianism, are a mixed bag. I saw so much anemia in the south, particularly among women. And the average diet was so deficient in protein. Some meat would have been really helpful for many people, but that's not an option for so many because of caste or cost restrictions.
Please bring back the ragi!

One last point about nutrition... It doesn't really matter how much 'nutrition food' you swallow, if you're suffering from chronic diarrhea because your water is contaminated. Nothing will be absorbed. The issue of public hygiene will factor largely in the next module about infectious diseases. The astute reader says "Wait! I thought you said the next module is all about composting?" Aha! Soon you will see how it all ties together...!

SPROUTING AND COOKING DHAL
Here's how I was taught to sprout dhal (for example moong dhal):
Soak them overnight. The next day, place them in a colander with a plate underneath to catch the water. Cover the colander with a damp cloth and wait 8 hours or so for small legumes like moong, maybe 12 hours for black eyed peas, even longer for channa (garbanzo beans) etc.

Once they're sprouted, you can cook them like this:
If you've got a grind stone or molcajete, grind garlic and ginger to a paste (or just mince them) and fry in ghee or other good cooking oil.
Add chopped onion and tomato, and whatever spices you like from your daba -- turmeric (haldi), cumin (jeera), mustard seeds (sarsun), bishop's weed (ajwain), asafoetida (hing), curry leaves, etc. Oh, and of course, chili.
Once that's fried and soft and your kitchen smells fantastic, add the sprouts, and a little stock or just plain water, and some small-chopped, peeled potatoes. In 15 or 20 minutes the beans and potatoes should be cooked all through.
It's delicious and nutritious!
;]