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RAJNI ANAND LUTHRA on flax seeds

On a trip back home to India recently, I carried with me a variety of items from the health food shop. My parents have become total health food freaks lately and I thought they would enjoy what I had to offer.

“Isn’t this alsi?” Mum said as she closely inspected my beautifully packaged bag of flax seeds.

“Yeh to yahan mitti ke bhav milti hai she said (it’s cheap as dirt here). She opened her freezer and showed me her stash of flax seeds. While the polypropelene packaging on my bag was decidedly superior, the seeds in the plain Indian plastic bags looked so much fresher and better in quality.

Apparently both Mum and Dad have added flax seeds, or linseeds as they prefer to call them, as an essential element in their daily diet.

“It is highly nutritious,” Dad told me. “It is filled with Omega-3 fatty acids so it is good for my cholesterol, and it also has plenty of fibre and anti-oxidants”.

Vegetarians who want to increase their intake of Omega-3 fatty acids, and want to stay away from fish-oil capsules, will find flax seed very useful. And as for fibre, new research has shown that there is no food higher in fibre than this tiny seed.

Flax seed is also very low in carbohydrate, and so dieters like to add it in their breads and muffins.

The little flax seed, it would seem, is a powerhouse of nutrients.

In fact, Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Wherever flax seed becomes a regular food item among the people, there will be better health”.

Enough said – I returned to Australia determined to max the flax in my own diet. Read on for some interesting flax seed recipes. Note two facts however: one, flax seeds need to be ground to make their nutrients available (even though the lead recipe presented in this column uses them whole), and two, keep them stored in your freezer (the fat in them, highly unsaturated, can go rancid fairly rapidly).

Mum’s Quickfix Alsi Ki Panjiri

1 cup flax seeds

1 cup wholemeal wheat flour

2-3 tbsp ghee or canola oil

½ cup light brown sugar.

Dry roast flax seeds, cool and then grind in a dry grinder. Mix with wheat flour.

Heat ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan and add the flours in. Roast until aromatic. Take off heat and add the sugar; mix well.

Store in an air-tight container and eat a small bowlful every day.

You can add in nuts and raisins to make it fancy.

Alsi Ki Pinni

Mum’s panjiri is actually the basis for pinni, that northern-Indian laddoo that is eaten during winter to ward off the cold. Pinnis are made from a variety of ingredients, but are filled with ghee and nuts. This particular version is however, less fatty, and perfect for this time of the year.

1 cup flax seeds

1 cup wholemeal wheat flour

Home-made Muesli

2 1/2 cups rolled oats

2 cups puffed millet

1 cup raw almonds (with skin), chopped

1 cup sunflower seeds

½ cup flax seeds

1 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon powder

½ cup canola oil

½ cup light brown sugar

1 cup dried apricots (chopped)

1 cup chopped pitted dates

Mix together in a large bowl oats, millet, almonds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, salt and cinnamon. Add oil and sugar and mix well. Use your hands if you have to, but make sure sugar is evenly mixed. Line with foil 2 large baking trays and lightly oil. Divide the mixture evenly between the two trays and bake in a moderate oven, 180 degrees, for about 20 minutes. Cool, and then mix in the dried fruits. (You could use any other dried fruit of choice such as raisins).

Store in an air-tight container.

1 cup canola oil

¾ cup jaggery, roughly powdered (or use

1 cup gm almonds, pistachios and cashewnuts, coarsely powdered

Dry roast seeds and then coarsely grind in a dry grinder. Dry roast the wheat flour until brown and aromatic. Keep aside.

Now heat ghee in a large wok/karhai, and add the jaggery or brown sugar. Let the mixture bubble, then add the flours. Keep heat low and mix well. Then introduce the nuts and raisins. Mix well and remove from

Allow mixture to cool enough to handle, and then shape into little balls.

Store in an air-tight container.

Apple Muffins

1 1/4 cup flax seed meal

2 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp cinnamon powder

1 tsp nutmeg powder

¾ cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup canola oil

1 tbsp vanilla essence

1 apple, chopped finely

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients together first, then add the others. Set aside for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, grease a 12-muffin tin. Pour batter in and bake for 20 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Flax Seed Bread

2 cups flax seed meal

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp sugar

5 beaten eggs

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup oil

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Line a large oven tray with baking paper and grease. Combine flax seed meal, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. The add eggs, water and oil and mix well.

Set aside for five minutes. Then pour onto tray and even out with spatula. Bake for about 20 minutes, until it springs back when touched.

Cool and then slice up.