This keto friendly Asian inspired spice blend is perfect to add a south east Asian inspiration to any meal. Cooking with spice blends not only enhances the taste of your dish but also supports digestion and immune function and helps reduce inflammation and oxidative stress.
What makes this good for spoonies?
- Antioxidant Properties: Turmeric, black pepper, and ginger are rich in antioxidants that help neutralize harmful free radicals in the body, reducing oxidative stress and inflammation.
- Anti-Inflammatory Effects: Turmeric, black pepper, and ginger are known for their potent anti-inflammatory properties, which may help reduce inflammation in the body and alleviate symptoms associated with inflammatory conditions such as arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease.
- Digestive Health: Ginger, garlic and lemongrass have been traditionally used to aid digestion. They can stimulate the production of digestive enzymes, promote healthy gut motility, and alleviate symptoms of indigestion or bloating.
- Immune System Support: Garlic, onion, ginger and chili flakes contain compounds that support immune function and defend against infections. It’s a tasty and easy way to help strengthen your body’s natural defenses.
- Blood Sugar Regulation: Turmeric and ginger, have been studied for their potential to regulate blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity.
- Heart Health: Garlic and ginger have been associated with cardiovascular benefits like improved circulation, reduced cholesterol levels, and lower blood pressure.
What is lemongrass paste?
Essentially, it’s mashed lemongrass. Lemongrass is a tropical herb that comes from places like India, South-east Asia, and Africa. It has a tangy taste and smell that makes you think of lemons.
The lower stalks of lemongrass are the most important parts for cooking. They are a pale yellow-green colour and feel like fibres. To get the flavour and smell out of these stalks, they are often cut up, crushed, or bruised. In Asian cooking, especially Thai, Vietnamese, and Indonesian food, lemongrass is often that signature flavour you can’t quite put your finger on.
Coles and Woolies tend to sell Lemongrass as a cut herb in the little packets or have the Gourmet Garden tubes. While the Gourmet Garden tubes are amazingly easy to use, they do contain additives like vegetable and seed oils, dextrose and maltodextrin (which we try to avoid on a low inflammatory diet).
You can buy lemongrass powder from Asian supermarkets which you could substitute for the lemongrass paste in this recipe. You could also get the Madame Flavour Lemongrass Lime & Ginger Tea Pods (stocked at most Coles and Woolies) and add the content of the tea bag to your blend to keep the mix clean.
Alternatively, you could also substitute the lemongrass paste for lemon zest to give you a fresh lift to the blend and your recipe.