Cranberry Sauce

by Sheela Rani Chunkath

During the Festival of Deepavali, many families prepare deepavali marunthu (a kind of lehyam/jam) that is an excellent digestive and immune enhancer. During this festival season everyone tends to overeat and overexert themselves. This marunthu is an excellent restorative.

In Unites States there seems to be a similar tradition. During Thanksgiving and Christmas one tends to go overboard on turkey and duck roast, gravy, chocolates and cakes. The American don’t have a nuanced preparation like our Deepavali marundhu but cranberry sauce is their answer to overeating issues. In many households cranberry sauce is a holiday staple. Massachusels produces 27% of the world cranberry and since I am in Boston I am intrigued by this popular berry which is harvested once a year during October in time for the holiday season.

Harvesting cranberries is quite a unique process. Cranberries grow on vines or runners in boggy areas. Once the fruits are ripe, farmers flood the bog and a machine runs through the water dismantling the fruit from the vine. And then you have this entire lake floating with beautiful red cranberries. A harvester collects the cranberries from the water and it is then packed for the market. Cranberries are tart and a good substitute for tamarind or lime. Turkey with the cranberry sauce helps digest the turkey as the sour taste increases bile production which improves fat digestion and metabolism. Cranberry is high in antioxidants which detoxifies free radicals. It is also rich in betacarotene, a blood alternative and liver restorative. Cranberry also has an astringent taste, one of the six tastes spelt out in Ayurveda. This fruit tightens and tones tissues because of its astringency. It is cooling and reduces inflammation. Cranberry helps in maintaining proper bowel movement. Cranberry is helpful in preventing the growth of E. coli and is used in preventing urinary tract infections. Proanthocyanide in the cranberries prevent the attachment of microbial cell with the uterine lining and prevent their growth.

Cranberries are said to be useful in fighting cancers because of the flavonoid and antioxidant compounds present in the fruit. Cranberries are very good in improving the immune system and in maintaining a healthy heart. They tend to increase HDLs (the good cholesterol) and lower LDLs (bad cholesterol). The anti-adherence property of cranberries help to prevent the adherence of microbes to the uterine lining and LDL to blood vessels. Cranberry juice is good for those with UTIs etc. but should be taken with caution by those having kidney stones and by those who are on blood thinning medications.

This Thanksgiving I ate a lot of homemade cranberry sauce teamed with thick creamy mashed potatoes and oven roasted Brussels sprouts. The preparation is simple although each family has their own recipes. Cranberries - 1 cup, sugar -1 cup, water - 1 cup, 3 teaspoons of finely grof ed together till all the cranberries burst and you get a jam-like consistency. You can spice it with a little chilli powder, if you like your sauce hot, sweet and sour. I enjoyed our home-made cranberry sauce.

--- The writer is retired Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu. She can be reached at Sheelarani.arogyamantra@gmail. com. Earlier articles can be accessed at http://arogyamantra.blogspot.com/