An adventure with seed husks

What is psyllium and what can it do for you?

February 15, 2018 02:39 pm | Updated 02:39 pm IST

A slice of adventure bread goes a long way

A slice of adventure bread goes a long way

We were a small group that ventured out early one morning to climb the steps to Odhimalai. Now, aside from the gorgeous view and company, is also the memory of wolfing down slices of delicious adventure bread made by my friend Divya. It was the perfect food to sink one’s teeth into after a great outdoor workout and quite unlike anything that I have tasted. We were completely bowled over by the texture and taste of the diverse range of seeds and nuts.

Divya had followed a recipe from David Lebovitz’s website and it was definitely something that I wanted to try when time permitted. When I finally got down to it, I found one ingredient in the long list that I hadn’t heard of before: Psyllium seed husks. When Divya told me that it was easily available at our local food store, I was more than a little surprised and looked it up online.

Psyllium husks are derived from the seeds of a herb called Plantago ovata , which is grown in India. It is sold as a fibre supplement in the form of husks, as is required in this recipe, or in powder and capsule form. Most people may know it as Isabgol. For as far back as I can remember, Isabgol was something prescribed for digestion issues. It never occurred to me to think of it as an ingredient to enhance the fibre quotient of a dish.

While going through the health advantages of this gluten-free adventure bread, I realised that psyllium husks are used as a binding agent to compensate for the lack of gluten. This set me wondering if Isabgol could be used as a thickening agent in sauces and gravies as long as the amount is very little. It’s also said to be beneficial for heart conditions, to regulate blood sugar levels and to aid weight loss. However, there is a small percentage of side effects for some people; so it is best to test it before adding to your diet.

It also challenges conventional bread-making norms and changes one’s perception about how food can include local ingredients in different avatars. This adventure bread is loaded with sunflower, pumpkin, flax and chia seeds along with almonds, rolled oats, psyllium husks, sea salt, olive oil, maple syrup and water. The process of resting, baking and cooling takes up half the day but the result is more than worth the wait. Follow the instructions precisely and the reward is a firm toasty loaf loaded with fibre. A thin slice — plain or toasted with a bit of a salty cheese like feta and honey — is a great breakfast with which to kick-start the day. Leftover slices can be toasted up until crisp and broken down to serve as chunks of granola. They are crunchy and terribly addictive.

The wholesome ingredients make it quite filling, so a little bit gets one through the morning. Experimenting with the psyllium seed husks in minuscule doses is something that I am looking forward to.

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