Ever imagined holiday feasts without nutmeg?

Me neither.

Be it those delicious pumpkin pies or savoury meat dishes, a dash of nutmeg surely adds a whole new complexity to the dish.

The popularity of nutmeg can be traced as far back as 15th century. This aromatic spice had left the world explorers fighting over it.

Nutmeg was brought to Europe during the middle ages by the Arabs. The name Nutmeg, is derived from the old French, meaning the “Musky Nut”. Although, nutmeg today is quite affordable, centuries back it was heavily prized & owned only by the rich. The nutmeg trade was a very serious affair back then.

Nutmeg originally is native to the Spice Islands [Moluccas] of Eastern Indonesia. It’s scientific name is Myristica fragrans & it belongs to the family, Myristicaceae. It is an evergreen tree, standing 50 meters tall. The first harvest of the fruit takes place after seven to nine years after planting!

Nutmeg comes with its fair share of benefits. It is not only used in culinary world but also in the field of medicine.

You can experiment with nutmeg in your kitchen. It has a strong fragrance & slightly sweet taste. It is widely used in Asian & Western cuisines. It is used to flavor many kinds of baked goods, confections, puddings, pies, potatoes, meats, sausages, vegetables, & beverages such as eggnog, coffee etc.

Nutmeg includes beneficial components like dietary fiber, manganese, thiamin, Vitamin B6, folate, magnesium, copper & Maceligan.

Medicinally, the following are few of the many benefits of Nutmeg:

The essential oil, (Maceligan) is used as a stimulant & it helps in relieving stress.

It is also an effective sedative & has Anti-inflammatory properties.

It helps in relieving body pains, muscle ache toothache & it also acts as a muscle relaxant.

Nutmeg benefits the skin as well. Its Anti-inflammatory & stimulant properties work wonders on the skin.

Nutmeg also helps in alleviating indigestion, flatulence, constipation etc. And plays a role in detoxification of the body.

However, when consumed in large amounts, nutmeg has psychoactive effects & is also known to be a hallucinogen. It may also cause convulsions, palpitations etc. During the 19th century, nutmeg was also used as an abortifacient, to avoid unwanted pregnancy.

With such long-standing history an en number of benefits, no wonder this holiday spice is so popular.

HERE, ARE A FEW DELICIOUS RECIPES THAT CAN BE PREPARED USING NUTMEG:

SPINACH, POTATO, AND NUTMEG SOUP

INGREDIENTS:

• Potato [peeled & halved] - 1 medium
• Milk- 1/4th cup
• Fresh spinach- 1 cup
• Onion (chopped) -1 medium
• Ground nutmeg- to taste
• Vegetable stock5: 1 cup
• Salt- as per taste.
• Black pepper powder- as per taste
• Oil- 1 tsp

METHOD:

 Step 1   Heat oil in a nonstick pan, add the chopped onion & cook until tender.

 Step 2   Add cooked onion, spinach, potato, & nutmeg to make a puree.

 Step 3   In a saucepan add the puree, & vegetable stock & allow it to cook for 20mins.

 Step 4   Season with salt, pepper powder & nutmeg powder to taste.

 Step 5   Pour in a bowl & ready to serve

EGGNOG

INGREDIENTS:

• Whole egg- 1
• Milk- 1 cup
• Sugar- 2 tsp
• Nutmeg- 1 tsp 

METHOD:

 Step 1   In a bowl beat the egg & sugar to form a soft peak.

 Step 2   Add nutmeg & milk in a separate bowl & mix well them well.

 Step 3   Add the beaten egg to the milk & pour into a serving glass. Refrigerate it for 30-40mins.

 Step 4   Sprinkle nutmeg powder on top & serve chill.

NUTMEG COFFEE

INGREDIENTS:

• Coffee powder- 1/3th tbsp
• Milk- 1/3rd cup
• Sugar- 1 tsp
• Cinnamon powder- 1/2 tsp
• Nutmeg powder- a pinch
• Water- 1/4th cup

METHOD:

 Step 1   In a saucepan add coffee powder, sugar, milk, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder & water. Stir occasionally until the sugar dissolve & the milk is about to boil.

 Step 2   Turn off the flame & pour the coffee into a mug.

 Step 3   Sprinkle nutmeg powder & serve hot.