The Hindu Business Line : Foodie and fit

So now that you've achieved near-nirvana at a neighbourhood spa with that volcanic ash rubdown, a Dead Sea facial and Bach's flower bath, how about trying out some spa cuisine? What's that, did you sputter? Well, a lot, actually. In fact, spa therapists say that the spa experience is incomplete without the specialised cuisine.

"Most spa-goers focus on the massages and other bodily treatments without realising how vital spa cuisine is for them. For a complete mind-body rejuvenation, this food is crucial," explains Dr Narendra K. Shetty, Manager, Amatrra Spa, Ashok Hotel, New Delhi, which runs an exclusive spa cuisine eatery `Ambrosia'.

But how is spa cuisine different from normal, healthy food? According to experts, spa food addresses the body and mind at all levels. It is loaded with contrasting colours and textures that are visually appealing, and tastes and aromas that "satisfy, stimulate and cleanse". Explains Kamayani Kanwar of Asian Roots Spa, a standalone spa for women, "The philosophy behind spa cuisine is simple — it rejuvenates the mind and body holistically and provides a low-fat and balanced option for one's health, weight and wellbeing."

But wholesome as spa cuisine is, spa therapists say it should not be treated as a substitute for gimmicky diet food. "One shouldn't use spa food as a shortcut to shedding weight," says Executive Chef Ravi Tejnath of Trident Hilton Hotel, Gurgaon (Haryana), which runs Angsana Spa in collaboration with the popular Banyan Tree chain. "This food should include all six tastes (sweet, sour, bitter, salty, pungent, umami) and essential micronutrients like proteins, fats and carbohydrates."

With such close scrutiny going into it, you'd perhaps think spa cuisine is bland and boring. Frugal bean sprouts, mushy gruel or boiled veggies, perhaps? Perish the thought! Because contemporary spa food is as close as you can get to haute cuisine. In fact, many spas employ gourmet chefs to rustle up this tantalising fare that's high on the health quotient too.

The stunningly crafted Ananda Spa in Rishikesh, sited amidst the emerald expanses of Uttaranchal, and winner of Conde Nast Traveller's award for the Best Destination Spa in the World, 2004, is a case in point. The sprawling 21,000-sq- ft spa's eatery `Rejuvenation Cuisine' has Executive Chef Sumit Kumar — baptised at The Ritz, London, no less — churn out delectable dishes each day.

Ananda's signature ayurvedic menu offers Jhinguara Kheer (Garhwali Himalayan millet simmered in cardamom-flavoured milk), Jhinga Tiltiley (tandoor-marinated and roasted sesame crusted prawns), Curried Potato Gnocchi with Gingered Spinach and Corn Salsa, Brown Rice Khichadi (organic brown rice porridge), Eggless French Toast, grain muesli, sugar-free desserts, morning bakeries and Kahulua soya mousse. Even a simple breakfast includes a smorgasbord of fresh fruit, banana and apple puree (instead of jam), freshly baked bread, low-fat pastries and freshly brewed coffee.

The Ananda pre-meal `elixir' — a hors d'oeuvres cocktail of fresh apple juice, ginger, lemon and a sprinkling of rock salts — boosts the body's digestion and assimilation while its choorna powder (a mix of crushed herbs and spices grown in the in-house organic gardens) is blended according to body type and sprinkled over food to achieve bodily balance.

Not far behind in the gourmet sweepstakes is Ambrosia (or `food fit for the gods') which also incorporates the culinary wisdom of ayurveda in its "quintessentially tonic, elixir and aphrodisiac" spa food. "We've drawn upon the idea of Purush (Man) and Prakriti (Nature) to create a cuisine that synthesises the therapeutic and the aesthetic elements in food," informs Dr Shetty.

The ayurveda template is often kept in mind at spas while planning diets for different body constitutions — Vata (air and space), Pitta (fire and water) and Kapha (water and earth). Hence, Ambrosia's exhaustive menu includes an ayurvedic mocktail (for Vata type), which contains beetroot, melon juice, cinnamon syrup and lemon juice and is served chilled. For the Kapha type, there are Vietnamese springrolls with sprouts, mushrooms and peppers rolled in rice paper and served with soya sauce. Veg tofu fry, Veg Couscous Ratatouille and Anshula Salad are earmarked for Pitta.

For the tridoshiks (a mix of all three body types) too, there is a slew of delectable options — fresh tender avocado and asparagus, tofu crepes, Nori Maki, Tapenade, Herb Aioli with salad greens, orange salad enriched with almonds and Crepe Amatrra containing kiwi, grapes and grapefruit confit finished with strawberry sauce.

Even spa cuisine's raw ingredients are culled with care. The Ananda kitchen, for instance, uses only the heart-friendly olive oil. Amatrra uses only rock salt in its foods which is free of harmful minerals while the sugar consumed is the natural stevia sugar which contains no additives and has a low glycemic index (GI).

At Angsana, Chef Tejnath's fare is largely organic and customised to suit each client's body and blood type. It includes a range of 16 herbal teas (including Chamomile, Green Apple, Jasmine), tofu stir fry vegetables with soya and mirin; steamed Norwegian salmon with lemon and mint couscous and fresh papaya salsa. Smoked corn-fed chicken and unpolished rice pilaf and whole-wheat spaghetti with organic arugula, basil and dried garlic flakes are also a part of the epicurean menu.

In other words, the next time you pamper your mind and body at a spa, don't forget to tweak your taste buds either with spa cuisine. It's fun, fashionable, fitness-inducing.

Picture by the author

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