Purple, Cakelike, Gluten-free, Organic and lots of fun to make and to eat.

Note to commenters: I cannot find the original recipe but I added butter to this recipe.

Easter colors were not even on my mind when I spied this Organic Purple Corn Meal at the Lemon Street Market, where all things gluten-free nest among the “regular” food.    http://www.lemonstreetmarket.com

I know the folks at Spiral Path Farm http://www.spiralpathfarm.com    located up the river from us in Perry County. Spiral Path has always gone the extra mile to farm with nature always in mind and their products are especially high quality. The milling of this interesting variety of corn meal is so well done. It makes corn meal look and act like cake flour. But look at some of the reasons they may have considered when they set out to grow this interesting variety of corn.

Purple corn meal got its start way back in the Incan Empire in Peru. (I’ve been to Peru and know there is something powerful and mysterious about these Incan people. Let’s just guess that their prowess may have been supported by their diet, supporting them as they create monuments of huge scope way up top on the hills of the Andes.)

In today’s nomenclature, this is a Superfood that surpasses even Blueberries when it comes to supplying anthrocyanins – the source of antioxidents that are known for anti-inflammatory properties and connective tissue regeneration.  What better food could we turn to when we want to cool down the Fire of Pitta dosha, keeper of healthy skin. Before I share a recipe or two with you, let’s look at just two reasons why this food is a balancing “medicine” for doshas. Summer – Pitta’s high season – is just around the corner after Easter comes and goes- and healthy skin in summer is always a challenge. Meanwhile,  cool, moist springtime is still with us (Kapha time) , so it’s a good time to acknowledge that Kapha governs the connective tissue between brain cells, where past memories are stored.

It could take a lifetime to understand the intricacy of details that make up the nutritional values converted by doshas. So let’s get busy and do some baking in time to serve cakelike Purple Corn Bread with our pink and yellow Easter eggs.

This recipe uses a lot of fat, here in the form of organic butter. This promotes sweetness and so it calms and soothes Vata and Pitta. Kapha may be aggravated by any high-fat recipe so give your Kapha friends only small portions of sweet, dense food like this bread because they will adore it!

Purple Corn Bread

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8-inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients:  1 cup purple corn meal, 3/4 cup rice flour (You can substitute all-purpose flour if you don’t mind the gluten in it), 1 Tablespoon sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.  In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients:  2 large eggs, lightly beaten, 3-4 tablespoons melted butter, and 1 1/2 cup buttermilk.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and fold together until they are no dry spots showing.  This batter will be lumpy.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake about 20 to 25 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let it cool for 10 minutes before serving.

You might experiment with a seasonal theme of powdered sugar lightly sifted over the top of the finished bread. With the finely sifted rice and corn flours this dish is delicate enough to act like a cake!

Please put in your comments if you try this recipe or these flours in other dishes.