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Madras Curry Declared Top Aphrodisiac???
    In a peculiar 'news story,' Madras Curry was declared the number one aphrodisiac according to US researcher David Strovny.


    The story was mostly picked up and printed by newspapers and websites in India. No information was given as to how Strovny did his online research. Its my guess that if Family Feud polled people on their top aphrodisiac, Survey would not say Madras Curry.

    Don't get me wrong. I love many different curries. I don't disagree that Madras curry has some libido boosting power. But I sure wouldn't put it at the top of the list.

The dish is generally quite hot and loaded with chili peppers, cumin, coriander, and other good spices. The conventional wisdom is that the warming sensation from hot pepper causes a state that the mind might associates with arousal. Ummm...sorta.

Chilies are not considered a strong aphrodisiac in Ayurveda, but they are recognized as stimulating and envigorating. In the Bollywood/Hollywood movie Mistress of the Spices, the spice shop owner has supernatural powers to talk with the spices. And when the hunky guy shows up with his perfect abs and biceps and pectorals, it is the chili peppers that get alarmed and talkative, warning the beautiful mistress to avoid forbiden love.

In Ayurveda, chilies are considered irritants to the urinary tract - a somewhat milder version of the dangerous Spanish Fly.

("Survey Says the Number One Answer for Natural Aphrodisiac: Spanish Fly." Of course, most people that equate Spanish Fly with aphrodisiac don't know that real Spanish Fly can be deadly.)

Capsaicin is the active ingredient in Chilies that causes the sensation of heat and burning. Capsaicin specifically stimulates a nerve receptor that is normally turned on by something called Substance P in the body. The Substance P nerves not only communicate the sensation of heat, they also cause flushing of the blood vessels that is similar in some respects to that seen with nitric oxide (the stuff that Viagra stimulates).

One problem with capsaicin is that it leads to tolerance. With heavy consumption, those nerves become depleted of Substance P and are desensitized.

Madras curries generally contain the following: Cilantro, Tamarind, Cumin, Turmeric, and Chile Pepper. These are found in varying amounts, and sometimes other ingredients are added. The traditional way to make curry is to fry the spices in hot oil for a minute, and then add other ingredients. This extracts the fat-soluble compounds from the spices. Turn on the fan above your stove when you do this - the vapors can be irritating.

I personally think that you can make Madras Curry better by adding coconut milk. Madras Curry ordinarily does not contain coconut, but coconut does contain some fatty acids that are copulins, and other compounds that tickle the testosterone receptors in cells. I also find a touch of cloves help round out this blend.

    I have a jar of Patak's pre-mixed Madras Curry blend in my refrigerator now. It says 'hot' on the label, and they mean it. The recipe on the jar calls for 4 Tablespoons of the paste; I used 2 1/2 and could barely stand it. It's available in Asian Grocercies in the UK and US, or here at Amazon.com The trick is to make it so you feel warm or a little hot ... not so hot that it causes pain.


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