Rava Dosa

 This is a yummy South Indian breakfast dish that is easy and quick

Ingredients:

½ cup Semolina, or Cream of Wheat

½ rice flour (available in the Mexican food section of your supermarket)

¼ cup all purpose flour

¾ tsp salt

¾ tsp black pepper

1 tsp cumin seed

2 green chillies, chopped fine
1 sprig curry leaf (if you have it)

1 tsp finely minced ginger

2 tbsp cilantro, freshly chopped

1 onion, chopped

Ghee

Method:

·        Combine all the ingredients except the onions and curry leaves in a mixing bowl.  Mix up with a whisk to fully integrate all the ingredients. 

·        Add 1 cup water, stirring well.  Continue to add enough water so that you have a very watery consistency.  This is not a thick batter at all but a watery one.  If the batter is too thick, the dosa will not turn out crispy.

·        Heat 2 tsps of ghee in an iron frying pan or flat skillet.  You can also use a nonstick pan if you wish.

·        Add in 1 tbsp of the chopped onions and 2-3 curry leaves for each pancake, and allow to sauté until golden.

·        Using your hands, scoop up the batter and drizzle all around the pan, creating a very holey and lacy effect.  Drizzle 1 or 2 tsps of ghee on the topside and then wait for the bottom to thoroughly brown and crisp up.  This may take up to 5 minutes, but you must watch it.

·        When ready, simply fold the dosa into thirds with the spatula.  There is no need to turn the dosa over to cook the other side, but you can if you wish.

Serve dosa with coconut chutney, onion chutney or Indian sambhar for a traditional and yummy South Indian breakfast.

Mexican Style Rice for Kapha Dosha

 This is a great one dish meal that is not too heavy
and is easily digestible

 

Ingredients:

3 tbsp Corn or Sunflower Oil

2 cups rice

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large red onion, chopped

3-4 Green chillies, sliced diagonally

1 tbsp Cumin powder

1 yellow tomato, chopped
1 tsp sugar

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

3cups Chicken stock or chicken buillion

Salt

Black pepper

Fresh cilantro, chopped

 

Method:

 

• Wash rice well and drain. Set aside.
• Heat oil in a medium saucepan.  When hot, add in the garlic, onion and green chillie and stir fry on medium heat until onion is golden.
• Add in the rice and salt and continue to stir fry for about 5 minutes or until the raw rice is no longer damp and is starting to dry out and brown up a bit.
• Add in the cumin powder and black pepper and stir fry for about 3-4 minutes so that the cumin becomes spicy fragrant and loses the raw smell. The mixture should look a little oily.
• Add in the green pepper, tomato and sugar, and stir fry again mixing all ingredients well. Add in the chicken stock stirring well and return to the boil.
• Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium low, cover and continue to cook for about 20 minutes or until rice is done.
• About half way through, remove the lid and stir through to ensure rice is not burning at the bottom of the pan.  Cover and continue cooking until rice is done.
• Top off this dish with freshly chopped cilantro.

 

 

Almond Milk for Vata

This is a refreshing drink to enjoy during hot weather.

Very nourishing for Vata

Ingredients:

Milk - 4 cups

Honey – 3 to 4 tbsp

Nutmeg Powder - 1/8 tsp

Green Cardamom - 5 to 6 pieces

Almonds - 1/4 cup

 

Method:

 

• Soak almonds overnight and in the morning remove skins.  Mince the almonds and set aside.
• Grind the green cardamoms in a grinder, or mortar and pestle.  Set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, add in the milk, ground cardamom, nutmeg powder and almonds.
• Bring to a boil then reduce to a gentle simmer.  Allow to simmer for about 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat.
• When a little cooled, add in the honey to taste.

 Note:

You can drink this warm or chilled. 

 

 

 

Sweet Lassie

 

A Refreshing Yoghurt Drink for Pitta and Vata

 

 Ingredients:

 

1 cup fresh full cream yoghurt

1 cup freshly drawn cold tap water

½ cup ice cubes

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp Rose water

 

Method:

 

Place all ingredients in blender and blend well until nice and frothy. Drink a little chilled.

 

Notes:

Lassie will cool the system down to a very great extent.

Drink this in the mid afternoon or whenever the weather is hot.

Do not take yoghurt or yoghurt drinks in the evenings as it is too cooling for the system.

Do not take early morning as the weather is still a bit too cool for it.

Drink when your system is heated up and see how refreshing it is, and tasty too!

Be sure to observe your system's reaction to all newly introduced dishes and drinks.

 

Oats for Pitta and Vata

This old time favorite dish is very nourishing and satisfying for both Pitta and Vata.  It builds the tissues while reducing the cholesterol. 

Ingredients:
 

1 cup whole rolled oats (not instant)

Approx 2 cups water

¼ tsp Salt

¼ Cinnamon powder (or less)

Pinch of Nutmeg

2 tbsp ghee

Handful of Raisins

Cashews, broken into pieces

Milk

Sugar or honey

 

Method:

• In a medium saucepan, bring the water and salt to a rolling boil.  Add in the oats, stirring to prevent lumps.  Reduce heat to medium low and cook for a further 5-7 minutes.
• Remove from heat and cover.  Let oats sit for 3-4 minutes.
• In a shallow saucepan, heat the ghee and sauté the cashews until they turn a nice rich golden color.  Add in the raisins and once they balloon up, remove the pan from the heat and pour entire mixture into the oats.  Don’t allow the raisins to burn as they will become bitter.
• Sprinkle oats with a little cinnamon and nutmeg.  Use nutmeg very sparingly as it is very strong and can easily overpower the whole dish.
• Add in a ½ tsp of unsalted butter if you like, and sweeten to taste with brown sugar or honey.
• Add in enough milk to your liking and enjoy!