Cooking for your Self

Ayurveda is a perfect Science. It is a very precise and exact formula that has been gifted to all of mankind for all times, as perfect today as it was and has always been since the beginning of time. Ayurveda has many facets and its principles determine each and every aspect of our lives.
 

Food, being one of the three main pillars of life, impacts directly our understanding and perception, as our mind is also material and so made up of the subtle effects of the food that we take in during our lifetime. Our environment and even our experiences are greatly determined by the food we consume. With this in mind, we realize that we are the creators of our own world; our world itself having been created out of the mind; the mind having been created out of food.

 
 

Again, as our physical body is made up of the food that we take in during our lifetime, the same making up the mind, which is but a subtler form of matter, we come to realize how critical it is to choose those things which suit our constitution, and to reduce those which will throw us into disturbance. Ayurveda says that all diseases, symptoms and disturbances within, whether physical or mental, are caused by one thing and one thing alone: a disturbed or vitiated dosha. Once this challenge is met and one begins to live according to his unique constitution, he begins to see that there are mighty factors at work, and a great intelligence at play within. As the system within starts to correct itself, Ayurveda will come and ‘teach’ the things that are correct along with those that are incorrect; and slowly, those things that are not suitable will fall by the wayside, one by one. All such disturbances will then fall away as man returns to his natural state: his own home.

 

 

Potato and Capsicum Fry for Pitta

This is a nourishing, filling and very tasty dish.  Hits the spot during cold weather!

 

Ingredients:

4 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 large red onion, sliced

2 green bell peppers, chopped same size as the potato

Oil

1 tsp cumin seed

2-3 green chillies, seeded and sliced

2-3 sprigs fresh curry leaves

½ tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp fennel powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tbsp lime juice

 

Method: 

·         In a deep saucepan or wok, heat the oil.  When hot add in the cumin seed, green chillies and curry leaves and sauté till the seeds stop popping.

·         Add in the onion and continue to sauté until translucent. 

·         Add in the capsicum and stir fry until half cooked. 

·         Add in the potatoes, turmeric powder, coriander powder, fennel powder and cumin powders.  Mix ingredients well and add a little salt.  Cover and cook until potatoes are done, about 8-10 minutes.

·         Check salt and top the dish off with freshly chopped cilantro leaves.

 

 

 

Onion Chutney for Kapha Dosha

Ingredients:

2 large red Onions, chopped into rather large pieces

Indian Sesame oil or Ghee
1 tbsp Urad Dal (Black gram)
1 tbsp Channa Dal (Bengal gram)
1/4 tsp Hing (Asafoetida)
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
Tamarind (small golf ball size, or use the instant Tamarind concentrate)
          Mix the tamarind with 1/4 cup boiling hot water
1 sprig curry leaf
1 tsp mustard seed
4-5 dried Red chillies, broken into pieces
          (Available in the Mexican food section of your supermarket)
Salt to taste

Method:

·        Cut onion into big pieces.  Set aside.

·        Mix the tamarind with 1/4 cup hot water and set aside.
·        Heat oil or ghee in a saucepan or wok, then add in the urad dal, channa dal and hing, and fry till the dal starts to turn golden. 
·        Add in the onions, ginger and a little salt and continue to fry till onion is starting to turn golden in color and fragrant.
·        Add in the tamarind water and cook further to reduce till the water has sufficiently evaporated and the oil is starting to ooze out.
·        Remove the mixture to a plate and allow to cool for a few minutes.
·        When sufficiently cooled, blend the entire mixture in a blender, to the texture you prefer.  Remove to a bowl and keep aside.
·        In the same saucepan, heat about 2 tbsp ghee until just smoking.  Add in the mustard seeds, curry leaves, hing and dried red chillies and fry till the seeds stop popping and the leaves and chillies are crispy. 
·        Pour entire mixture onto the chutney.

 Note:

This chutney is excellent for Kapha and fully supports the dosha with all the spicey ingredients.  Serve onion chutney with your favorite savory style pancake such as Rava dosa (Savory Semolina pancake) for Kapha.  Tasty and satisfying food as medicine.

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.