Ayurveda comes from India and means translated “The knowledge” (Veda) “of long life” (Ayur). It is the oldest holistic healing art of humanity. Massages, unique cleansing treatments, and physical exercises (yoga) are part of the ayurvedic way of life and nutrition. All elements together are supposed to keep the different body functions, such as metabolism, digestion, and tissue in balance, so that no diseases can develop. To help you cook Ayurvedic dishes at home in the future, we have picked out our favorite 4 ayurvedic recipes for you.
Diets can be adapted according to type. Ayurveda distinguishes here between the three doshas: Kapha, Pitta, and Vata. Each person corresponds to one of these three doshas, depending on the different characteristics of the individual.
Tips for the Ayurvedic diet
- With other types of nutrition, the focus is on raw foods, not so with Ayurveda. Here it is recommended that most of the food is eaten cooked. Only at lunchtime, for example, a salad can be eaten as a side dish because, at this time, the digestive system has the most energy. The body can absorb cooked food more efficiently, so raw food should be avoided, especially in the evening.
- Only eat small amounts. The stomach should only be about three-quarters full.
- Allow 4 to 5 hours to pass between all main meals. The food should always be wholly digested before you eat anything new.
- Always use pure butterfat (ghee) for frying and cooking. Ghee is particularly valued for its many health-promoting properties.
- For seasoning, it is best to use Ayurvedic spices such as turmeric, cumin, coriander, garam masala, chili, or ginger. This not only gives your dishes a distinctive Ayurvedic touch but also makes them easier to digest.
- And last but not least: Enjoy your meals in a relaxed atmosphere. Do not read the newspaper, listen to the news, or watch your favorite TV show’s latest episode. Even tricky topics should not be discussed at the table. These things all affect the digestive process.
Colorful vegetables with coriander sauce
Especially useful for all doshas is to prepare the vegetables in a slightly thick sauce. During cooking, the amount of water should therefore vary.
Ingredients:
- 500 g vegetables in season (such as broad beans, carrots, potatoes, and broccoli)
- One tablespoon liquid ghee or refined sunflower oil
- One ¼ TL cumin seed
- ½ TL Fenugreek seed
- Ten black peppercorns
- Four cloves
- One pinch asafoetida
- ½ TL paprika powder
- ½ TL Curcuma powder
- One ¼ tsp. salt
- 150 ml of coconut milk
- 50 ml of water
- One handful of fresh coriander leaves (chopped)
Preparation
- Wash the vegetables and peel the carrots and potatoes. Then chop everything into small pieces.
- Heat ghee or oil in a pan. Fry the cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, black peppercorns, and cloves in it until slightly golden brown (approx. 20 seconds).
- Add the asafoetida, toss everything briefly, and immediately add the vegetables, turmeric, paprika, and salt.
- Cover everything over medium heat, turning regularly.
- Add the coconut milk and water and let everything simmer until the vegetables are soft.
- Finally, add fresh coriander leaves, remove from heat, and serve.
Saitan & bean curry with mango-rice milk
It is also great to cook any vegetables instead of or in addition to the saitan, such as broad beans. This is good for all doshas! As a Pitta type, you take half of the Curry Masala; as a Kapha type, you can leave out the Saitan and add vegetables such as carrots.
Ingredients
- 200 g Saitan
- 1 ½ tablespoon refined sunflower oil or liquid ghee
- 1 MS Asafoetida
- 20 fresh curry leaves
Curry Masala:
- 300 ml of rice milk
- 50 ml of coconut milk
- Four tablespoons mango puree
- ½ tsp salt
Mösern or paint:
- One teaspoon coriander
- ¼ TL cumin
- ½ tsp fennel
- ½ TL Mustard
- halfTL Fenugreek seed
- Seven black peppercorns
- One small anisotropy star
- Five green cardamom pods
- ¾ TL Curcuma powder
Preparation
- Crush the Saitan as desired.
- Heat oil or ghee slightly and sauté the asafoetida for 3 seconds, the curry leaves for 10 seconds, and the curry masala for 5 seconds.
- Immediately add rice milk, saitan, mango puree, and salt.
- Let everything simmer on medium heat until the sauce thickens slightly. Then remove from heat.
Pear with caramel dates
This dish is not only delicious but also ideal for Pitta and Kapha. If you are a Kapha type, you can add one tablespoon of grated ginger together with the dates. If you are a Vata type, you should enjoy this dessert in small quantities.
Ingredients
- Four tablespoons whole cane sugar
- 250 ml of water
- 100 g dates
- ½ Cinnamon stick
- Two teaspoons cornstarch
- Two pears
- 500 ml of water
- 50 g real cane sugar
- One cinnamon stick
- Seven cloves
- Two anise stars
- One teaspoon turmeric
Preparation
- Peel, halve, and core the pears. Then simmer them in water with sugar, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and turmeric for 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let the pears cool in the syrup. If possible, let them steep for a few hours.
- Heat 4 tablespoons of sugar in a saucepan and let it caramelize to light brown.
- Then deglaze with 250 ml water, dice dates finely, and add.
- Let everything simmer for 5 minutes. Then dissolve the corn starch in 2 tablespoons of water and add it while stirring vigorously. Remove from the heat after 1 minute.
- Remove the syrup pears, cut them into longish slices, and serve the dessert garnished with the caramel sauce.
Spiced tea to activate the metabolism
Ingredients (for two servings)
- 500 ml of water
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp black pepper
- One tablespoon dried curry leaves
- 1 ½ TL Turmeric
- ½ tsp freshly grated ginger
Preparation
- Bring the water with cinnamon, pepper, and the curry leaves to the boil.
- Then reduce the heat and let the water simmer gently for about 5 minutes. Then you can turn off the heat completely.
- Add the turmeric powder and divide the ginger into 2 cups.
- Now pour the spiced tea on the ginger and let it steep for 8 – 10 minutes.
- Tip: Drink the tea on five consecutive days in the morning as well as in the evening. Ideally, directly before going to bed. Then take a five-day break before drinking the tea again for five days
We hope you enjoy cooking the 4 Ayurvedic recipes and wish you a good appetite! Namaste.
Satvik Living 