This is not your standard modern ‘food fad.’ 🙂 True health comes from an approach rooted in holistic nature of all things.

Ayurvedic cooking takes a set of core principles and activates it through a creative and intuitive process. In this way, it is both left-brain and right-brained; solar and lunar. Balancing.

pictured: a version of a simple balanced lunch with mung+toor dal, basmati rice, purple sweet potato, broccoli greens, cilantro, and kamut flour chapati

You may see hundreds of recipes labeled ‘ayurvedic’ in books and on the internet– however, these may not bring you the balance that you seek. True Ayurveda understands that you are a unique individual who walks with a unique set of qualities at any point in time. As we come to know ourselves through trusted guidance and self-study, we can choose more wise ways to nourish ourselves. Over time, this carries into our body and into our mental resilience, giving us the ability to grow into the vibrant, flowing, equanimous being we are meant to be– whose soul can then express their unique gifts that our world so needs. 

Now, in my own style of Ayur-cooking I do not typically use measurements; rather it is practice, proportions, observations and intuition. However, if you are just starting out, recipes can be a foundation from which you can branch out with your own informed sadhana /practice.

Here I share some recipes for a mixed vegetable, a dal, and a lentil-vegetable soup, but these are just parts of a balanced meal. It is when you add these to a lunch or dinner with a cooked grain (like barley, brown or white rice, or millet to name a few), and/or a wholegrain, unleavened bread (e.g, chapati or tortilla), the whole meal becomes balanced in itself, containing an important synergy of elements and tastes. This is very nourishing and satisfying when eaten with mindfulness. (Read my specific tips on mindful eating here). Note, that spicing must always be done consciously– if it is overdone, as is common these days, it will lead to imbalance. (For anyone who experiences too much heat in their body [Pitta dosha], I suggest to cut the spicing given here, by half.) And if you are someone whose taste buds have been accustomed to and overpowered by strong pungent flavors, you will notice that these recipes seem considerably milder to your perception– the secret is that when we adjust and clean up our taste buds, over time we can actually discern more subtle flavors and cultivate a more calm and balanced gut and mind (sattva)– important elements of a true healing process.

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Nice Dal

serves (approx). 2

You’ll need:

¼ – ⅓ cup dal (split lentils) e.g, mung, toor, or masoor dals, or a mix; soaked 2-4 hours and drained

2- 3 tsp ghee or sunflower oil

1 tsp fresh ginger, grated

A tiny pinch of hing/asafoetida

⅛ tsp fenugreek/methi seed

¼ tsp mustard seed

¼ tsp turmeric powder (can also use fresh root if available)

¼ tsp cumin seed

1 thumbnail-size piece of cinnamon

half of a clove

Kari patta/ curry leaf (if available)

thumb-size piece of kombu (optional)

¼- ⅓ tsp mineral salt (salt types vary, so you may need to adjust this for yourself)

2-3 cups hot water for cooking

Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

A squeeze of lime/ lemon for serving

Bring your love into your kitchen and give your presence to the process. In a cook pot, on medium heat warm up the ghee/oil. In a mortar with pestle, gently crush or powder the dried spices. Add the crushed spices, along with the fresh grated ginger, and curry leaf (if using) and stir gently to wake up the spices until it becomes fragrant. Then add your drained soaked dal, and stir again to coat. Add the hot water, and cover partially to bring to a boil. Set the heat on simmer with the lid cracked, and simmer until the dal is well cooked adding salt towards the end of the cooking. Timing will vary– it could be 25-45 mins on stovetop, depending on your dal (you can also do this in a pressure cooker on high for 2-3 minutes and let the pressure release naturally). After cooking, let stand for about 5 minutes for the prana to settle. Just before serving, stir in the chopped cilantro and a few drops of lime/lemon.

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Tasty Root Veggies with Greens

serves (approx.) 2 

1 ¼ cups sweet root vegetable, such as sweet potato, carrot, or squash; chopped

1 cup tender greens (i.e, pea shoots, broccoli leaf, chard), coarsely chopped

2-3 tsp ghee or oil (sunflower oil, sesame oil, olive oil, or coconut oil)

¼ tsp fresh ginger, grated

¼ tsp fennel seed

¼ tsp coriander seed

¼ tsp cumin seed

¼ tsp turmeric powder (or fresh root, grated)

⅛ tsp black pepper

¼ tsp mineral salt (salt types vary, so you may need to adjust this for yourself)

hot water for cooking

Handful of chopped fresh herbs (e.g, dill, mint, basil, cilantro)

A squeeze of fresh lime or lemon for serving

Set a calm, peaceful energy in your kitchen and notice the colors, textures and fragrances.

In your cook pot, warm the ghee/oil on medium heat. With a mortar and pestle, crush the dried spices. Add the crushed spices plus the grated ginger to the ghee/oil, and stir briefly until fragrant. Add the chopped sweet vegetable first, and gently stir to coat with the spices. Then add the salt, and just enough water to reach the top of the vegetable; bring to a gentle boil and then set on simmer. Once it is ¾ cooked (usually in 3-7 mins), add the tender greens, stir, and finish cooking. (If the pot is getting dry you may need to add a bit more water). Take off the heat, and let stand for about 5 minutes. Just before serving, stir in the fresh herbs and a few drops of lime/lemon.

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Now here is the same balanced meal concept, but in a slightly different form: Lentil-vegetable soup with skillet bread. I hope you can see, there are endless variations and creative opportunities to cook meals that are sattvic and balanced!

This makes a hearty meal for Agni in winter, is fine for all doshas, and is especially nice for Vata dosha.

Shown: green lentil soup with carrot, sweet potato, collards and celery (+ a bit of rice) and a skillet bread made with whole spelt flour, dates, caraway and cinnamon. (the skillet itself is an earthen clayware that I have made in the traditional way; food cooked in clay is very grounding and quite flavorful)

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Lentil-vegetable soup

Serves (approx.) 2

2 Tbsp ghee or sunflower oil or olive oil or a mix

¼- ⅓ cup green/brown lentils, soaked and drained

– optional, for a heartier soup: ⅙- ¼ cup white rice, rinsed and drained OR ½-¾ cup already cooked hulled barley)

½ tsp fresh ginger, chopped or grated

⅛ tsp fenugreek seed

¼ tsp cumin seed

¼ tsp turmeric

2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped (or, can use dried, but use less; same goes for oregano and rosemary)

1 tsp fresh oregano, chopped

½ tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

½ cup celery, chopped

¾ cup carrot, chopped

¾ cup sweet potato, chopped

1 cup collard greens, leaves and stems chopped separately

½- ¾  tsp mineral salt (salt types vary so you may have to adjust this for yourself)

hot water for cooking

A squeeze of lime/lemon for serving

A handful of fresh parsley, chopped

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In a soup pot, on medium heat warm up the ghee/oil. In a mortar with pestle, gently crush or powder the dried spices. Add the crushed spices, along with the fresh grated ginger, fresh/dried thyme, oregano and rosemary and stir gently to wake up the spices until it becomes fragrant. Add the chopped celery and collard stems and stir briefly again. Add your drained soaked lentils, and optional rice (if using cooked barley, you can add it anytime), and stir again to coat. Add the hot water, and cover partially to bring just to a boil; then set on simmer, with the lid cracked. About 10 minutes in or halfway through cooking, add the sweet potatoes, carrot, collard greens, and salt, and bring back up to simmer. Continue to simmer, approx. 10 more minutes or until done. If necessary, add more hot water to your desired soup thickness. Once done, remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Serve with a squeeze of lime and the fresh parsley, and perhaps an extra drizzle of olive oil. Accompany with a hearty unleavened skillet bread brushed with ghee/oil, chew well and enjoy with gratitude.

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The world of skillet breads…

I’d love to give you a recipe for this in good faith 😆 however, every flour behaves differently based on the grain’s species, growth, harvest time, storage life, and ambient humidity; as well as your dough hydration, the shaping, your cooking medium, and heat source. I encourage you to experiment with this simple (for digestion) combination: flour, oil/ghee, salt, a touch of spice/herb, and water. I prefer to leave out any leavening or souring agents, as these can be imbalancing in themselves and create unnecessary dryness and air that aggravates Vata dosha. Adding a chopped date for a bit of extra sweetness and texture can be lovely! Mix your chosen ingredients into a dough, let rest for 30 mins-1 hr. Shape into a disc about ½” thick, and cook on a skillet on medium/medium-low heat on both sides, until it is cooked through (this may take 8-15 minutes). Let it cool for 5-10 mins before serving. Enjoy the learnings and discoveries. 🙂

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May you be nourished with prana and creativity flowing.

I love to teach and share the magic and nuances of sattvic cooking, to small groups in person, in real time. Let me know if you would like to host an Ayur-cooking workshop in your location. 🌿

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