Delightful Ayurvedic Cuisine Recipes With Health Benefits

The Ayurvedic cuisine consists of delicious vegetarian meals using the healthy ingredients much suited to providing health and wellness and at the same time to be balancing for the doshas or body humors. There is liberal use of kitchen shelf spices and condiments, and Natural herbs making it perfectly healing and restorative cuisine. Here are a few Ayurvedic cuisine dishes and recipes.

The ‘Coconut’ Potion

This ‘Coconut Drink’ Ayurvedic recipe is not only delicious, but also serves as anti-anxiety, anti-insomnia and a peace potion.

Ingredients

Coconut Water 1 Cup, Coconut Flesh 1 cup, 1 Tablespoon Coconut Manna (Coconut Butter), Coconut Oil 1 tsp, Rose Water 2 tsp, 1 Date, 5 strands of Saffron, 1 lime, garnish with a light dusting of Cinnamon, Cardamom.

Recipe

Pour all ingredients in a high speed blender and mix on high for a minute or two. To increase or decrease the thickness, adjust the coconut water. Adjust the spices according to taste. Pour into serving glass and garnish with lime. Refrigerate for an hour so that it thickens up and serve with peaches, blueberries, raspberries or bananas.

Health Benefits

This is a cooling and nourishing drink. According to Ayurveda, coconut is heavy and slimy by nature, and both the taste as well as after taste are sweet and it is cold in action. This makes it highly alleviating and balancing Pitta dosha or the fire body humor. This Coconut drink is therefore beneficial in ailments that result from increased heat in the body and relieves associated maladies like hyperacidity, gastritis, and excessive thirst and heartburn. Also, a combination effect of the herbs of coconut, cinnamon, saffron, cardamom and rose water leaves soothing and calming effect both on the body as well as mind.

Potatoes with Spinach Soup

This Ayurvedic soup recipe has antioxidant, detoxifying and alkaline effect on the body.

Ingredients

Spinach 500gms, Garlic 1 clove, Black pepper 1/4 tsp, Potatoes 2, White Onion 2 Tbsp, Turmeric 1/4th tsp and Salt to taste.

Recipe:

Sauté the chopped onions in little oil, add garlic and the remaining ingredients. Fill the pan to the brim with water, bring to a boil, then lower heat, cover and let it simmer till potatoes are soft.

Health Benefits:

Although spinach is heating in properties, yet the potatoes are believed to be astringent and cooling, while turmeric stimulates the circulation beneficial for Kapha dosha. This is therefore a nice food cuisine to burn toxins, increase haemoglobin and cholagogue.

Brown Rice with Cinnamon and Lentil

A variation of the Middle Eastern dish ‘Mujadarrah’, this rice lentil recipe is nutritive & builds stamina creating an overall alkalizing effect.

Ingredients

Basmati Rice 1 Cup, Brown Lentil 1/4cup, Olive oil ¼ c, Yellow Onion 1c, Black Pepper 1/4tsp, Fresh Garlic 1 clove, Cinnamon 1/4tsp, Lemon1/4 whole, Cumin 1tsp, Salt to taste. For Garnishing – Parsley 2tbsp, Walnut 1Tbsp,

Recipe

Boil the lentils for about 40-45 minutes, till they soften. Separately, fry the thick sliced onion wedges in oil, add garlic and sauté. Add rice till they begin to brown. Add the strained lentils and all remaining ingredients. Add water and cook till the rice are cooked. Garnish with walnuts & parsley. Serve with mint & Dill Yogurt.

Health Benefits:

The astringent effect of the lentils cleans the Gastro-intestinal tract, lemon, black pepper and other spices improve digestion, while onions and garlic give a hearty feel. Due to the use of Parsley (Ajmoda) and Dill (Soya), this Ayurvedic recipe would particularly help to alleviate and balance Vata and Kapha doshas.

Stuffed Zucchini

Zucchini is an excellent source of Vitamins C and A, and also serves as powerful antioxidant.

Ingredients: 6 zucchini Medium size, Diced, peeled baking potato 1 1/2 cups, Chopped onions 2.5cup, Green peas 11/2 cup, 2 Garlic flakes crushed, minced ginger 1 1/2 tablespoons, Gram flour 2tbsp, Vegetable oil 2tsp, butter 2tsp, turmeric powder, red chili powder, & teaspoon cumin powder 1/4 teaspoon each, Coriander powder 1tsp, Salt to taste and fresh chopped fresh coriander leaves for garnishing.

Recipe

Cut each zucchini into half length-wise, scoop out its pulp and place the zucchini halves with the cut sides facing up, in a platter. Sprinkle with salt and Pre-heat the oven to 375° F. Par boil potatoes in boiling water for 3-4 minutes and strain the water. Take a non-stick, heat butter and oil, add onion, ginger, garlic and sauté. Add gram flour and all the spices, keep stirring for 5 minutes and then add salt, potato, peas, and coriander leaves. On the zucchini halves, spread the mixture and bake for 15-20 minutes.

Health Benefits

Zucchini which is a variety of the gourds and belongs to family Cucurbitaceae, is believing to be alkaline and natural reservoir of antioxidants. Ayurveda also believes that Zucchini has specific anti-inflammatory Properties and is thus recommended for normalizing the body’s pH and also balancing and alleviating the aggravated doshas particularly the Pitta dosha or the fire body humor.

Ayurvedic Cuisine at Ayurvedic Centres

At Ayurvedic Centres generally ultimate consideration is provided to the nourishing of not only your body, but also the mind and the various doshas vata, pitta and kapha. Generally, three meals a day are served and cooked by professional chefs in hygienic kitchen. Homemade flat breads are prepared in the dining room and made to order, non-gluten chapattis, dosas and rotis made with minimum oil are in abundance. Fresh, organic, fruit is picked daily from the lush property for guest consumption including papaya, mango, coconut, jack fruit, guava, and banana. A variety of low salt and carefully spiced vegetable dishes, legumes, chutney, and whole grains are served at each meal. Also, as per the recommendation of the Ayurveda doctor or Vaidya, special meals are severed in Ayurvedic cuisine suiting to your dosha state and undertaking of Ayurvedic detoxifying treatments of Panchakarma.