Find your Ayurveda Constitution type in just 5 easy Questions
Search

Popular

Spicy Cilantro Garlic Oil Seasoning

by Leave a Comment

This Oil seasoning is perfect to add a twist to your plain khichdi or dal. Especially during convalescence, when taste buds are affected, a few drops of this seasoning brings palatability to the food and increases intake.

Good for Vata and Kapha.

Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Total Time:  10 Minutes
Serves: 1 cup

Ingredients

  • ½ cup sunflower oil
  • 1 T black mustard seeds
  • ½ T cumin seeds
  • 1 T of grated garlic
  • ½ T of paprika powder (Kashmiri red chilli powder)
  • 1 T of chopped cilantro leaves
  • Salt to taste

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a medium pan and add a few mustard seeds.
  2. When they start popping, remove the pan from heat, add remaining mustard seeds, and cover.
  3. When they begin to pop add cumin seeds, garlic and give the pan a swirl to mix everything.
  4. Move the pan back to medium heat.
  5. When the oil starts to sizzle add paprika and immediately cover and move it off the heat.
  6. Stir the mixture and move it back on the heat
  7. Add chopped cilantro and cover. Turn off the flame.
  8. Let it sit aside and watch the cilantro turn crispy.
  9. Add salt, mix and serve.

Serving suggestions

Exercise caution as the ingredients continue to sputter in the hot oil.

Check out the Ayurvedic benefits of ingredients used in this recipe

Mustard seeds | Cumin | Garlic | Cilantro

Pradhaman: A lentil Pudding

by Leave a Comment

Pradhaman is a type of payasam (kheer/rice pudding) and is one of the traditional south Indian desserts. This is typically prepared for festivals like Onam and Vishu. It is made from easily digestible green gram and coconut.

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Total Time:  30 Minutes
Serves: 4 Person

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of dehusked green gram dal
  • ½ cup of thick coconut milk
  • 1 cup of thin coconut milk
  • ½ T chopped pieces of coconut
  • ¼ t dry ginger powder
  • ½ t cardamom powder
  • ¼ cup of chopped unsalted nuts (cashews, walnuts, pecans, almonds etc)
  • 1 t raisins (sultana)
  • 3 T ghee
  • 4 cups of water
  • 2 cups of grated jaggery (you can use sugar, but jaggery is preferred)

Method

  1. Wash moong dal thoroughly then move it to a cotton cloth and let it dry.
  2. Boil 1 cup of water with jaggery in a pan over medium flame. Stir occasionally until it turns into syrup.
  3. Turn off the stove and strain to remove any particles.
  4. Melt the ghee in a large pan and roast coconut pieces and nuts until golden brown.
  5. Add raisins and roast them as well for 30 seconds.
  6. Move the coconut, cashews, and raisins to a bowl and keep them aside.
  7. Add moong dal to the used pan and roast until it turns slightly brown.
  8. Add 3 cups of water, cover the pan and let the dal cook over medium heat.
  9. When the dal is cooked, mash and add the jaggery syrup and let it cook for 5 minutes over medium heat.
  10. Add medium thick coconut milk to the mixture and let it cook for 10 more minutes until it has a thick consistency. Stir occasionally.
  11. Add dry ginger powder, and cardamom powder and mix.
  12. Add thick coconut milk, stir and cook for 2 minutes on low heat.
  13. Remove from the stove and add roasted nuts and raisins.
  14. Mix and serve hot or cold.
  15. Add a dollop of ghee while serving (optional)

Serving suggestions

Can be served hot or cold

Check out the Ayurvedic benefits of ingredients used in this recipe

Cardamom I Ginger I Ghee I Sultana

Multigrain Chapatis (Rotis)

by Leave a Comment

Whole wheat has immense essential nutrients including Fiber and B-complex vitamins. This whole wheat flour is used extensively in Ayurvedic cooking in the form of Chapatis or Rotis. Chapatis/Rotis are similar to whole wheat tortillas and often eaten with Indian curries, vegetable preparations. It is a good complex carbohydrate and provides satiety for a longer period of time. The nutritive value of Chapatis can be enhanced by adding other high fiber flours to the dough like millet flours, gram flours, and maize flour.

Good for all doshas.

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Total Time: 5 Minutes per chapati
Serves: 2 Person

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of whole wheat flour
  • ¼ cup of pearl millet flour
  • ¼ cup of maize flour
  • ¼ cup of green gram flour
  • Salt to taste (preferably Himalayan salt)
  • Water to knead the dough
  • ½ T of ghee

Method

  1. Mix all the flours, and salt in a bowl.
  2. Add water and ghee and make a soft pliable dough. Cover with a wet cloth and let the dough sit for 15 mins. This ensures proper wetting of gluten strands.
  3. Take a handful of dough and roll it into balls.
  4. Sprinkle some flour on a flat surface and flatten the ball with a rolling pin.
  5. Keep flipping to avoid it from sticking.
  6. It should be even and as thin as a pancake.
  7. Place it on a hot skillet over medium heat and flip after 1-2 minutes.
  8. Add ghee over it, flip and cook.
  9. Do it on both sides until each side is slightly brown.

Serving suggestions

Can be served with any indian curry, or with avocado mash.

Check out the Ayurvedic benefits of ingredients used in this recipe

Ghee

Check out the Recipes that use Multigrain chapatis

Chapati (Roti) Pizza

Homemade Coconut Milk

by Leave a Comment

Coconut is widely grown in the southern coastal regions of India and hence an important ingredient in Curries. In ayurvedic cooking, coconut milk is often added to balance the spice level and provide earthiness to the preparations and increase absorption of other nutrients.

Good for all doshas. Especially good dairy alternative for kapha

Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Total Time:  30 Minutes
Serves: 2 Cups

Ingredients

  • 2 cups hot water
  • 1 cup shredded coconut

Method

  1. Blend shredded coconut along with water on high for several minutes.
  2. Scrape the sides of the blender and blend again until it is thick and creamy.
  3. Strain it into a jar and store it in the refrigerator. Can be stored for up to 1 week.
  4. The remaining coconut fiber can be added to smoothies or curries as a thickening agent.

Notes

This milk is used for cooking. For drinking: add ½ T of kokum extract, salt and blend it with garlic.

Check out the Ayurvedic benefits of ingredients used in this recipe

Garlic | Quinoa Chia Pudding | Breakfast Flaxseed Pudding

Homemade Almond Milk

by Leave a Comment

Ayurveda prescribes milk specially cow’s milk as drinking it at night promotes ojas. But not everyone likes or is comfortable with heavy dairy intake especially in the western society. In such case, almond milk is an effective alternative and almost an equal substitute.

Good for Vata and Pitta.

Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Total Time:  8 hours to soak
Serves: 2 Cups

Ingredients

  • 1 cup raw almonds
  • 2 cups water for blending
  • Additional water for soaking the almonds
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt (preferably Himalayan salt)

Method

  1. Soak the almonds for 8 hours.
  2. Rinse and blend with 2 cups of water at the highest speed.
  3. When they are properly blended, strain it into a bowl through a nut bag and squeeze.
  4. Pour the strained almond milk back into the blender and add salt and vanilla extract
  5. Can be refrigerated for 4-5 days.

Serving suggestions

For summer: Add cardamom powder
For winter: Add cinnamon powder
For pitta: Add rose water and fresh mint

Check out the Ayurvedic benefits of ingredients used in this recipe

Cinnamon I Cardamom I Mint

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

by Leave a Comment

What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common health condition that involves the large intestine. Irritable bowel syndrome is also called the irritable colon, mucous colitis, and spastic colon. It is a distinct disorder from inflammatory bowel disease and isn’t linked to further bowel illnesses. Irritable bowel syndrome is a band of intestinal signs that usually arise at the same time.

What are the Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

The symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome may include abdominal pain, cramping, or bloating that is related to passing the bowel movement. A person with this condition may notice changes in appearance and the frequency of bowel movements. Diarrhea and constipation are two of the main symptoms of IBS.

What are the Causes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

  • Muscle spasms in the intestine: One of the main causes that may trigger this condition is the muscle spasms in the intestine. The sides of the intestines are covered with coats of muscle that contract as they push food through your intestinal tract. Spasms that are strong and last longer than usual can trigger gas, bloating, and diarrhea. Feeble intestinal spasms can reduce food passage and lead to hard, dry stools.
  • Nervous system: Defects of the nerves in your digestive structure may trigger you to suffer more than usual irritation when your abdomen extends from gas or excess stool. Inadequately synchronized signals among the brain and the intestines can affect your body to exaggerate the adjustments that typically arise in the digestive procedure, causing diarrhea, pain, or constipation.
  • Digestive infection: Irritable Bowel Syndrome can worsen after a serious gastroenteritis attack triggered by microbes or a virus. IBS could also be linked with an excess of bacteria in the intestines.
  • Childhood stress: Individuals subjected to traumatic experiences, particularly in the early years, have a tendency to get more symptoms of IBS.
  • Changes in gut microbes: Examples contain variations in microbes, yeasts, and viruses, which usually inhabit the intestines and have a crucial role to our physical condition.

When to see a Doctor?

See your doctor if you have a constant shift in bowel behaviors or more symptoms or signs of IBS. They may be a symptom of a more severe illness, such as colon cancer.

More severe symptoms and indications comprise:

  • Weight loss, Diarrhea mostly at night, Rectal bleeding, Iron deficiency anemia, Unexplained vomiting, Difficulty swallowing, Persistent pain that isn’t relieved by passing gas or a bowel movement.
  • In case you develop any of these symptoms, call your doctor immediately.

Lifestyle Prevention of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Minimal adjustments in your eating habits and everyday life frequently offer relief from irritable bowel syndrome. Your body will take time to react to these adjustments. So here are some preventive measures: :

  • Experiment with fiber: Fiber supports in decreasing constipation but also can worsen gas and cramping. Try slowly expanding the quantity of fiber in your food over weeks with diets such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and beans. A fiber supplement could affect less gas and bloat than fiber-rich foods.
  • Avoid problem foods: Remove foods that cause your symptoms.
  • Eat at regular times: Don’t miss meals, and attempt to eat at around a similar time every day to enhance the control of bowel function. If you have diarrhea, you might discover that having small, frequent meals makes you feel healthier. However, if you’re constipated, eating bigger quantities of high-fiber diets can help push food through your intestines.
  • Exercise regularly: Exercise helps reduce depression and stress, promotes regular spasms of your intestines, and can make you feel better about yourself.

Common Ayurvedic Remedies for Irritable Bowel Syndrome

There are a number of Ayurvedic herbs that may help you prevent and cure the symptoms of IBS. Herbs like Chamomile, Aloe Vera, Ginger , Fennel Seeds, Turmeric are really effective for treating any symptoms related to stomach and gastrointestinal diseases.

  • Chamomile: This herb is really good for the central nervous system and can treat the symptoms of IBS due to stress and anxiety. Chamomile tea is really effective on IBS. Chamomile tea Made from 3 gms dried flowers in 1 cup of water. Take this 2-3 times a day.
  • Fennel Seeds: The high-level substance of nutritional fibre in fennel seeds helps in controlling bowel movements. Take ¼ to ½ teaspoon twice a day
  • Turmeric: Turmeric has lately drawn attention for its ability to lessen IBS symptoms. Try to take 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder per day. Use it in vegetables, frittatas, scramble eggs and eat it.
Curative Ayurvedic Herbs:

Chamomile | Aloe Vera | Ginger | Fennel Seeds | Turmeric

Preventative Ayurvedic Herbs:
Not Known.