Lentil Patties

These lentil patties are high in protein, easy to make and very tasty! You can also play with the recipe to add your favourite spices and herbs, according to your dosha. The original recipe comes from the Vegan ASMR Cooking website.

 

 

 Ingredients

1.5 cups of  dry red lentils

1 large shallot

2 garlic cloves

1/4 cup fresh parsley

1 small carrot

1 tbsp tomato paste (optional)

1  tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Plain yogurt (optional)

Oil or ghee to cook

 

Rhubarb and Tomato Gaspacho

Fresh and delicious, this rhubarb and tomato gaspacho offers a new way to use rhubarb.

• Preparation time: 20 minutes
• Cooking time: 20 minutes
• Cooling time: 2 heures

Ingredients for 2

• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 1 chopped shallot
• 1 chopped garlic bud
• 4 tomatoes (about 1 pound/500 g), peeled, deseeded and chopped
• 1 1/2 cup (375 g) rhubarb, cut into chunks
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) water
• 10 leaves of fresh basil

Makāi No Chevdo

 

This is a delicious corn dish taken from Plant-Based India by Dr. Shell Shukla. It is easy, quick to prepare and sooo yummy!

Prep time: 20 minutes 

Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients for 2-4
3 cups (400 g) corn kernels (fresh from 2 ears or frozen and thawed)
¼ cup (35 g) unsalted cashews, raw or roasted, soaked in ½ cup (120 ml) hot water for 15 minutes

Garam Masala

Garam masālā means “warm spice blend” in Hindi, and it provides incredible nuance and warmth without spicy heat. Black cardamom (which offers smoky depth) and mace (the outer coating of nutmeg, which lends a subtle floral sweetness) can be found in Indian grocery stores. Feel free to omit them if they’re not available.

Prep time: 15 minutes

Ingredients for ½ cup (about 56 g):

 ¼ cup (17 g) coriander seeds

2 tbsp cumin seeds
1½ tbsp fennel seeds

Hearty Coconut Black Bean Stew

This simple, nutritious and delicious stew is easy to make and you can add spices according to your taste and dosha. It is great to have in Vata Season!

Total preparation time:  40-45 minutes

Ingredients:

½ leek (about 2-3 tbps)
2 tbsps olive oil (or other oil according to your dosha)
2 large white potatoes or 2 sweet potatoes
2 cups of black beans (canned or done in Instant Pot)

Tomato Onion Masala

 

In my opinion, when we cook Indian food, masala serves as a foundation for many recipes. This masala of smoky tomato, onion and garlic fortifies the vatta and moves the energy for Kapha dosha. It is based on many gravy-based Indian dishes. This recipe requires effort, but it can be easily made in advance. I like to do a larger batch and freeze it in small portions. It is so good it does not stay long in the freezer.

Green Sprouts and Portobello Salad

 

This light and complete salad are good for all doshas.  Nutritional yeast, as you may know, does not actually contain yeast; this is just its commercial name. It is very rich in vitamin B12.

The portobello mushrooms in this recipe are disease-fighting phytochemicals. They also supply hard-to-get nutrients. One portobello mushroom supplies 21% of the daily recommended intake of selenium and ⅓  of your need for copper. It also contains as much potassium as a banana. Mushrooms hold their nutrients even when they are stir-fried or grilled.

Cucumber Milk- Supercooling!

 Here’s a cooling drink to enjoy in the heat of the summer as a breakfast beverage, an afternoon pick-me-up or a light dinner. The recipe is inspired by a cucumber milk recipe given by Vasant Lad for calming internal heat and appeasing pitta skin issues such as psoriasis, eczema, rashes and skin inflammation.

Herb Polenta with Mushrooms

Polenta is a nutritious corn-based dish that is good for Pitta since corn can be a bit drying. However, adding a topping that is suitable for Vata or Kapha can make polenta digestible for all doshas.

Note that two types of polenta meal (or cornmeal) are available – a quick or instant variety and the traditional, slow-cooking one. For most purposes, I find that the quick polenta is good enough. Either one can be used for this dish.

The dish here makes a soft polenta. You may wish to double the quantity, as it is always good for snacks!

 

lemon Compote

  

Preserving lemons opens a whole new avenue in terms of flavour. The combination of salt, lemon juice, and time softens and breaks down the lemon skin and turns it into a sharp, aromatic treat. 

You can buy preserved lemons at many stores or you can make them your- self, but bear in mind that they take time: two to three weeks of preserving in order for the flavours to fully develop.