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smaranam
28 April 2010, 01:32 PM
Namaste

Observation tells that, many people new to Hinduism or even simply to Vegetarianism find Indian Cuisine appealing or want to learn more about it.

Let's make this thread about the basics. Since we started a recipe sharing thread with ad-hoc quick-start recipes, a new thread was necessary.

While keeping in mind that India is a rainbow of cultures, languages, traditions, so also, cuisines. At the same time , similar to the unity of everything Indian, the AhAr, diet also has a common base. The Indian names are going to be in the national language - Hindi.

What do you think you are doing, smaranam, writing a cookbook ?!
The truth is , i don't know anything beyond the basics. So , NO. That's a promise.


A Whole Meal - a full course of lunch or dinner

Rice - plain or pulAv types
bread - roti/chapAti/occasionally - puri , bhaturA
daal - tur, mung, channA, masoor, urad... , also includes any legume/bean curry : in a bowl
sabji - vegetable - sautéed, steamed, usually thick, in the plate
kachumbar / koshimbir - raw salad with or without yogurt. Yogurt based salad is called rAitA

Optional but welcome, and part of a traditional or special / festive meal :
kheer or any sweet dish served traditionally in the plate or later as dessert.
pickle
pakorA and/or pApad - fried snack

Salt is also served at top of plate, and positions of sweet and savoury items is also fixed.
---------------

If that was too scary, there are one pot one-dish meals like khichadi : here (http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/showpost.php?p=41983&postcount=19)

-------------

Some Basic Spices used : DRY
hing - asofoetida - used as a pinch for tempering , for offsetting effervescence of lentils, and vegetables
mustard seeds
dhaniA - corriander seeds - whole , but usually ground
jeerA - cumin seeds - usually whole , sometimes ground
haldI - turmeric - its a root, but mostly used as dried , powdered.
red chilly powder

The simplest meal will use only these first few spices.

laung - cloves
black peppercorns
dAlchini - cinnamon
elaichi - cardamom - whole pods or ground seeds
garam masAla - a prepared spice mix found in stores
methi dAnA - fenugreek seeds (you will find these in sambAr masAlA)
anAr dAnA - pomgranate seeds (found typically in channa/chhole masAlA)
saunf - dilseed
keshar - saffron
gulAb pAni - rose essence

For those more adventurous , there is 'dagad fUl' , star anise and what not....


WET spices and garnishes :
*** kadhi pattA - curry leaves ***
harA dhaniA - corriander leaves
lemon, ginger, onion, garlic, grated coconut, red or green chillies


More Later ...

Om Namo Bhagavate VAsudevAya
praNAm

Eastern Mind
28 April 2010, 02:04 PM
Observation tells that, many people new to Hinduism or even simply to Vegetarianism find Indian Cuisine appealing or want to learn more about it.
They are right ! Indian Cuisine is really one of the best well balanced vegetarian diets, wholesome and balancing to the senses and mind -
praNAm

Vannakam smaranam: Depending on locality, I may or may not disagree. I would need more details.

1) White rice, especially an overabundance of is simple nowhere near as healthy as some might think. Ohter grain, including whole grain brown,millet, amaranth, and quinoa can and should be substituted.

2) The more sugar is studied, the closer it becomes akin to poison, like tobacco, or alcohol. Obesity is a major health concerm The significant rise of diabetes is proof

3) Over abundance of oil, especially deep fried stuff, isn't healthy

4) Over abundance of salt is unhealthy

So I agree with the statement just as long as my four points are taken into consideration. Even without that, it is still healthier than the average American diet where meat is considered healthy, pop is considered juice, and deep fried french fries are considered a vegetable.

Aum Namasivaya

smaranam
28 April 2010, 04:26 PM
Vannakam Eastern Mind

Your post is a wonderful summary of a warning, and a must for this thread :)

I completely agree. Since none of these 4 points are a part of my lifestyle i tend to forget what it can be like.

Also, that was the very idea of this 'basics' thread, so that people do not start out on the wrong foot with festive menus of puris , pulav and pakoras on the internet.

White rice , we do eat , and pasta, but i try to use wheat bulgar , whole wheat, and in rare cases - barley/millet. Have to try quinoa.

Deep frying and use of coconut : frequency zero, although fried snacks from stores are bad. I have a small kadhai lying around, which is hardly ever used.

Sweets : mostly fruit. I thought sweets on a regular basis were supposed to be "for kids only" . As it is , do children stop eating cookies ,cakes or candy because we tell them to ? Otherwise that would be a question of frequency of desserts - same as in any other cuisine.

Indian Food can be definitely quite rAjasic, but there is a lot of scope for sattva. It can be either misused, or turned healthy - just as any other. Mediterranean and other diets are quite healthful, and there are many good things in healthy American diet.

In Goa , the south-west coast , and south, rice and coconut seems the staple. Those who grew up with it seem to be OK, may be they are used to it and other good things in the diet offsets the bad. Coconut is supposed to help with Ph Balancing, acid-base, and perhaps that takes care of some of its vices.

In the north its heavy cream - malai, paneer and deep frying, however whole wheat is a staple.

I don't see people deep frying and eating mithAi everyday in today's world. It probably worked/works when a lot of physical work was/is required - before inventions were made.

Also, some people who say they like Indian Food, do so based on the tasty but not-always healthy restaurant food.


praNAm

Eastern Mind
28 April 2010, 06:17 PM
Vannakam Smaranam:

I'm really glad you agree. We have no white rice in the house as well as no refined sugar. We do use some in things like kesari, but its brown only. We also use honey, but not a lot. We never deep fry, and keep salt to a minimum. I just wanted to point out that some people like to portray the diet as healthy when in actuality it isn't. But everything in moderation. I eat white rice at Tamil homes or at weddings etc.

Nandri

Aum Namasivaya

smaranam
29 April 2010, 12:19 PM
Namaste

Before proceeding to sabji...

The purpose of this thread is sAttvic AhAr. It is really meant to show the basic preparation of sabjis and daals, without getting into details of various recipes.

It is the sabjis - veggies , and daals (pulses, lentils, legumes) that make the Indian diet full of variety and yet enable a healthy, tasty and sattvic diet at the same time.
Its upto us to make it sAttvic.

Deep frying, and too much of refined flour, rice, sugar, salt,pickle or spices - is all rAjasic. So it will not be on this thread. Every cuisine or diet will have rAjasic elements because everyone is not a yogi. A yogi's diet will not look like a wedding feast or a restaurant menu. This applies to all cuisines.

A simple Indian dinner to me, looks like this : Whole wheat chapAtis or bread, small-to-moderate rice, daal or bean curry , saute-steamed veggies, lots of fruit and raw salad or raita.

-----

Mothers all over the world have used home-made sweets to trick children into fruits and veggies.
Home-made sweets (using jaggery - guD , brown or turbinado sugar, no sugar syrup or deep frying)
are far better than frosted baked goods, candy or heavily syrupy sweets from the stores, that kids eat.
Many of them contain chemicals, animal fat, eggs and are tAmasic.


praNAm

Eastern Mind
29 April 2010, 12:49 PM
Smaranam:

My chapattis are improving with time. I think its the gluten in the whole wheat. I go for maybe 20% some other flour like millet or channa along with it, but it has to be mostly whole wheat. Than I just put about a tablespoon of garam masala, sometimes some cayenne, depending on mood, in with the 3 to 4 cups of ww flour. It makes 15 to 20. Course mine aren't perfectly round, because I'm not all that practised up.

But it gets rid of the yeast bit.

Aum Namasivaya

smaranam
02 May 2010, 09:22 PM
NAmaste Eastern Mind

I am sure you are an expert, and have mastered chapatis ! Round chapatis are not hard. My son would ask me to make Antarctica, then Alaska, India .... that was tough to do at will.

Millet is Bajri. I got a packet a few months ago - there were no eaters of course - except me.

My grandmother used to make bhakri of bAjri/bAjra - the patted flat bread (not rolled) , from different flours. Bhakri can be challenging due to no gluten. It cannot be rolled , has to be patted with water.

Perhaps you must have used the reddish flour too - its called nAchaNi (in Marathi) or rAgi ( Hindi/Gujrathi). Its supposed to be very nutritous. It seems rAgi and quinoa go well. If the dough is turned into batter , it can make dosa-like pancakes too.

Another 'masala' bhAkri with besan and other flours is called ThAlipeeth. Patted, not rolled, greased with oil and baked on hot griddle/pan. Besan + wheat is missi roti.

Thank You for making a round up of the different breads. So relevant on this thread.

Hope you will share a recipe here.

praNAm

smaranam
02 May 2010, 10:04 PM
Namaste

Simple Basic recipe for Vegetable Dishes - sabji

Sabji - vegetable , prepared, is eaten with rice and daals - legume/lentil or chapAti/roti - bread. If not very spicy, wonderful just by itself.

Green Beans Sabji

Ingredients

4 cups long green beans - roughly
1 medium tomato
2 T oil
1/4 t hing (asofoetida)
1/2 t mustard seeds
1 t corriander powder - dhania
1t cumin seeds - jeera (or less , not everyone likes it. jeera helps digest food )
5-7 curry leaves (but don't worry if not available)
1/2 t turmeric
1/2 t red chilly powder
1/2 t garam masala
1 t salt
1 t sugar (or jaggery - make sure it doesn't burn)
1 cup water
grated coconut for garnish


Method

>>Clean and chop the green beans as prefered - either 1/2 " or 5 mm , discarding both ends
>>chop/dice the tomato
>>Heat oil in a pan
>>add hing, mustard seeds
>>When mustard seeds crackle (in a few seconds) , add corriander powder , cumin seeds, curry leaves
Let cumin seeds pop - few seconds

At this point , our tempering is ready. Called 'tadkA' in hindi.

>>Add tomato , saute for a minute - to soften
>>add the green beans, toss and saute'
>>Add turmeric, chilly powder, garam masala , optionally sprinkle crushed black pepper, salt, sugar
>>Toss, mix, add enough water - say 2/3 cup - for the beans
>>Cover to steam on *medium-low heat*
>>Check after 8-10 minutes or so, if more water is required, add enough so vegetables do not stick to the pot.
>>Cook till beans are tender - cutting with the cooking spoon or a fork to check.
>>Garnish with grated coconut

Total time : 25-30 mins
cooking time : 15-20 mins
Serve with chapati/roti/tortilla or rice and daal or toss with pasta/spagetti.
serves : 6 - varies

-

Variations : Add thin pieces of a medium potato before adding the beans. Both beans and potato have to be tender, yet not overcooked.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This recipe can be used for the following vegetables, but with slightly different ingredients and method. Cooking time will also change. One may want to try replacing garam masala with chhole, pav-bhaji, channa, sambaar masalas , later on

1. okra - bhindi : squeeze some lemon juice or 1/2 t amchur powder , to remove the sticky substance of okra. Keep stirring for long, add as little water as possible.

----------------------------

2. Cabbage, Pumpkin and gourds : Without the tomato, but with lentils - and mustard seeds a must,

This process may be used for cabbage, pumpkin , bottle gourd - dudhi bhopla , long snake gourd - padwal , tondla - small 2 inch gourds - green.

>>In place of tomato add chana daal , dalia or urad daal instead, as follows :
>>for the gourds and pumpkins , Add 2 Tbsp washed & soaked dalia or channa daal after the tempering (tadkA) , saute to light color, before adding the vegetable
>>for cabbage, use 2 Tbsp washed urad daal instead (creamy white)
>>If the lentil is soaked before cutting vegetables, that's ample time.

--------------------------------------

3. Cauliflower and eggplant :

>> Tempering done without mustard seeds and curry leaves. >>Garnish with chopped corriander leaves instead of coconut. Add corriander leaves a few minutes before turning heat off - for food safety.

Peas with Cauliflower : Gobhi-matar : Add 1 cup green peas to tempering and cook till partially tender : 5 min before adding cauliflower florets

Eggplant :
>> Cut into 1" cube and add to a vessel of water for a few minutes to remove strong taste. Rinse off the dark purple water.
>>Eggplant is cooked to a near mashed texture , and a large or a lot of tomato is used - then it can qualify as baingan bharta'.

-------------------------------------------------

4. Leafy Greens : >> Tempering without mustard seeds , curry leaves, corriander leaves ,
>> Also, no coconut and tomatoes,
>> With corn kernels or potato cubes instead :

>>1 cup corn kernels or potato cubed
>>1 bunch any leafy green vegetable - chopped : - spinach - pAlak, Swiss Chard , rAjgirA , methi

>>Add the corn or potato to the tempering (tadka) of hing, corriander powder , cumin
>>Saute', add some water and cover , to partially cook of low heat while taking the time to chop the leafy green vegetable.
>>Add chopped spinach, rest of the spices, mix , add just enough water to cook , but should not result in a soup.

*** For methi, owing to its bitter taste, add plenty of guD - jaggery instead of 1 t sugar.

Jaggery may be used instead of sugar for eggplant, guvar, methi.


Om Namo Bhagavate VAsudevAya

Avazjan
03 June 2010, 06:57 AM
Vannakam smaranam: Depending on locality, I may or may not disagree. I would need more details.

1) White rice, especially an overabundance of is simple nowhere near as healthy as some might think. Ohter grain, including whole grain brown,millet, amaranth, and quinoa can and should be substituted.

2) The more sugar is studied, the closer it becomes akin to poison, like tobacco, or alcohol. Obesity is a major health concerm The significant rise of diabetes is proof

3) Over abundance of oil, especially deep fried stuff, isn't healthy

4) Over abundance of salt is unhealthy

So I agree with the statement just as long as my four points are taken into consideration. Even without that, it is still healthier than the average American diet where meat is considered healthy, pop is considered juice, and deep fried french fries are considered a vegetable.

Aum Namasivaya

Namaste,

I must respectfully disagree with you about the oil part. I agree that an over abundance of oil is unhealthy, as an overabundance of anything (even water) is, but the context implies that deep frying, or similarly oiled food, is an overabundance, and I do not believe this to be true based on the research I have done.

If one is not eating very much refined carbohydrates (sugars, starches), it is okay to ingest lots of oil, even beneficial, especially oils like coconut oil which India is blessed to have in relative abundance (#3 producer.) Ghee is also very good!

It is the combination of lots of fat with lots of carbohydrates, especially processed carbohydrates - as you yourself stated - that is the problem.

It is my belief that the next frontier of food science will be developing markets and methods for extracting vegetable proteins to imitate meat, or if not in imitation, to provide alternative high-protein foods. Right now, it is really only soy and wheat that this is being done with (and both have major health complications), despite many other plants readily suitable for this.

Sorry...I got off topic a bit.

Eastern Mind
03 June 2010, 12:28 PM
Vannakkam Avazjan:

I won't get into an argument over what you say. There is an active ongoing debate on the subject in the scientific community. I'll leave it to them to figure it out or not, as I am no expert. I'm mostly going by my gut (Pun intended) over deep fried food. I can tolerate a bit of it occasionally but not constantly as it is in some Indian diets. This link provides an explanation.

http://www.keepwell.com/frying.htm


Aum Namasivaya

Sahasranama
03 June 2010, 01:54 PM
Fat is an essential part of a healthy diet. People who do not consume enough healthy fats are at risk for hormonal problems. The problem lies mainly with transfats, many oils will turn into transfats when heated. This doesn't happen though with coconut oil and ghee, these are healthy.

Carbohydrates are also an essential part of healthy diets. It's true that white rice is stripped of many nutrients. It's better to eat brown rice and a variety of other carbohydrate sources. Limiting to one type of food is not healthy, health comes from variety in nutrition.

The reason people have started to think that certain macro nutrients are bad, is because the health trends in America. In the 1900 John Harvey Kellog and Horace Fletcher's opinion was that protein's are bad for health and digestion. Kellog developed carbohydrate rich cereal.

In the 1950's the "fat is bad" trend started led by Ancel Keys. That's why people live in fear of fat. Even though modern research has proven that fat has many health benefits and is an essential part of a balanced diet. Studies have shown that there is no link between dietary cholestrol and blood levels of cholestrol.

In the 90's, Atkins convinced a hord of people that carbohydrates are bad news. In the early days the trend was to avoid protein, then the trend was to avoid fat. In the present age, most people live in fear of either fat or carbohydrates.

It's a good thing to be aware of health, but living in fear of any macro nutrient is not a healthy thing. Depending on the person, 15 to 40 percent of daily calorie intake should come from fat to function optimally. Ghee and coconut oil are excellent sources of dietary fat.

In one of the Ayurvedic Samhitas it's written:

ghṛtāt aṣṭaguṇaṁ tailaṁ
mardane na tu bhakṣaṇe

"Oil has eight times more beneficial properties than ghee, for massage, but not for eating."

Eastern Mind
03 June 2010, 02:54 PM
Vannakam:

My original point on oil was about excessive oil use, not just oil itself. But if anyone takes the time to google coconut oil + health, you will read the ongoing debate within the scientific community, both pro and anti stances. So I cooked a tomato, cauliflower, chick pea curry for lunch just now and started by frying my onions and spices in about a tablespoon of canola/olive oil. Some people would have used half a cup of oil. Everything in moderation is my motto. So who do we believe with these so called scientists? At one time tobacco was a godsend, promoted as healthy for all ailments.

Aum Namasivaya

Sahasranama
03 June 2010, 03:11 PM
Just a comment, not interest in a debate. Olive oil is better to be eaten uncooked in salads or hummus. Heat will turn olive oil into transfat and destroy most of the anti oxidants. Better fats for cooking are sunflower oil, peanut oil, coconut oil or ghee.

Eastern Mind
03 June 2010, 03:20 PM
Sahasranama:

I'm not interested in debate either. I'm just pointing out that the scientists themselves can't agree. Look at this list for example. It lists coconut oil as a bad cooking oil, but for that one site, you can probably find ten more that say the opposite.

http://www.healthcastle.com/cooking-oils.shtml


So the debates on nutrition go on and on and on ... with seemingly no consensus, other than my previous point of everything in moderation.

Aum Namasivaya

Sahasranama
03 June 2010, 03:59 PM
I also believe that's what's most healthy, variety and moderation.

smaranam
17 February 2011, 09:06 PM
|| Om Namo Bhagavate VAsudevAya ||

Namaste

Let us talk about FAST FOOD ... not quite. Recipes for UpavAs (fasting days).

UpavAs = residing close to paramAtmA. The idea is to fast at least from certain staple foods to practice restraint and focus on the Ishta DevatA for whom you are fasting, and not on food or thoughts of food and the strength it brings. A general rule of thumb is to abstain from grains, beans, pulses, too much of oil and spice and of course onion, garlic, mushroom, yeast and any other rajasic/tamasic food that cannot be offered to the Ishta DevatA.
Beware: commercial cheese (especially hard ones) contains rennin / rennet that sadly is an animal product. In any case, apart from paneer, the fermented and aged cheeses should be avoided as tAmasic.

Variations of fasts:
1. Nirjal - no food no water for a day or until evening e.g. Bhima Nirjal Ekadashi, Narsimha Chaturdashi

2. fruit and milk only

3. fruit, milk products, cucumber, starchy roots only i.e. potato, yams, ratAla, sago, tapioca, waterchestnut, buckwheat (a weed not a grain), nuts.

4. No grains and beans and non-offerable items. All other sattvic food.

VaishNavs fast on EkAdashi for Lord VishNu, increase their japa and read more scriptures when possible. There are major festival and holy days like MahAShivrAtri and others. Others fast on a particular day of the week for their Ishta DevatA e.g. Monday - SomvAr for Shankar (Shiv), Tue or Fri for Devi, Thu for DattAtreya (TrimUrti of BrahmA VishNu Shiv).

Recipes for UpavAs:

1. sAbudAnA Khichadi - Sauted spicy nutty Sago / Tapioca Pearls

Category : upavAs - fast / savory

Ingredients

2 cups sago or tapioca pearls (sAbudAnA)
1 cup ground roasted peanuts

3/4 cup cubed boiled potatoes.

1 t cumin seeds (jeera)

1 1/2 t salt - adjust.

2 t sugar
4 T ghee or butter

Garnish (optional)

1/2 cup grated coconut (either fresh or soaked in water)

chopped coriander

lemon juice

Method

1. Soak the sAbudAnA in water the night before for best results, or at least for an hour.
2. While the pearls soak , boil , peel and cube the potato.
Dry-roast the peanuts in a pan and rub off the peels as far as possible. Grind the peeled peanuts in a grinder. If you are likely to use roasted ground peanut more often, make a lot of coarse peanut powder to store in a jar.
3. In the same pan heat the ghee or butter. Add cumin and chillies. As they crackle and pop add sAbudAnA, ground peanuts and the boiled potato cubes.
4. Season with sugar, salt. Toss, cover and steam for a few minutes. Stir and turn off heat when the sAbudAnA looks somewhat transparent (not milky white any more) and has a soft spongy texture. The key is to keep stirring and tossing to avoid the tiny pearls from sticking together.
5. Garnish with a dash of lemon juice, grated coconut and coriander.

Offer to your Ishta DevstA warm, possibly with sweet yogurt on the side.

[ Source: Traditional recipe passed down thru' generations , also from a popular cookbook - Ruchira ]

--------------------

2. sAbudAnA Kheer ( Sago / Tapioca Pudding )

Category : Ekadashi / upavas - fast / desert

Ingredients
1 cup sago or tapioca pearls (sAbudAnA)

2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 t freshly ground cardamom

A pinch of saffron

Method

Soak the sAbudAnA in water the night before for best results, or at least for an hour.
Boil milk in a tall pot.
Add sAbudAnA to the pot. Let it cook in the milk. (You do not have to soak the sAbudAnA, but soaked is welcome too)
Letting some milk evaporate, add sugar and stir.
As the pearls are cooked they turn transparent (from white)
Add cardamom and saffron. Stir and turn off heat.

Offer the cooled kheer to your Ishta

Believer
18 February 2011, 05:01 PM
I won't get into an argument over what you say.

Just a comment, not interest in a debate


I'm not interested in debate either.

Why are you girls not interested in debates any more??? ;)
-

kd gupta
24 February 2011, 10:28 PM
Why are you girls not interested in debates any more??? ;)
-
Sorry believerji ,no response . join the boy's lane...
कभी फुलके भी साडी गली आया करो जी ....

smaranam
28 February 2011, 07:04 AM
|| Om Namo Bhagavate VAsudevAya ||

Namaste

Let us talk about FAST FOOD ... not quite. Recipes for UpavAs (fasting days).

UpavAs = residing close to paramAtmA. The idea is to fast at least from certain staple foods to practice restraint and focus on the Ishta DevatA for whom you are fasting, and not on food or thoughts of food and the strength it brings. A general rule of thumb is to abstain from grains, beans, pulses, too much of oil and spice and of course onion, garlic, mushroom, yeast and any other rajasic/tamasic food that cannot be offered to the Ishta DevatA.



Kees : Nutty Grated Sweet Potatoes (RatALa)/ Potatoes/Yams

Category: EkAdashi - UpavAs (fast) - savory

Ingredients:
4 cups potatoes, yams or sweet potatoes (ratALa / shakarkand) - peeled and grated
4 T ghee or butter
2 t salt - adjust, also if using salted butter
2 t cumin seeds
1 cup ground peanuts (coarse powder)
2 t sugar
1/2 cup water or more as needed

Method:
1. Wash, peel and grate the root veg (original recipe is for ratALa/ shakarkand - non-sweet hard sweet potatoes - orange-peach-cream-light brown)
2. Roast peanuts, rub off peel, shake and blow away the peels.
3. Grind the roasted and peeled peanuts in a grinder to make coarse powder. If used often, it is advisable to store ground roasted peanut in a tight jar in a cool dry place.
4. Melt the butter/ghee in a large pot.
5. Add cumin seeds.
Optionally, add one or two chillies - chopped, but they are unnecessary acc. to me.
6. Add the grated root veg. Toss.
7. Add ground peanut powder, salt, sugar. Toss.
8. Add 1/2 cup water , toss, cover and steam, turning down the heat to the lowest.
*** Please Note: The different roots require different cooking times.
9. Open the cover and toss from time to time - say every five minutes till done. Add water if needed.

Offer to your Ishta DevtA
praNAm

smaranam
28 February 2011, 04:47 PM
Namaste

Some people use the word yams for sweet potatoes. Yams are softer, darker orange, sweeter, longer. The ratALa (shakarkand in Hindi) is closer to sweet potato, a different shade.

Difference: Yams and sweet potatoes. http://homecooking.about.com/od/howtocookvegetables/a/sweetpotatodiff.htm

Jai Shri KRshNa

smaranam
09 June 2011, 10:12 AM
Om Namo Bhagavate VAsudevAya


Legumes and Lentils

Lentils (pulses) (http://www.foodsubs.com/Lentils.html) : tuvar (toor daal) (http://www.nandyala.org/mahanandi/images/toordal/toordalimagecopyrighted.jpg) , mung daal, urad daal (http://www.foodsubs.com/Photos/lentils-uradskinned.jpg) (used in idli-dosa-uttappa), masoor daal (http://yourmart.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Masoor-Daal.jpg), vaal (a creamy bean), split peas - green or yellow

Legumes:

sprouted: whole green mung, whole masoor (lentils) (http://www.mannaharvest.net/index.php/catalogsearch/result/?q=lentils), matki (http://thecookscottage.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/matki_sprouted_cropped_cu.jpg) (brown cover, creamy inside)

soaked but not sprouted: black-eye peas, chick-peas - garbanzo beans, , red kidney beans or rAjmA, white or yellow peas, black beans
(These beans can be used dry or canned)

What do they look like : http://www.mannaharvest.net/index.php/grains-and-legumes.html

Why sprout ? To make the protein and carb more digestable, to optimize the dormant nutrition in the legume.

**** Favya beans are used to make gluten-free flour.

Basic tools and techniques with least accessories - next post.

praNAm

Jainarayan
09 June 2011, 10:43 AM
You all are making me hungry.

Just saying. Carry on. :p

smaranam
09 June 2011, 02:00 PM
Basic Tuvar / toor daal

Boil rinsed tuvar daal in a tall pot using water three times that of the lentils (or use the pressure cooker with 1.5 times water) WITH the following

- a dash of hing (asofoetida)
- enough salt

Daal is cooked when the lentils can be mashed and dissolved easily. If the circles are firm in the centre, it is undercooked. Do not overcook or undercook.

Mash the cooked tuvar daal and use it for following dishes:

1. Plain daal , sweet, no tempering: Add crushed jaggery (or brown sugar) and termeric - 1/2 t for four cups cooked. Add enough water to make consistency of a moderately thin soup, and simmer till it just boils.

Garnish with ghee / vegan shortening. Serve (laddle) over rice or with chapatis/rotis and vegetables.

I would say plain rice with plain daal and ghee is BhagvAn's favorite.

2. Tempered daal

- Heat 2T oil,
- Add hing, 1/2 t mustard seeds, 6-7 curry leaves, optionally a chilly ,
- When it crackles, add chopped tomato.
- Pour over simmering plain daal from (1.) above OR Add the plain daal to the tempering if the pan is big enough.
- Add chopped corriander leaves .
- Simmer for a few minutes, turn off heat.


3. Methi / PAlak - daal - "Methi VaraN"

Heat 2 T oil, add hing, 1 or 2 cups chopped methi leaves (fenugreek leaves) or chopped spinach leaves.

Add corriander-cumin powders, turmeric (1/2 t) , enough jaggery/brown sugar to offset the bitterness of methi (a little less needed for spinach or chard).

Saute/steam till the vegetable is tender and add the cooked mashed daal. Add water for soup consistency , stir, simmer.

4. Sambar (south indian - goes with rice, idli, vada, dosa - and we have to find Saidevoji's thread for this, but in the meanwhile...)

- Heat 2 T Oil,
- Add a dash of hing
- Add cumin seeds
- Add washed, soaked, cubed eggplant, cabbage, white gourd ... whatever else you find in the refrigerator ...
- Add salt for the veggies,

- Let veggies steam with a dash of water till almost or half done

- Add tamaring water (soak tamarind seeds in warm water, and rub them off into the water with fingers)
- Add crushed jaggery/brown suger to taste

- Add cooked mashed tuvar daal,

- Add 1/2 t TURMERIC - do not forget.

- Add 2 spoons of sambar powder/ masala for 4 cups mashed tuvar daal (thick)

Add water, simmer.

Serve with idlis (made from soaked ground rice and urad daal), rice, dosa, or medhu vada ... but also with chapatis rotis and pancakes why not.


---------------

5. Mung Daal (light yellow) and Masoor daal (orange peeled lentil) are best cooked without tempering , but adding the oil, corriander-cumin powder, garam masala and sugar/jaggery while being cooked.

**Ginger goes well with mung daal. Mung daal is used in khichadi (see post #1) and is very easy to digest.

**Squeezing lemon juice over dal-rice lowers the glycemic index of rice or breads.

Onkara
09 June 2011, 02:11 PM
Thank you smaranam ji for starting this thread and others input :)
I have recently decided that I would benefit from paying more attention to making healthy, filling sattvic meals.

Is is true that we can make a basic curry source or paste foundation, and from that convert it into different types of curry/flavours and recipes? Or do we need to make the curry source each time depending on the curry we intend to finish with?

What is a fat loss diet plan consist of in respect to the aim of being filling, sattvic and vegetarian? Can anyone advise or share links/book titles they recommend?

smaranam
09 June 2011, 04:09 PM
You are welcome ONkarji.

Keeping a basic curry paste in store is a very common thing , *However* , it mostly implies ginger-garlic paste, onion-tomato-chilly , XYZ-masala or onion-garlic-other-spice etc. The word curry usually means garlic included. So, sorry but... we cannot call curry paste "sattvic" so you will not find it on this thread.

I never make any pastes, only use fresh ingredients. It takes more to prepare and preserve the paste for weeks or a month, than to add fresh chopped ingredients each time. Garlic has become obsolete for us - please do not bring this to the notice of my family members although they know what is going on. I do cook with onion for others, only when it cannot be avoided - but not for KrushNa of course.

Curry Pastes can be refrigerated for a limited amount of time (or bought from store but will have lots of preservatives).

----------

For actually losing weight: Skip rice, potato, oil and all fats, refined flour and sugar of course. No naan or tortilla with refined flour.
Gradually , minimal oil is added but that is about it. This is not a long-term diet. Long-term would mean more whole grains, less oil or butter/ghee, all fruits and veggies, and very little sugar.

I am no expert, but know someone who lost 10 kgs on a

1. "no-oil-chapati-with-leafy-greens-and-two-breakfast-bananas-diet" :)
So basically, two meals: chapatis, leafy-green sabji and a banana.
OR , two bananas for breakfast and then chapati-leafygreen-sabji for lunch and dinner. They just wanted to keep it simple, of course one can add fruit.

2. "low-carb-no-oil-mung-mini-roti-sabji-diet"
In this one, they fill up on no-oil sprouted green mung soup (like daal), or mung-daal, minimized intake of no-oil mini-rotis, lots of raw salad, and very-low-oil sabji. Again 2 meals spread into 3 if need be.

Whole wheat chapatis or tortilla are good enough. Recently we have the millet and quinoa campaign over wheat which is quite good, but it also refers to the wheat breads found in the market, not stone-ground or whole-wheat no-fat chapatis/tortilla.

praNAm

Jainarayan
09 June 2011, 05:08 PM
What is a fat loss diet plan consist of in respect to the aim of being filling, sattvic and vegetarian? Can anyone advise or share links/book titles they recommend?



For actually losing weight: Skip rice, potato, oil and all fats, refined flour and sugar of course. No naan or tortilla with refined flour.
Gradually , minimal oil is added but that is about it. This is not a long-term diet. Long-term would mean more whole grains, less oil or butter/ghee, all fruits and veggies, and very little sugar.

I am no expert, but know someone who lost 10 kgs on a

1. "no-oil-chapati-with-leafy-greens-and-two-breakfast-bananas-diet" :)
So basically, two meals: chapatis, leafy-green sabji and a banana.
OR , two bananas for breakfast and then chapati-leafygreen-sabji for lunch and dinner. They just wanted to keep it simple, of course one can add fruit.

2. "low-carb-no-oil-mung-mini-roti-sabji-diet"
In this one, they fill up on no-oil sprouted green mung soup (like daal), or mung-daal, minimized intake of no-oil mini-rotis, lots of raw salad, and very-low-oil sabji. Again 2 meals spread into 3 if need be.

Whole wheat chapatis or tortilla are good enough. Recently we have the millet and quinoa campaign over wheat which is quite good, but it also refers to the wheat breads found in the market, not stone-ground or whole-wheat no-fat chapatis/tortilla.

praNAm

It's a matter of portion control also. As Burt Wolfe the food writer says "there are no bad foods, just inappropriate amounts".

A balanced meal of a portion of protein, a low glycemic carb (whole grain, legumes, vegs, etc.) and a touch of healthy fat will help reduce weight. There really is not need to deprive oneself of any food, just control the amounts. Even a little white potato or white bread occasionally won't hurt.

Onkara
10 June 2011, 06:36 AM
Many thanks smaranam and Minotaur for the replies and advice.
I agree that with weight control (or fat loss) it is about quantity as well as quality. I suppose the answer is to begin with a good balanced sattvic diet and continue it, weight/fat will be reduced as a consequence. It seems to be a question of education in food as much as habit.

I am glad you clarified about the curry paste. It has been a question on my mind as to how curry or food which is spicy and consider tamasic is a part of the Indian diet. :)

Thanks again.