Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast
Results 11 to 20 of 27

Thread: SAttvic AhAr : Indian Cuisine Basics

  1. #11
    Join Date
    January 2010
    Location
    tadvishno paramam padam
    Age
    38
    Posts
    2,168
    Rep Power
    2547

    Re: SAttvic AhAr : Indian Cuisine Basics

    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."

  2. #12
    Join Date
    September 2007
    Location
    Canada
    Age
    70
    Posts
    7,191
    Rep Power
    5038

    Re: SAttvic AhAr : Indian Cuisine Basics

    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

  3. #13
    Join Date
    January 2010
    Location
    tadvishno paramam padam
    Age
    38
    Posts
    2,168
    Rep Power
    2547

    Re: SAttvic AhAr : Indian Cuisine Basics

    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.

  4. #14
    Join Date
    September 2007
    Location
    Canada
    Age
    70
    Posts
    7,191
    Rep Power
    5038

    Re: SAttvic AhAr : Indian Cuisine Basics

    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

  5. #15
    Join Date
    January 2010
    Location
    tadvishno paramam padam
    Age
    38
    Posts
    2,168
    Rep Power
    2547

    Re: SAttvic AhAr : Indian Cuisine Basics

    I also believe that's what's most healthy, variety and moderation.

  6. #16

    Re: SAttvic AhAr : Indian Cuisine Basics

    || 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
    Last edited by smaranam; 18 February 2011 at 06:25 AM. Reason: For best results, soak sAbudAnA in water overnight, but shortcuts of 1 hr will work too.
    || Shri KRshNArpaNamastu ||

  7. #17
    Join Date
    July 2010
    Location
    The Holy Land - Bharat
    Posts
    2,842
    Rep Power
    5499

    Re: SAttvic AhAr : Indian Cuisine Basics

    Quote Originally Posted by Eastern Mind View Post
    I won't get into an argument over what you say.
    Quote Originally Posted by Sahasranama View Post
    Just a comment, not interest in a debate
    Quote Originally Posted by Eastern Mind View Post
    I'm not interested in debate either.
    Why are you girls not interested in debates any more???
    -

  8. #18

    Re: SAttvic AhAr : Indian Cuisine Basics

    Quote Originally Posted by Believer View Post
    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 ....

  9. #19

    Re: SAttvic AhAr : Indian Cuisine Basics

    Quote Originally Posted by smaranam View Post
    || 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

    Last edited by smaranam; 28 February 2011 at 04:50 PM. Reason: RatALa = shakarkand = sweet potato.
    || Shri KRshNArpaNamastu ||

  10. #20

    Re: SAttvic AhAr : Indian Cuisine Basics

    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/howt...potatodiff.htm

    Jai Shri KRshNa
    Last edited by smaranam; 28 February 2011 at 04:50 PM. Reason: shakarkand
    || Shri KRshNArpaNamastu ||

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •