Ayurveda HEALTH

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Rhubarb Cobbler

Serves 4 - 5

This is a delicious and satisfying dessert which is suitable for lunchtime. Maharishi Ayurveda recommends eating locally produced food which is in season whenever possible. British grown rhubarb is now in the shops, or you may be lucky enough to have some in your garden. This recipe is very quick if you have a good food processor. It works very well with wholemeal self-raising flour.

• 90g self-raising (wholemeal) flour
• 80g ground almonds
• Pinch of salt
• 65g cold butter, roughly chopped
• 140ml yoghurt
• 15g split almonds
• 1 tablespoon sugar
•  
• 650g rhubarb (prepared weight)
• 100g sugar
• 125g dates, chopped
• Grated rind of half an orange
• 3 – 4 pieces crystallised ginger, chopped

Pre-heat the oven to 220°C, (200°C fan) GM7.

You will need a baking dish approximately 20 cm wide.

Split the rhubarb stems down the middle and chop fairly small. Place it in the baking dish and mix in the sugar, dates, orange rind and ginger. Press down and level off the surface.

If you are using whole almonds, first blanch and skin them. Then whiz them in the food processor until fine. Then add the flour and pinch of salt, and process briefly. Next add the butter and process until the consistency is something like coarse breadcrumbs. Finally add the yoghurt and blend again.

If you do not have a food processor, put the ground almonds in a large mixing bowl and sieve in the flour and salt. Rub in the butter with your fingers and then mix in the yoghurt.

Place dollops (it should divide into about 5 or 6 dollops) of the mixture on top of the fruit. Don’t smooth it over - it is fine to leave small gaps between each dollop. Dot a few split almonds on top of the cobbles, and sprinkle with the tablespoon of sugar.

Bake in the centre of the oven, turning it down after about 10 minutes to 190° C, (170° C fan), GM 5. Bake for about 45 minutes in all, until the rhubarb is completely tender. Check from time to time to make sure the top does not over brown, and turn the oven down further if necessary.

With thanks to Sue Holmes

Couscous Milk Pudding

Serves 1

This is a quick to prepare evening dessert (or even a meal in itself if the main meal has been eaten at lunchtime), which is good for vata or pitta dosha. For those who need to balance kapha it is not so recommended, but mixing the milk with half water and substituting oats for the couscous would help to make it more suitable. The addition of quarter of a teaspoon of turmeric and a reduction in the quantity of dates would also be better for kapha.

• 2 strands saffron
• 300ml whole milk
• 2 -3 tablespoons couscous
• 2 – 4 dates, chopped
• Small piece ginger, chopped
• 1 cardamom pod, crushed

An hour or two before you plan to eat put the saffron to soak in a couple of teaspoons of hot water. This allows the flavour and colour to infuse.

Put all the ingredients, including the saffron in a small pan and bring to the boil stirring from time to time. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes and then turn off the heat, cover and leave to stand for 5 or 10 minutes before serving.

You can vary the spices according to your taste – cinnamon and nutmeg are also good to use. Or for extra speed you can just use a Maharishi Ayurveda tea bag – vata, pitta or kapha according to your dosha.

With thanks to Sue Holmes

Cashew Nut Roulade

This makes a lovely Sunday lunch. It is a rich dish and cashew nuts are good for vata dosha. Maharishi Ayurveda does not recommend eating aged cheeses such as cheddar, but if you want to add cheese, adding turmeric, ginger, black pepper and herbs helps to make it more digestible and balance its kapha increasing effect.

Serves 4 – 5

• For the stuffing:
• 180 g carrots, chopped
• 180 g apple, sliced
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp chopped ginger
• salt
• For the crust:
• 180 g cashew nuts, finely ground
• 100 g wholemeal breadcrumbs finely ground
• 100 g cheddar cheese, grated
• 4 sprigs parsley, chopped
• 6 sage leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp turmeric
• freshly ground black pepper
• Approx. 80 ml water
• Pre heat the oven to 190 C, GM 5.

To make the stuffing bring the carrot, apple and ginger (season with salt) to boil in a little water and simmer for about 20 minutes until tender and most of the cooking water has evaporated. Drain. Add the lemon juice and then liquidise.

To make the crust simply mix together all the dry ingredients, including the herbs, turmeric and freshly ground black pepper. Then mix in the water a little at a time until you have a cohesive mixture which holds together when squeezed in the hand.  (The nuts and breadcrumbs must be very finely ground in order for the mixture to hold together).

To assemble the roulade press out the cashew nut mixture on a sheet of greaseproof paper to form a rectangle about 1 cm thick. Press down firmly. Spread the stuffing on top, leaving about 4 cm at the edges uncovered. Starting from one of the long sides of the rectangle, roll the whole thing up with the aid of the paper. With the help of the paper lift the roulade onto an oiled baking dish, removing the paper as you go. This is really quite easy - if any cracks appear in the crust just press them together again. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 - 35 minutes until light golden brown.

Serve with a selection of seasonal vegetables.

Chapattis

Chapattis are easy to digest and an alternative to yeasted breads. Home made chapattis are fresher, and tastier, than those from a shop.

You can buy chapatti flour at Indian food shops but it may be difficult to find an organic brand. A finely ground whole-wheat flour, or spelt flour, will work almost as well.

• 100g flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• Approx. 60ml lukewarm water

Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl and gradually mix in lukewarm water until you have a dough that holds together.

Knead for about 3 – 5 minutes until smooth. Leave to ‘rest’ in a covered bowl at room temperature. This resting period is vital for the chapattis to puff up when cooked.

Knead again for a few minutes and divide into 4 or 5 pieces. Roll into balls, flatten each one with your hand and roll out on a lightly floured worktop. (You can roll out successive ones while the previous one is cooking). They should be thin, and a convenient size is about the size of a CD.

Cook them in a dry pan or, better still, on the middle shelf of the oven (preheated to about 180 Centigrade). Cooking takes a minute or two.

When cooked, stack in a pile (which keeps them all warm).

Chapattis can be an addition to your main meals, or a quick snack spread with cream cheese, or honey, or tahini.

With thanks to Susan Holmes

Butternut Squash Apple Soup

Serves 4

• 2 tablespoons Maharishi Ayurveda Ghee
• 2 teaspoons Maharishi Ayurveda Vata Churna
• 2 pounds butternut squash
• 2 cups water
• freshly ground black pepper
• salt
• 3 round tablespoons Apple Chutney
• 1 cup plain soymilk (optional)
• 3 red delicious apples
• 10 cloves
• 1/2 cup water

Peel and dice squash, peel, core and dice apples.

In a large pot heat ghee and sauté Vata Churna for 30 seconds. Add squash and water, bring to a boil, cover and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.

At the same time make the stewed apples. In a small pot, place apples, water and cloves. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until all the water is gone.

In a blender or food processor, combine squash, half of the stewed apples and Apple Chutney. Purée until smooth. Add water if necessary.

Bring the soup to a boil again, add the second half of the apples and season with salt and pepper. Stir in soymilk (optional). Serve with chapattis (Indian flat bread).

With thanks to mapi.com

Poached Pears with Vanilla in Sweet Date and Almond Sauce

This is a quick dessert which tastes delicious – you will never want another chocolate bar! It is good for vata and pitta, being satisfyingly sweet and nourishing but still easy to digest. Serve it with whipped cream to enhance it’s vata and pitta pacifying quality. It can also be done with apples instead of pears.

• 50g almonds
• 150g dates
• 4 cardamom pods
• 2 cm vanilla pod
• 4 good flavoured pears, e.g. Williams
• Soak the almonds in water overnight

Put the dates in a pan with enough water to cover, and simmer until soft and mushy, about 10 – 15 minutes.

Slip the skins off the almonds (discard the soaking water). If you haven’t allowed time to soak the almonds overnight, you can blanch them in order to loosen the skins.  Remove the cardamom pods and crush the black seeds.

Split the vanilla pod and put it in a large pan with approximately half a cup of water. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes to release the flavour of the vanilla. Peel, halve and core the pears. Then add them to the pan, replace the cover and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until tender. (If the pears are not quite ripe you will need to cook them for a bit longer).

While the pears are cooking, liquidise the dates, almonds and cardamom to a smooth puree. Add some hot water if needed to achieve the consistency of a thick sauce.

Serve the pear halves in glass dishes, with the date and almond sauce poured over them.

Serves 4

With thanks to Sue Holmes

Rice Pudding (Kheer): A light dessert for lunch or evening

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Water
• 1/2 Cup Basmati Rice
• 4 Cups Whole Milk
• 1 tsp. Chopped dates
• 2 tsp. Cashews or pistachios
• 3 small pieces green cardamom, crushed
• 1 tsp. Sugar (or to taste)

Directions:

• Soak rice in water for 2 hours
• Boil milk
• Add rice and all other ingredients
• Boil slowly for 30 minutes or more until the mixture reaches a slightly thick consistency, but you can stir it easily
• It will thicken a little more when you let it cool

With thanks to www.mapi.com

Rice with Vegetables and Paneer

Marinade for paneer:

1 tbsp lime juice
½ tsp paprika
1 heaped tsp dried oregano
Tiny pinch hingu
¼ tsp salt

Paneer from 1 litre of milk (see next recipe)
1 tsp fennel seed
1 tsp cumin seed
2 tsp coriander seed
2 tsp kapha churna
3 tsp of ghee
3 tomatoes, skinned, cored and chopped
4 – 5 celery stalks, split and chopped small (use the inner more tender stalks)
300 g butternut squash, cubed small
250 g white Basmati rice
Salt (Rock salt is preferable)
75 g pecans or walnuts, halved
2 or 3 sprigs tarragon

Make the paneer early in the day, so that it has a few hours to strain and firm up. Make the marinade by simply mixing all the ingredients in a bowl. Cut the paneer into cubes and add to the marinade. Toss and leave for at least 15 minutes.

Dry roast the fennel, cumin and coriander seeds in a heavy bottomed pan until slightly darkened and aromatic. Crush to a coarse powder with a pestle and mortar or grind in a coffee grinder.

Heat 1 teaspoon of ghee and add the churna followed by the chopped vegetables and ground spices. Season with salt, cover and cook for about 5 minutes. Then add the rice and 600 ml of boiling water, bring to the boil and give it a stir. Turn the heat to low, cover and leave to simmer gently for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and leave to stand for 5 minutes.

Strip the tarragon leaves from their stalks. While the rice and vegetables are cooking heat the remaining ghee in a non-stick frying pan and add the paneer with the marinade - it will splatter a little. Stir over a medium heat until lightly browned, and then add the nuts. Take care that it does not burn as the heat will increase as the juices in the marinade evaporate. Remove from the heat and stir in the tarragon leaves - they will wilt and turn a brighter green in the hot ghee. Finally gently mix the paneer and nuts with the rice and vegetables and serve.

Note: You can use tofu instead of paneer if you prefer.

Paneer

Paneer is a soft cheese traditionally used in Indian cooking. It has a mild flavour and soft texture which is complimented by the use of spices. It is considered more wholesome and easier to digest than the cheeses we are used to in the West. Ideally it should be freshly made on the day it is to be eaten. Like all curds and cheeses it is best eaten at the midday meal rather than at night. It is good for Vata dosha and is fine for Pitta too in moderation. As with all dairy products adding some turmeric helps to mitigate its Kapha increasing quality.

1 litre fresh whole milk
Juice of one lemon
½ tsp turmeric

Bring the milk to the boil in a large pan. Let it rise up the pan and immediately drizzle in the lemon juice and turn off the heat. Gently shake the pan and watch the curds rise to the top. The whey should be a fairly clear and watery – if it still looks milky add a little more lemon juice.  Line a large stainless steel sieve with muslin and pour all the contents of the pan into it. Fold the edges of the muslin over the paneer and leave to strain.

It is ready to use within a few minutes if you want a soft textured cheese. For a firm texture suitable for cutting into cubes for frying, place a weight on top and leave to strain for at least a couple of hours.

The whey can be kept for adding to dishes such as soups, (but if the recipe contains lentils or beans of any kind make sure these are cooked first, since the acidity of the whey can stop them cooking properly), and also in place of some or all of the water when making bread.

Cake Recipe

The lightest, easiest egg-free recipe I’ve ever used”

300 gm self-raising flour
175 gm sugar
1 tsp bicarbonate (mixed with a little of the milk)
3 tsp vanilla essence
1 tbsp golden syrup
300 ml milk
150 ml oil (e.g. sunflower)

Mix dry ingredients, add wet ingredients, and beat well. Bake in greased tin (13” x 9”) at 180 degrees, Gas 4, for 35 minutes or until firm to the touch. Ice as desired.

Ginger Pickle

Eat before lunch to help you digest

Ingredients: for 4

2” Fresh grated ginger

1/2 Lemon juice

1/4 tsp Rock salt

Honey to taste

Take one teaspoon a few minutes before you eat to increase your digestive fire. Or make a larger quantity and keep for next meal.

Sesame Ladhu

Vata-balancing and traditionally also good for ladies for regular periods, PMS.

Ingredients: makes 10 balls  -  1 ball a day

100g Sesame seeds - *lightly roasted

50g Jaggery sugar - grated

25/50g Coconut - grated from block, or use desiccated

1 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Cardamom - powder or seeds ground)

1/2 tsp Ginger - ground

1-2 tsp Ghee - warm and runny

Mix in blender, roll into small balls, Store in container in cool place.

* Note: Roast sesame seeds at low heat (electric 2) until they are golden brown; any darker gives a more bitter taste.

Lassi

Drink before or with lunch to aid digestion

Lassi is fresh yogurt blended with room temperature water. Whereas yogurt by itself can clog the channels of the digestive and elimination systems, once it is transformed into lassi it aids digestion. Thinning yogurt with water and blending it makes it more easy to assimilate.

Blend to taste:

1 part cold yogurt

3 parts water

Pinches of cardamom, sugar and rosewater

Blend to taste:

1 part cold yogurt

3 parts water

Pinches of ginger, cumin, Rock Salt and black pepper

Dal

Nutritious addition to a meal

Especially with basmati rice and vegetables. During or at the end of cooking, add Vata Churna, a Vata-balancing Ayurveda spice blend of cumin, ginger, fenugreek, turmeric, sugar, salt and Hingu (asafoetida). Vata Churna is also suitable with Vata-increasing food such as cabbage, broccoli, grains and salads.

Ingredients: (serves 4)

4 small handfuls of organic yellow Mung Dal

1 tsp Vata Churna

1 tsp Organic Ghee

Tiny pinch Hingu

Rock Salt or Black Salt to taste (added at the end of cooking, or at table)

Optional to taste:

fresh Coriander leaves

lemon juice

bay leaves

finely sliced spinach

Preparation: 30 minutes

Wash Mung Dal

Add boiling water

Cook just above simmering for 20 minutes until soft

Melt ghee on low heat

Add Vata Churna (and bay leaves)

Cook very gently at low heat for 30 seconds

Add spice mix to dal

Add finely sliced spinach

Cook at gentle heat for 3-4 minutes

Add a little lemon juice and some finely chopped coriander leaves.

Cook for 1-2 minutes

Serve.

Black Salt

Black Salt has a sulphurous flavour, and is an acquired taste for most people. It pacifies Vata and increases Pitta and Kapha. It contributes the salty taste and has a heating quality. In Ayurveda, black salt is considered an aid to digestion.

Ground with Ajwain and lemon juice and eaten, black salt helps balance the digestion.

A couple of pinches of black salt and 1/8 tsp. dry-roasted ground cumin can be used to make digestive lassi.

Black salt, with lemon and cilantro, is used to make a dressing for spicy fruit salsa or chick-pea salads.

With thanks to www.mapi.com

Cooked Apples with Cloves

Start the day with a stewed apple to build appetite for lunch, stimulate regular bowel movements, increase vitality and alertness, and provide a light but satisfying start to the day.

1 whole fresh, sweet apple, cored and peeled

5 whole cloves

1/4 cup of purified water

Directions:
Dice apple into small pieces. Add cloves, apples and water in a covered pot. Cook apples in 1/4 cup of water until they are soft. Discard the cloves, cool slightly, and enjoy.

With thanks to www.mapi.co

Khichri

1/4 cup split mung dal
1/4 cup basmati rice
6 cups of water
1 t Maharishi Ayurveda Ghee
1 t lemon or lime juice
2 t Maharishi Ayurveda vata, pitta, or kapha churna
1 t chopped cilantro leaves
salt to taste

Rinse rice and dal. Add water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low boil and continue cooking for about 55 minutes or longer if you wish a thicker consistency. In a separate pan, heat the ghee. Add the churna and sauté briefly, about 30 seconds or until aroma is let off. Add to rice and dal. Add salt, lemon juice and cilantro. Stir well.

Recipe – Cooling Summer Drink

Summer Mint Drink – with thanks to www.mapi.com

For syrup:

• Pour 1/2 cup boiling water over 1/2 cup sugar in a small bowl.
• Stir till sugar dissolves.
• Stir in 1/4 cup of tightly compacted fresh mint leaves (without the stems).
• Cover and chill for a minimum of four hours.
• Strain mixture through a sieve. Discard leaves.
• Store syrup for up to three days.

To use the syrup for a water-based drink: Place one tablespoon of mint syrup with about one cup of room temperature water and stir.

Finally

For a summary of what Maharishi Ayurveda has to offer, we can recommend our brochure Ayurveda in a Nutshell  and can send you our free 68-page catalogue, full of useful advice and products.

These can be requested by phone at 01695 51015, or online: Request Free Catalogue

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