Ayurvedic Recipes

RECIPE FOR AYURVEDIC ‘BUTTERMILK’ AND ‘LASSI’

The preferred way to make ‘buttermilk’ and ‘Lassi’ is to make fresh yogurt using non-homogenized milk. Since this is not easily obtained the milk can be pasteurized as long as it is non-homogenized. After you have made the yogurt, mix it with an equal part of water in the blender (do not use hot water) at a low speed. After 1-2 minutes the fat in the yogurt will separate out and rise to the top. Skim off the fat. This is what Ayurveda calls "buttermilk".

You may add ginger, cumin, other spices or sweeteners, depending on your body type and the season.

If ‘vata’ is aggravated, add a little salt or sweeteners along with some cumin. 
If ‘Pitta’ needs to be reduced, use raw or brown sugar. 
If ‘Kapha’ needs to be reduced, add ginger, honey and black pepper. 
Lassi is considered less beneficial than buttermilk. Take one part non-fat yogurt, three parts water, and mix well in a blender and flavour as required.

Yogurt and Ayurvedic Buttermilk

Yogurt is know to increase both appetite and strength. It increases ‘Kapha’, reduces ‘Vata’ and aggravates ‘pitta’. Yogurt is hot in quality and sour in taste. It would be contraindicated, for those with ‘pitta’ problems, especially in the digestive system. Yogurt and cheese should be avoided by those suffering from ulcers. 

Yogurt and cheese should not be taken at night, as they tend to clog the body channels when they are not digested well. Yogurt should always be sweetened or taken with other foods, rather than taken plain and alone. 

Ayurveda holds that the most beneficial way to take yogurt, a way that improves its influence on the ‘doshas’ balance, is in a beverage called Ayurvedic buttermilk. 
Buttermilk and lassi strengthen, and increase the appetite and digestive power. They pacify all three ‘doshas’, and is considered an excellent staple in anyone’s diet. 

"Contemporary Ayurveda": - Hari Sharma MDFRCPC Christopher Clark-JOWA (USA) Med. Director.

NUTRITIOUS AND IDEAL

RAGI, an extremely nourishing and cheap food item in does not seems to feature in a person's daily menu. generally served to convalescents or to nurishing mothers, it is ideal for everyone. For every 100 gm ragi gives 7.3 gin of protein, 2.7 gm of minerals, 72 gm of carbohydrates and 328 calories.

Try out these recipes everyday using ragi and see the difference it makes. All these recipes are for four servings.

Ragi Pathiri

Ingredients:

Ragi 250 gm
Raw rice 250 gm
Refined oil 2 tsp
Grated coconut 1 cup
Salt to taste

Method:-
Clean and soak ragi and rice in water for half an hour. Drain and dry in the sun for three hours. Powder in a mixie or at the flour mill. Roast the fine powder lightly. Cool and keep aside.

Crush coconut and extract 1/2 cup of thick milk and 1-1/2 cup of thin milk. Boil the thin milk with a little salt and oil. While boiling add a cup of ragi, rice flour (from the prepared ragi and rice). Reduce heat. After a few seconds stir till it starts to lump. Remove from fire and cool. Knead till smooth.

Take a small ball of the dough, sprinkle flour and roll out into a thin chappathi (thin as a pappadam). Cut evenly with a round cutter. Finish the remaining dough the same way. Heat a thava. Take a chappathi at a time. Turn it a few times and press lightly with a spatula. When it puffs up, remove. Repeat procedure with all chappathis. Just before you serve, dip in thick coconut milk. Serve with curry of choice.

Note: The same ragi rice flour is used in ragi puttu and ragi dumpling.

Pudding

Ingredients:-

Ragi 200 gm
Sugar 100 gm
Grated coconut 1 heaped cup
A pinch of salt.

Method:-
Clean and soak ragi for an hour. Wash and drain. Mix with grated coconut. Grind in a grinder to a paste. Add 1/2 cup water, squeeze and extract milk through a fine strainer. Again add 1/2 cup water and extract the milk. Add 1/2 cup more ,water and extract the milk completely. Add sugar and keep on a slow fire. Stir still the sugar is dissolved. Raise the flame and continue to stir till like a custard. Remove from fire, pour into a shallow plate and spread evenly. Keep aside till set. Refrigerate till cold. Cut into pieces and serve.

For the dumpling:

Ragi-rice flour I cup
Ghee 2 tsp
Thin coconut milk l-1/4
Salt to taste

For the coconut sauce:

Grated coconut 2 cups
Chilli powder 2 tsp
Lime size tamarind
Curry leaves 2 sprigs
Refined oil 4 tbsp
Chopped tomatoes -2
Big onion - chopped finely 2
Chopped green chillies - 3
Garam masala powder 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste.

Method:-
Dumpling:
Boil coconut milk with salt and ghee. When it starts to boil, add the flour. Reduce heat. After a few seconds stir well. When it forms lumps remove from fire. Cool and knead till a soft dough. Take small portions of the dough, make into a ball and press to form small rounds an inch in diameter. Repeat with rest of the dough. Put it in a piece of cloth and steam till done. Remove and sprinkle some water and keep aside.

Sauce:-
Crush coconut and take out 1/2 cup (thick - first extraction) of milk. Add a cup of water and take out a cup of (second extraction) of milk. Again add a cup of water and take out a cup more of milk (third extraction). Heat oil, add onion and chillies. When soft, add

tomatoes, chilli powder, curry leaves and salt. Stir well and add third extraction of milk. Cook for a while. Add tamarind water and cook for a few seconds more. Add the second milk and cooked dumplings. Cook till thick. Add the thick milk and garam masala powder. When it starts to boil, remove from fire. Serve hot with pathiri or chappathies.

Puttu (Steam Cake)

Ingredients:-

Ragi rice flour 2 cups(the same flour as for the ragi pathiri)
Grated coconut 2 cups
Salt to taste and water to mix.

Method:-
Add a cup of grated coconut to the ragi-rice flour and mix with finger tips till blended. Add salt and sprinkle water. Mix till it crumbles, (it should not form lumps) - Keep aside for half an hour. Boil water in the puttu vessel (a special vessel for making puttu). Take puttu kutti (a cylindrical mould for making puttu). Add two tablespoons of coconut, then add two handfuls of prepared ragi-rice flour. Again add two tablespoons. coconut and two handfuls of rice flour. Continue till kutti is full. The last layer should be coconut. Place the kutti on the vessel and cook till it steams. Keep for a few seconds more. Remove the kutti from the vessel. Push out the contents to a plate with the help of a rolling pin. Serve hot with sugar and banana or vegetable curry.

Health drink

Ingredients:-

Cleaned ragi 100 gm
Grated coconut 1 cup
Milk 200 ml
Palm jaggery or coconut jaggery (thengun chakkara) 100 gm

Method:-
Soak ragi for two hours. Drain and grind ragi along with the coconut till a paste by adding a little water. Remove from the grinder and squeeze out the milk. Add 1/2 cup water and extract the milk Again add 1/2 cup water, and extract the milk completely. Add grated jaggery and milk and stir well. Keep on a low fire and continue stirring till the jaggery has melted. Increase flame and cook till it becomes a custard-like consistency, stirring all the time to avoid lumps. Remove the pan from the fire and stir till it cools. If the custard is too thick, add a little more milk till a liquid consistency. Pour in glasses and serve hot or cold.