Sakahari - The Plant Eaters cookbook A recipe book for a plant based diet rooted in Indian vegetarian cooking PDF
Preview Sakahari - The Plant Eaters cookbook A recipe book for a plant based diet rooted in Indian vegetarian cooking
SAKAHARI - THE PLANT EATERS COOKBOOK SAKAHARI - THE PLANT EATERS COOKBOOK A recipe book for a plant based diet rooted in Indian vegetarian cooking NANDINI SHARMA AND LINDA LAURETTA Photography by Steven Mark Needham (stevenmarkneedham.com) Copyright © 2015 Nandini Sharma and Linda Lauretta All rights reserved. ISBN: 1492852430 ISBN 13: 9781492852438 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS T HIS BOOK IS dedicated to my mother, Lakshmi, for her unstinting support throughout my life; my daughter, Dia, for inspiring me to be me; and our cook, Renu, in Calcutta, from whom I learned how to shop for fresh produce and how to really cook. I give thanks to a large community of family and friends in India and the States who willingly submitted to my many ministrations and experimentation and gave me honest feedback and to the yoga communities at Yogashala in Connecticut, where I first started sharing my recipes and cooking, and at Ashtanga Yoga New York, where I sowed the seeds of a teaching practice in New York. My deepest thanks go to Steev Needham, who took the most amazing photographs, and Shamina Rao-Herel, whose designs inspired the cover and interior layout. And last but not the least, my friend Linda Lauretta, without whom this journey would not have been taken. Nandini Sharma It was a bit daunting to express my gratitude for everyone who has contributed to my philosophy on food as there were so many people and places that influenced my time in the kitchen. Beginning with my Italian immigrant parents both of whom spent much of their lives in a kitchen; my dad in his restaurants and my mom cooking for our family. They taught me the value of using the finest and freshest ingredients which never included anything that came out of a box or can. In summer, we ate out of our family garden that would have qualified as organic by today’s standards. To my Ayurvedic teachers and mentors who deepened my understanding of food combining and the healing qualities of wisely chosen ingredients, I offer much gratitude for sharing their ancient wisdom with me. To the many generous Indian women and men, a group to whom my co-author Nandini belongs; I am so grateful to have assisted you in food prep and learned how to use the rich heritage of magical spicing. I also must mention the many small farmers and homesteaders of the Hudson Valley, who are producing quality, organic foods that easily rival those of my Sicilian ancestors and provide me with all the makings of a healing lifestyle. To Nandini Sharma, thank you for having and holding this vision of crafting a cookbook that came to reflect both our kitchen wizardry. You are the best and I deeply appreciate your persistence at turning out the best final product whether its a meal or this book. Linda Lauretta CONTENTS An introduction to Ayurvedic food principles—Linda Lauretta A note on the recipes—Nandini Sharma Recipes and featured herbs Ajowain seed Khasta roti (Indian unleavened bread with ajowain seeds) Bayleaf Chawal, or Fragrant Rice Black Pepper Rasam (Spicy Tomato broth) Cardamom Sooji Halwa (Semolina dessert) Cilantro/Coriander Fresh cilantro chutney Cloves Rajma or Red bean curry Jeera – Cumin seed Asparagus with cumin Curry leaves Sambar dal—lentil stew with vegetables Fennel seed Fennel Digestive Tonic Methi – Fenugreek seed Mixed vegetable pickle—cauliflower, carrot, turnip Garlic Simple Toor dal (Indian lentil soup) Ginger Butternut-squash khichadi (Indian lentil and rice dish) Kallonji – Black onion seed Sautéed greens with kalonji and chilies. Mustard seed Bengali Tomato chutney. Anardana – pomegranate Seed Punjabi Chana Masala (Spicy Punjabi-style chickpea curry) Dry red chillies Sesame Gun Powder Saffron Swiss chard and & Chickpea stew Sesame Seed Sesame Chikki (Sweet sesame crunch snack) Spearmint Hara pudina Aloo (Potato sauté with mint) Haldi – Turmeric powder Gobi Matar (Cauliflower and pea stew) Ghee – Clarified butter A word about Ghee Thali – A plate of food Suggested Menus AN INTRODUCTION TO AYURVEDIC FOOD PRINCIPLES—LINDA LAURETTA T HE HEALING BENEFITS for the herbs and spices discussed in Sakahari are primarily derived from Ayurvedic principles. Ayurveda is the traditional healing system of India and translates as “the science or knowledge of life.” This is a very broad definition of a vast philosophy that encompasses diet, movement (it is the sister science of yoga), and herbal and lifestyle remedies all designed to balance the three doshas, or constitutions, that make up everything in nature including us. The doshas, known as Vata, Pitta and Kapha, are principles that govern motion, transformation, and cohesion, respectively. They are based on the five elements of ether, air, fire, water, and earth. Please see below chart for a better understanding. For each herb/spice, you will see a notation that looks something like this: V+ P- K=. This key will note the effect the herb has on each particular dosha. So, the “=” means it has a neutral effect, the “+” means it increases that dosha, and the “-” indicates it decreases that dosha. Occasionally, you will also see the word “Tridoshic,” which simply means it is suitable and balancing for all three doshas. What does all this mean for you in relation to the recipes? The easiest way to answer that is through example. A light, airy food like leafy greens falls under the Vata category and therefore adds those qualities to the dish and the one eating it. Chilies, ginger, and mustard seed, with their heat, are considered to increase the quality of pitta. Butternut squash, with its sweet and somewhat starchy qualities, is considered to increase the quality of kapha. If you feel cold all the time, eating foods that generate heat helps balance you. To get an idea of what your individual constitution may be, there are many evaluation tools that can be found by searching the Internet, or for a more accurate assessment, consult an Ayurvedic practitioner. Ayurveda places great importance on what and how we digest rather than focusing solely on the foods we eat. As we are all unique, no two people will have the same reactions to a dietary regimen. An understanding of how each food contributes toward digesting your meal is key to balanced overall health. This is the idea behind our emphasis on presenting you with recipes and guidance on the herbs’ and spices’ properties—to help you make informed choices on what you put into your body. Wishing you joyful cooking, buon appetito, and strong digestion! A NOTE ON THE RECIPES—NANDINI SHARMA T HE RECIPES IN this collectionare drawn from the style of cooking in North India— Punjab, in particular. Although I grew up in Calcutta, the eastern part of the country, both my parents were Punjabi, so we usually ate vegetarian meals made with Punjabi spices. Some spices are common across the country, such as cumin (jeera) and turmeric (haldi). Some are localized to a region or a state. In this selection you will find use of some souring agents, such as dry mango powder (amchoor) and dried pomegranate seeds (anardana), that draw from the influences of the fruits in the northern plains of India (although mangoes grow across the country). Pomegranate was introduced to India by the Persians, and the best-quality pomegranates sold in the bazaars of New Delhi are called “kandahari”—imported from Kandahar, Afghanistan. It is an unusual spice and flavor and will not be found in any other Indian recipes, especially South Indian, which uses tamarind as a souring agent. The concept of organic or wholesale produce was alien to me, as I grew up in India in the 1970s, and most produce was grown locally using few chemical agents (although that process of farming unfortunately is changing today). Fruits and vegetables were available only seasonally, since refrigeration and cold storage were expensive. It was simpler to grow and sell locally. We ate what was available in that season, and it was produced naturally. And because appliances were few and far between, food was cooked fresh every day and in such quantities that could be consumed the same day. The hot summer months of India do not allow food to last overnight; unless refrigerated, it would rot and have to be thrown away. Some of the ingredients used in Indian cooking have been in existence since the beginning of recorded history. Understanding the pharmacological significance of the ingredients helped me to understand the impact of these herbs and spices on the digestive and other systems. This renewed understanding helped me explain why all Indian dishes have a sprinkling of chopped cilantro as a garnish; it’s not just because it looks good. The cilantro compensates and cools down any hot spices in the dish. Ginger, with its carminative and digestive properties, is used abundantly in cooking, as is turmeric, with its healing antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Obviously our Indian foremothers, steeped in the significance of Ayurveda and their understanding of it, knew the best way to combine these spices for their best effects; in this manner, that understanding encouraged a daily consumption of these health guardians. Reading my friend Linda’s explanations of the pharmacology and health benefits of these herbs and spices has been a revelation to me; even though I have cooked in this manner all my life, today I have a deeper understanding of the beneficial effects of eating Indian vegetarian food.
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