A Nourishing Tridoshic Meal Idea

What to serve your Dinner guests? When creating a balanced meal and addressing the Doshas I always play it safe by serving a simple Tridoshic Vegetable Curry with Basmati Rice, a Tridoshic Dahl, with a refreshing Cilantro Chutney from my last blog post and a fresh Salad with a Tridoshic Dressing. This meal will calm the Vata, cool the Pitta, and move the Kapha! 

 
-Vata, -Pitta, -Kapha

Tridoshic Vegetable Curry 
Serves : 6

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh green peas (frozen if necessary)
1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup potatoes, diced
2 cups string beans or asparagus, cut in 1 inch pieces
2 tablespoons sunflower oil or ghee
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 cups water
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon coriander powder1/2 cup Yogurt or Soy Yogurt

Method:

Heat oil or ghee in large heavy skillet. Add mustard and cumin seeds. Then the mustard seeds pop, add turmeric. Then add all the vegetables and the water. (If using frozen peas, do not add until rest of vegetables are nearly done.) Cook covered until the vegetables become tender, about 15-20 minutes. Then add yogurt and the rest of the ingredients, stirring well. Simmer uncovered on low heat for another 15-20 minutes.

Tridoshic Dal
Serves : 6

Ingredients:
1 cup split mung dal
8 cups water
2 cups summer squash, in 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices
1 cup carrots, in 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices
1/8 teaspoon hinge
2 tablespoons sunflower oil or ghee
1-1/4 teaspoons turmeric
1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice or 1 tablespoon amchoor (dried mango powder)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger root, minced
1 small hot green pepper, chopped finely or 1/4 cup prepared salsa (omit for Pitta, and easy on this for Vata)
1-1/4 tablespoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon black mustard seeds
Garnish: Fresh coriander leaves, chopped and shredded unsweetened coconut

Method:
Wash dal until rinse water is clear. Wash and chop vegetables.

1. Warm 1 tablespoon oil or ghee in large heavy saucepan.
2. Add hing, turmeric, and lemon juice and saute for 30 seconds over low heat (be careful, it is easy for turmeric to burn).
3. Stir in the beans and saute for another 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Add the chopped vegetables and stir another minute or two.
5. Add water, salt, ginger, and pepper (if you are using it); bring to a boil on high heat. Then cover and reduce heat to medium-low.
6. Let soup simmer for 45 minutes or until beans have dissolved.
7. Warm remaining tablespoon of oil or ghee in a small skillet, add cumin and mustard seeds, heat until the mustard seeds begin to pop.
8. Add to soup, which is now ready to serve.
9. Garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves and coconut.

Tridoshic Lemon Tahini Dressing
Serves: 6


Ingredients:
1 cup raw tahini
½ cup purified water
Juice of 2 small Meyer lemons
1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
1 inch ginger root, peeled & chopped fine
3 Tbs. fresh, minced cilantro
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. fennel seed
1 Tbs. celtic sea salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper

Method:
Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor.  Mix until tahini is fully blended.  Store in a glass jar with tight fitting lid.  Shake well before each use.


*These Recipes were adapted from The Ayurvedic Cookbook, written by Amadea Morningstar with Urmila Desai. This Ayurvedic Cookbook Classic is chock full of amazing information and ideas to give you a basic understanding of foods to Nourish your Doshas


Two other books you may want to add to your collection are written by Maya Tiwari. The Path of Practice: A Woman's Book of Ayurvedic Healing  and Ayurveda: A Life of Balance: The Complete Guide to Ayurvedic Nutrition & Body Types with Recipes