Quick & Easy Ayurvedic Cookbook. Eileen Keavy Smith
THE QUICK & EASY
AYURVEDIC
COOK BOOK
THE QUICK & EASY
AYURVEDIC
COOK BOOK
Eileen Keavy Smith
TUTTLE PUBLISHING
Tokyo • Rutland, Vermont • Singapore
Please note: This book does not provide medical advice and its recommendations are not substitutes for medical care. The foods, herbs, spices, and preparations presented in this book are safe and healthy for most individuals. However, new or unusual foods may cause adverse reactions in some individuals. If you have any questions about potential food allergies or other adverse effects, you should consult your physician.
Published by Tuttle Publishing, an imprint of Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd., with editorial offices at 364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, Vermont 05759 U.S.A.
Copyright © 2000 Eileen Keavy Smith
Cover photo © Stewart Leishman Photography
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publisher.
The Library of Congress has cataloged the earlier edition as follows:
Smith, Eileen Keavy.
The quick and easy ayurvedic cookbook / Eileen Keavy Smith.
x, 150 p. : ill. ; 23 cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 1-885203-74-8 (pb)
1. Nutrition. 2. Medicine, Ayurvedic. 3. Health. I. Title.
RA784.S585 1999
613.2--dc21
98-56150
CIP
ISBN 978-0-8048-3906-8
ISBN 978-1-4629-1660-3 (ebook)
Distributed by
North America, Latin America & Europe
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive
North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436 U.S.A.
Tel: 1 (802) 773-8930; Fax: 1 (802) 773-6993
[email protected] www.tuttlepublishing.com
Japan
Tuttle Publishing
Yaekari Building, 3rd Floor
5-4-12 Osaki; Shinagawa-ku
Tokyo 141 0032
Tel: (81) 03 5437-0171; Fax: (81) 03 5437-0755
Asia Pacific
Berkeley Books Pte. Ltd.
61 Tai Seng Avenue, #02-12
Singapore 534167
Tel: (65) 6280-1330; Fax: (65) 6280-6290
[email protected] www.periplus.com
12 11 10 09 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2
Printed in Singapore
TUTTLE PUBLISHING® is a registered trademark of Tuttle Publishing,
To my loving husband, Rob, who contributed a discerning palate, a sympathetic ear and an editorial eye.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART I:
INTRODUCTION TO AYURVEDA
The Three Pillars of Life
The Individual Constitution
Balance and Imbalance
Ayurveda and Food
PART II:
RECIPES AND GUIDELINES FOR BALANCING THE DOSHAS
Introduction to the Recipes
Basic Ingredients
Missing Ingredients
Balancing Vata
Guidelines for Food Preparation
Vata Recipes
Other Ideas for Vata-Balancing Foods
Balancing Pitta
Guidelines for Food Preparation
Pitta Recipes
Other Ideas for Pitta-Balancing Foods
Balancing Kapha
Guidelines for Food Preparation
Kapha Recipes
Other Ideas for Kapha-Balancing Foods
Resources
Books about Ayurveda
Ayurvedic Cookbooks
PREFACE
Several years ago, I read a book about Ayurveda that explained very clearly why and how our health and enjoyment of life are affected by all sorts of influences. Ayurveda (pronounced eye-your-vay’-dah) is a Sanskrit word meaning “the science of life.” The holistic Ayurvedic tradition has its roots in ancient India, and is gaining popularity in the West as we learn of its benefits. Ayurveda teaches that these influences, such as food, tastes, odors, the weather, music and other sounds, physical exercise, and much more can affect people in different ways, depending upon each person’s individual constitution. For instance, I learned why I can’t tolerate a blast of direct air from an air conditioner, while others find it refreshing. I learned interesting and useful things about eating and health, such as why I have problems with heartburn during the summer, but have virtually no heart-burn during the rest of the year. Ayurveda goes even further by recommending how an individual can modify these influences to suit his or her own constitution. A self-test will help you determine your Ayurvedic constitution (page 8).
This cookbook is the result of having organized my meals according to Ayurvedic principles. My main objective is to keep meal planning and cooking as simple as possible. I am a busy American woman with a full-time job. I don’t have time to hunt for unusual ingredients or to spend hours every day making complicated recipes from scratch. Several Ayurvedic cookbooks are listed in the Resources section of this book. All recipes in these cookbooks are vegetarian, and some of them call for