Om Sai Ram
Sai Sanjeevini......healing fragrances
FOR YOUR SANJEEVINI KITCHEN

In this column we hope to bring you healthful recipes and cooking tips. The traditional Indian way of cooking (NOT North-Indian cooking which has been greatly influenced by migrant populations and colonisers) was an art based on science experienced in the laboratory of the human body and mind over thousands of years. The use of selected spices is very important. Besides flavouring the food subtly they act on the digestive tract causing "unknown" forces of digestion to be released. These cannot be understood or "known" by our 5 senses of perception even under the microscope but are very apparent to anyone who wishes to experience them.

We have had a very good response from healers to the recipes in the book. We hope this one will also be useful.

We give you here a simple way of making "daal" or lentils which when combined with rice at lunch (basically before sunset) will not prove to be a wrong combination. When combined with chapatti, especially at night, Vata personalities or people with Vata disorders or those with digestive complaints may find it difficult to digest.

Ingredients:
 

 Method of cooking:
 
Boil daal with ginger, pepper or chillies until really soft (mung does not need a pressure cooker but arhar might need it if you are in a hurry - please do not use aluminium utensils). Add juice of tamarind and salt and more water to attain desired consistency. The more diluted it is, the more easily it is digested. With chapatti you will need it to be thick, with rice it can be rather thin.

Boil for further 5 minutes. Switch off the heat.

Heat oil or ghee in a small wok or karhai, add cummin seeds, wait 5 seconds and add fenugreek seeds, wait 10 seconds, add asafoetida and curry leaves. Quickly pour on the ready daal. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve warm with parboiled rice or chapattis and a vegetable or salad.
 

Under no circumstances cook with tomatoes. Cooked tomatoes cause acidity. Uncooked ripe tomatoes may be used as salad.

Eat only about half stomach full for good health!

Bon Appetite! 
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