Learning the Basics of Ayurvedic Cooking

According to experts, living an Ayurvedic life is all about balance, and there are several ways to practice this through cooking. Following are some of the basic things to keep in mind while cooking:

Cooking according to your dosha:

Your dosha plays an important role in maintaining a healthy constitution. If you are predominantly a Pitta, cooling foods and spices will help balance out your fiery nature. Similarly, if you are a cooler Vata, warming foods are better and for Kaphas, light, warm, and dry foods work the best. So while cooking for a group of people with different doshas, the key is to have a moderately spicy dish with ingredients or spices that can be added to the top, such as yogurt, if they are Pitta or a hot chutney if they are vatta. Rice and lentil kitchari are great options because it is healthy, delicious, and can feed the whole family.

Including high-quality cooking oils and ghee:

Ghee pacifies the Vata and Pitta doshas in the body. It nourishes both the body and the mind and increases the digestive fire. For maximum benefits, one must alter the intake of ghee according to the seasons. In summertime and autumn, ghee consumption is beneficial. But in spring, it can aggravate Kapha and should be avoided.

Keep the digestive fire well stoked:

This will improve the quality of digestion. Cold foods can suppress the digestive fire and slow down digestion, and that’s why you’ll hear a lot of Ayurvedic experts saying that cold water or cold juice before or during dinner should be avoided.On the other hand, foods like ginger-lemon juice with a sprig of coriander, a dash of black salt, and a teaspoon of honey will activate the salivary glands, making food absorption smooth by the body.

The best way to stay healthy is to have simple, homemade food cooked according to Ayurvedic principles. Over time, you’ll notice the lethargy fading away and you will enjoy renewed health and energy.