The Ayurvedic Wellness Cookbook – Recipes for Regaining Your Inner Balance

When I recently visited the Kairali Ayurvedic Healing Village at Palakkad in the South Indian state of Kerala, they also presented The Ayurvedic Wellness Cookbook to us as part of the cooking presentation class. As soon as I picked it up, I knew right away that it was a special book – interesting recipes, thought-provoking texts, photos with perfect food styling. I was not wrong. The book is truly exceptional. In 2023, it won the Gourmand World Cookbook Award, known as the Oscar in the world of food preparation, as the best cookbook in two categories even: Diet and Vegetarian Recipes.

The author of the book is Mrs Gita Ramesh, the joint managing director of Kairali Ayurvedic Group, a pioneer in the promotion of Ayurvedic principles of health. Although I did not have the opportunity to meet Mrs. Ramesh in person, the management of the resort put me in touch with her. Our collaboration then resulted in my article on Ayurveda for the Slovak lifestyle magazine MIAU with recipes and photos from this book. Also in this way, I would like to thank Mrs. Ramesh for her willingness to provide me with all the necessary material.

For the readers of my blog, I have selected the following two recipes from the book:

PALUKKATTA VALAPPALAM CUTLETS

RAW BANANA CUTLETS

We need:

4 raw bananas

1 and 1/2 tbsp of turmeric

4 and 3/4 cups of water

salt to taste

3-4 grated cloves of garlic

1 tbsp of grated ginger

3-4 finely chopped green chilli peppers

1 finely chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves

2 cloves, powdered

1-inch stick cinnamon, powdered

1/2 cup rice flour

2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

Method: Peel the bananas and cut them into small cubes. Add 1 tablespoon of turmeric to 4 cups of water and soak the banana cubes for 5 minutes. Remove them from turmeric water, rinse and put them in a pot with a thick bottom. Add 3/4 cup of water, 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric and salt and cook for 15 minutes at medium temperature until the bananas are tender. Remove from heat and transfer to a big bowl to cool. Mash the bananas with a fork, add grated garlic, ginger, green chilli peppers, onion, coriander leaves, cloves, cinnamon and salt and mix well. Add rice flour and mix well until the ingredients form a soft dough. Shape balls from the mixture and flatten them into round cutlets. Spread ghee on the pan and fry the cutlets on each side for 5-6 minutes at a moderate temperature. Add more ghee as required and cook for another 5 minutes until the cutlets become golden and crisp on both sides. Serve warm with chutney.

RAVA SHEERA

SEMOLINA HALVA

We need (for 2-3 servings):

4 tablespoons of ghee

6 slitted cashew nuts

10 raisins

1 cup semolina

2 cups of water

2 cups of palm sugar

4-5 sticks of saffron

4 cardamom seeds in powder

Method: In a pan with a thick bottom, heat the ghee at a low temperature and fry the cashew nuts until golden. Remove from heat and set aside on a plate. Then add the raisins to the same pan, stirring constantly until the raisins swell and thicken. Set aside on the plate with the nuts. Add the semolina to the same pan and stir for about 8 minutes, until the semolina is lightly browned. Pour 2 cups of water into the pot, add palm sugar and saffron, bring to a boil and stir until the sugar dissolves. Set aside and add the roasted semolina slowly so that the mixture does not splatter. Stir so that no lumps form. When the mixture starts to thicken, add cashews and raisins. Add cardamom powder and stir until all the water evaporates. Set aside and spread evenly on a steel pan. When the halva cools down, cut it into diamond shapes and serve.

And finally, a few thoughts for those interested in the topic of Ayurveda:

– according to Ayurveda, digestion is the primary component of our health. We are what we eat – we are what we digest – here it takes on a deeper meaning

– we should eat only when we are hungry, which means that the previous meal has been completely digested

– the secret lies in variety – all six tastes should be included in the food – sweet, sour, salty, bitter, astringent and pungent

– in Ayurveda, calories are not counted, seasonal foods should be used and focus on moderation and the correct timing of individual dishes

– the eating process should be a conscious and meditative experience

You can read the entire article (in Slovak language only) with other recipes here: MIAU November 2024

For information and my personal experience at Kairali Ayurvedic Healing Village, see my article: Kairali Ayurvedic Village – The True Touch of Ayurveda under Tall Palm Trees