Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-Healing »

Ayurveda, the ancient healing art of India, teaches that food plays an essential part in one's health and sense of well-being. Here is an authentic guide of the Ayurvedic approach to food and tasty vegetarian cooking. The recipes are formulated using herbs and spices to help balance the constitution of each person. The effects of the foods on individual constitution is included with every recipe together with the medicinal properties of many of the foods. This is a cookbook and much more. Included in this book are chapters on:

• The principles of Ayurveda and individual constitution
• Maintaining one's health, digestion and constitutional balance
• The importance of proper food combining for optimal well-being
• Setting up an Ayurvedic kitchen and planning menus inclusive of every member of your family
• More than 100 recipes of delicious Ayurvedic cuisine

And these important sections for even more benefits from Ayurveda:

• Nearly 300 simple remedies for everything from the common cold and skin problems to stabilizing blood sugar in diabetics, all using familiar household herbs, fruits and vegetables!
• A chart for determining your individual constitution
• Comprehensive food guidelines for basic constitutional types
• A listing of the qualities of foods and their affects on the doshas

Foreword .............................................................................. 9
Preface ................................................................................... 11
An Introduction To Ayurvedic Cooking ................ 13

Chapter 1
Your Individual Constitution .............. 15
The Elements .................................................................... 15
Tridosha - Vata, Pitta and Kapha ................................ 16
Prakruti and Vikruti ......................................................... 17
Determining Your Constitution ....................................... 18
Characteristics of the Vata Individual ........................................ 18
Characteristics of the Pitta Individual ......................................... 20
Characteristics of the Kapha Individual ..................................... 22

Chapter 2
Factors That Affect Our Health ........... 25
The Doshas ...................................................................... 25
Improper Eating Habits ..................................................... 26
Time of Day and Time of Season ................................... 26
Getting The Right Amount of Exercise ............................ 27
Choosing a Balanced Lifestyle ......................................... 28
Relationships and Emotions ............................................. 28
Meditation and Well-Being ............................................. 29

Chapter 3
Taste And Digestion ................................... 31
Qualities of Food ............................................................. 31
The Concepts of Rasa, Virya,Vipaka and Prabhav ...... 32
Agni, The Digestive Fire .................................................. 39
The Process of Digestion ................................................. 42

Chapter 4
Food Combining ......................................... 45

Chapter 5
Setting Up An Ayurvedic Kitchen And Pantry 49

Chapter 6
Menu Planning ............................................. 51

Chapter 7
Recipes .............................................................. 59
Helpful Hints about Ayurvedic Cooking ......................... 59
Soups ................................................................................ 61
Kitcharis ............................................................................ 75
Mainly Rice Dishes .......................................................... 81
Vegetables ....................................................................... 99
Raitas .............................................................................. 135
Pickles and Chutneys ..................................................... 141
Breads ............................................................................. 151
Sweets ............................................................................ 155
Beverages ....................................................................... 171
Extras .............................................................................. 183

Chapter 8
Foods For Healing ................................... 187
Fruits ............................................................................... 187
Vegetables ..................................................................... 202
Household Herbs ........................................................... 206

Appendix .............................................................................. 217

Determining Your Constitution ...................................... 217
Food Guidelines for Basic Constitutional Types ........... 220
Qualities of Food Substances ........................................ 232
Glossary ............................................................................. 239
Bibliography For Further Reading In Ayurveda ... 243
Index ..................................................................................... 244