Vegetable Stew

Healthy vegetarian recipes

You are what you eat!

Rasa - Harmony through Food 

  Ayurveda , the ancient Indian holistic healing system categorizes the human body into three basic types  known as ‘dosha’  ( vatta, pitta & kapha) based on the 5 basic elements of water, air, fire, earth and ether. These same elements also comprise Taste which is called rasa in Sanskrit. There are six   rasas  or  tastes ;  sweet (madhura), salty ( lavanya) , sour ( amla),  bitter (tikta) , pungent ( katu) and astringent ( kasaya). A balanced diet in Ayurveda is the one that harmonizes these rasas.   It provides  the body nutrition and also influences the mind.  Excess of any of these rasas has a negative effect on the body as well as the mind , for e. g  sweet  taste is related to strength and stability, it good for the growth of issue and is beneficial to thehealth of skin, senses and general growth of the body. However, if consumed in excess it causes diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity and lethargy Psychologically, it increases cheerfulness,love and compassion, but if consumed in excess,it increases greed and attachment.

My offering today is a simple to cook Vegetable Stew. A healthy blend of vegetables cooked in very little oil. It contains cauliflower and carrots, beans and potatoes blended with fresh coconut making the dish rich  in flavour and packed with  fiber, vitamins and minerals.

b>Vegetable Stew:

Ingredients:

1 cup  cauliflower medium sized florets 

1 cup diced carrots

1 cup  diced French beans

1 cup shelled fresh green peas

1 cup diced potatoes

2-3 cloves

5-7 peppercorns

2 small bay leaves

½ tsp oil

2 cups water

 ½ cup Yogurt

Salt to taste

Ground paste:

½ cup fresh coconut grated

2 green chillies

½  tsp grated ginger

½ cup roasted chana dal

5-7 curry leaves

½ cup coriander leaves

½ tsp cumin seeds

½ cup coriander seeds

½ cup water

Preparation:

1.     Wash the vegetables and keep side.

2.     Grind all the ingredients given as  ground  paste  and keep aside

Cooking:

1.       In a fair sized cooking pot, heat the oil.  Add the cloves and peppercorns and bay leaves.

2.       Add the washed vegetables and stir fry for a minute. Add the water and salt to taste let the vegetables boil till cooked tender. You can pressure cook the vegetables, however make sure they are not overdone. I prefer to boil them in an open pot.

3.      Once the vegetables are cooked add the ground paste to the vegetables . Let it cook for  2- 3 min  till the  curry thickens  .

4.     Add  yougurt and mix well,  simmer on slow flame for another 2 min

5.     Serve hot with rotis or parathas 

Offer to The Lord and serve as Krishna Prasadam 

Hare Krishna