Ayurvedic Recipe of the Day – 11/23/09

Tridoshic Vegetable Curry

Preperation time: 1 hour

-Vata, -Pitta, -Kapha

Serves: 9-10

From The Ayurvedic Cookbook, written by Amadea Morningstar with Urmila Desai

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh green peas (frozen if necessary)
• 1 cup carrots, diced
• 1 cup potatoes, diced
• 2 cups string beans or asparagus, cut in 1 inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil or ghee
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 cup yogurt

Heat oil of ghee in large heavy skillet. Add mustard and cumin seeds. Then the mustard seeds pop, add turmeric. Then add all the vegetables and the water. (If using frozen peas, do not add until rest of vegetables are nearly done.) Cook covered until the vegetables become tender, about 15-20 minutes. Then add yogurt and the rest of the ingredients, stirring well. Simmer uncovered on low heat for another 15-20 minutes.

Comments: Good with Cucumber Raita and lime pickle for Vata. Serve over rice or other grain. This easy-to-prepare curry is likely to garner you rave reviews. The cooling qualities of the peas and potatoes are offset by the other vegetables and the curry spices. This small amount of yogurt, thinned with water, is usually tolerated well by all the doshas and aids digestion. Whenever you can, use tender fresh, rather than frozen peas, as they are more balancing for Kapha and Vata.