Winter Pulses Split Yellow Mung Bean Dal 1 cup split yellow mung beans ½ to 1 onion, diced 1 clove of garlic, crushed and sliced 1 tomato, sliced (and optimally, peeled, but this is not essential) 1-2 tsp cumin powder ½ to 1 tsp turmeric ½-1 tsp coriander powder ½ tsp fennel powder ½ tsp black mustard seeds salt to taste Simmer all ingredients in a bit of water or oil in a medium sized saucepan on medium heat except for the mung beans. While this is happening, give the beans a good rinse by placing them in a large bowl, pouring water over them, swirling the beans around with your hand in the water and then pouring the beans and water through a strainer. Repeat this a few times until the water is clear. The rinsing step will determine much about the outcome of this dish. Poorly rinsed beans will give a bitter flavor Once the onions, tomatoes, and garlic have softened and the spices have become aromatic, add the rinsed mung beans and stir them around, getting them nicely mixed in with the other ingredients. Pour the 2½ cups of water over the beans, add salt, and bring this to a boil using high heat. Once it comes to the boil, turn the heat down to lowish-medium, stir it well, and put a lid on the pot. Check it once in a while. If you need to add extra water during the cooking, make sure it is hot water, as adding cold water will interrupt the cooking process and make the dal a bit watery. Dal is done when the beans dissolve into a creamy thick soup. This should take 20-30 minutes. Chopped veggies can be added to this for a stew-like meal. Use any that you like and add them in at the same time you stir the beans in with the onions. Red Lentils Prepare exactly as in Yellow Mung Dal recipe above, but using red lentils instead of yellow mung beans. Cooking time is about 15 minutes. Whole Green Mung Dal When using whole green mung beans, it is ideal to soak them overnight in just over double the water as amount of mung beans. In the morning, rinse and drain the mung beans and let them sit in the bowl until you're ready to cook them. They can sit for a few days (and they will sprout in this time) and also be used then, but they need a daily or twice-daily rinse to stay fresh. Prepare as in Yellow Mung Dal recipe above, but using whole green mung beans instead of split yellow mung beans. Cooking time is about 30 minutes. If green mung beans are not soaked overnight, they can be cooked in a pressure cooker, which takes about 20 minutes. Prepare as above. Simple Hummus Soak a cup of chickpeas overnight, rinse well, and then cook for about 1 hour until soft. Drain, and place chickpeas in a blender with just enough water to allow it to blend smoothly, a tablespoon of tahini, some cumin powder, a clove or two of fresh garlic, juice from a lemon, and salt to taste. Blend to the consistency you like.
Quinoa Quinoa is an excellent vegetarian source of protein and minerals. It contains a complete range of amino acids and is particularly high in lyseine. It is also an excellent source of calcium. From an Ayurvedic perspective, quinoa is suitable for all three doshas and, being sattvic, is helpful for mental clarity. How to cook quinoa Quinoa must be rinsed well before cooking to remove its natural residue of saponins that can upset some peoples' digestion. After doing that, you can cook it like rice. Put the quinoa into a pot with about double the amount of water. Add salt to taste, bring it to a boil, and then lower heat to a simmer for 15-20 minutes, depending on whether you like it al dente or soft. After turning off the heat, let the quinoa sit with the lid on for a few minutes. Some garnish ideas: olives, tomatoes, parsely, ground sesame seeds, avocado slices or sauce, tamari. Good served with steamed greens or broccoli. Quinoa Milk High in calcium, protein and fat, quinoa milk has a similar nutritional profile to cow's milk, but is much better digested by most people. To make it: Cook quinoa as above, and then place the cooked quinoa into a blender with about double the amount of water (1 part quinoa to 2 parts water). Blend until smooth, adding more water until you get the consistency you like. Add a bit of honey to sweeten, along with any flavourings you'd like, such as cinnamon or vanilla. Then strain the blend through a cheesecloth or coffee filter. This milk can be stored in the fridge for 5-7 days. | Chutneys Green Chutney 1 c grated coconut 1 ½ c coriander leaves 1 garlic clove (optional) Lemon or lime juice 1 small green chili (de-seeded) 1 t raw sugar or honey ½ -1 onion (depending on size) ½ tsp cumin ½ tsp salt enough water to blend Put all ingredients into a blender and blend to a smooth paste. Tomato and KawaKawa Chutney 4 tomatoes 3 med-sized kawa kawa leaves, chopped into very small pieces 1½ tsp honey about ½ tsp lemon juice pinch of ginger powder (to taste) black pepper (to taste) Put all ingredients into a blender and blend to a smooth paste. Raw Onion Chutney 3 red or yellow onions, finely chopped (red onion will be hotter; yellow, sweeter) 1-2 Tbs. fresh lemon or lime juice black pepper (to taste) salt (to taste) a pinch of ajwain (optional) Mix the salt, pepper, and ajwain to the fresh squeezed juice and pour this over the chopped onions, mixing well. This chutney is best eaten when freshly made. Snacks Almond/Cashew and Date Shake 10-15 almonds, ideally soaked overnight and then peeled (but unprepared or blanched almonds are ok too) or cashews Small handful of dates Saffron Cinnamon Water Place all ingredients into a blender and blend really well on high speed. You can either strain the almond bits out through a strainer into a cup, or just leave them in and drink it with the dregs. Even if you don’t peel the almonds, it can be good to soak them in a bowl of water overnight, as this will help to neutralize the compounds in the peel that block mineral absorption. Savoury Avocado Dressing 1 just ripe (not hard, not mushy) avocado Black pepper to taste Salt to taste Big squeeze of lemon or lime juice 1 tsp. flaxseed oil (optional) Enough water to make a creamy sauce Cut the avocado into a bowl and mash it with all the other ingredients except water. Gradually stir in small amounts of water until the sauce reaches a creamy texture. Avocado Fruit Salad Sauce Mash a ripe avocado and some banana together with a fork into a bowl, or just use avocado and add a little honey to sweeten. Mix in a sprinkle of cinnamon, some powdered ginger (if you like the taste), and enough water to make it creamy. Pour onto mixed fruit salad, mixing in well so all pieces are coated. |