(*)Healthy Diet--Ayurvedic Recipe(*)

Vata Balancing Mung Bean Soup

You will need:

1/2 cup mung dhal (split hulled mung beans)

4 cups water

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp cumin seed

1 pinch hing (asafetida)

1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp chopped fresh cilantro

2 tbsps ghee

Rock salt to taste

Wash the mung dhal. Add water and the turmeric and cook until dhal is tender. Stir occasionally and remove any scum that forms on top.

Add salt, ginger and lemon juice and puree in a blender to a smooth consistency.

Heat the ghee until it is clear.

Add the hing and cumin seed and stir briefly to release aroma and flavor. Remove from heat.

Pour the ghee-spice mixture over the soup. Stir.

Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.

(Serves 1)

Carrot Ginger Soup: Health Diet Recipe

If you want a cooked version of carrot ginger soup that’s easy as pie to prepare and easier still to devour, try this recipe on for size. It’s fast, flavorful, crowd-pleasing, and easy to modify, too. Always add a bit of coconut milk at the end for richness. But you could lower the fat by using rice, almond, or soy milk, and you could also leave out the milk altogether. It adds a lovely creaminess, but the soup will be wonderful without it, too.

Carrot Ginger and Coconut Soup (makes 7-8 cups)

1 tbsp coconut oil

1/2 cup onion

1/2 cup celery

2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped

4 cups veggie stock

1 small potato, white or sweet, coarsely chopped

1.25 lb carrots, coarsely chopped

1/2-1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp curry powder

1/3 cup coconut milk

1) Sautee the onions, celery, and ginger in 1 tbsp coconut oil in a medium sized pot until the onions are translucent (about ten minutes).

2) Add the veggie stock, carrots, potato, curry powder, and salt to the pot.

3) Bring the liquid to a boil, and then lower it to a simmer. Let the mix simmer for about twenty-five minutes, or until all of the carrots are nice and tender.

4) When the carrots are tender, turn off the flame. It’s time to blend! You can either use an immersion blender, or you can transfer the soup to a blender and blend it all at once, or, if your blender is smaller, in batches. Remember that hot soup will create pressure in your blender as you work, so remove lids carefully.

5) Transfer the blended soup back to your pot, and warm through. Now the magic happens. If you’re not using coconut milk, go ahead and serve. But if you are—as well you should be—you add the milk now.

Tomato Chutney:

6 ripe tomatoes (chopped small)

½ teaspoon asafetida

2 tablespoons ghee

1 teaspoons mustard seeds

1 teaspoon whole cumin

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 stick cinnamon

4 cloves

1 teaspoon finely minced ginger

2 minced green chilies

2 teaspoons ground coriander

¾ teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon dried oregano

2 bay leaves

¾ teaspoon salt

1 table spoon raw sugar or molasses

Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

• Prepare a masala by heating ghee. Add mustard, fennel and cumin seeds. When they turn light brown, add the cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaves, chillies, ginger and powdered spices. It will be a slightly pasty, bumpy texture in the ghee.

• Cook over a medium heat for a few minutes before adding the chopped tomatoes. Let the mixture cook down for 20-30 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning and clumping.

• Finish by adding salt and sugar. Pour into one lare or several small dipping bowls, then garnish with fresh coriander leaves.(Serves 4)