Cook right to eat right - the Ayurvedic way

As someone who has not cooked until hitting the quarter century mark in terms of age and without a formal initiation into this art, I sometimes depend on the cooking shows both online and off it. Thanks to my little experiments, mom's on-call help and the ubiquitous cooking shows I have turned out to be a decent cook in a little under five years. While in the beginning my focus had been to produce something edible I learnt along the way, the real art or science (depending on the way one views it) of food per se.

With such tremendous scope for experimentation and cultural variations there is no wonder that there can be as many styles of cooking as there are people living on this planet. "Delicious, exotic and presentable"  besides the hep "low-cal" phenomenon seem to be the most trending objectives for cooking, whereas "wholesome, nutritious and well balanced" seem to have lost their race somewhere along the line by simply remaining as sale-able propositions as has the linkage between eating right and staying better. Amidst this increased importance to eating tastier food we seem to have deleted  simple and less processed foods from our menus such as, "rasam", a south Indian soup cooked with great digestives including cumin, asafetida and pepper.

Earlier the art of cooking greatly used the principles from the science of Ayurveda (I only speak of Indian vegetarian cooking as I know of no other) but now I notice that this has completely been lost and forgotten at least in our generation. While as a self declared foodie, I enjoy good food, but in parallel I am also conscious of the damage that can be done to humanity by forgetting the authentic style of cooking - using the correct combination of ingredients (which is probably more important than knowing the right proportions) and the exact procedure - that I am confident was laid on foundations of health and fitness. By right procedure, I mean for instance simple things such as  cutting leafy vegetables and pumpkins into large chunks to retain their nutrients. 

Authentic cooking - as per my definition is something that maximizes the nutritional gains while still being tasty. Also, the more processed the food, the lesser the benefit will it provide in terms of nutrition. 

While food needs to be palatable I am against the rants most chefs seem to be making on popular shows on combining and multiplying ingredients that simply should not be used together for wrong reasons such as for increasing food appeal. For instance, combining spinach and tomato for the color it brings out when actually these two should not be mixed together but Okra or ladies fingers should always be cooked together with tomato and onions. Yes, cooking has a great scope for personalization but this I believe should not go against the principles of cooking healthy food.  

While cooking shows and recipe books can teach us to cook exotic dishes only our mothers' and grandmothers' kitchens have secrets to a healthier cooking. Now, lets go and figure!

The Age of Excesses

The recent inflated prices of vegetables in India made me feel strongly about the way our lifestyle has changed since my childhood. For the better? I am not too sure.

Call me old fashioned but I still prefer getting new clothes only for festive occasions and for birthdays, than just going on a purchasing spree whenever there is a sale which is forever in places like Singapore. And of course this trend is soon catching up in India as well.

Rich food was again only limited to special occasions like festivals, weddings & so on. Now a days I am sure a lot of households' must haves in the grocery shopping list would include sweetmeats, chocolates, ice creams, cakes & the like. That brings me to another interesting observation - we do not mind spending for these so called special treats but complain, crib for buying veggies not before thinking for umpteen times & finally deciding to call off when their prices get inflated. The health factor anyways gets affected and along with it goes down the feeling of exclusivity that comes from treating ourselves occasionally to a cake, for instance. May be we live in the times when eating rich food is the daily norm and nutritious food on special occasions.

Anyways, reverting to my nostalgia - going out used to be again a once in a while occasion either for eating out or rarely for the cinemas. These days there are lot more options available for hanging out. While i agree that these outings give one a much required exposure I certainly wish we gave things such as catching up with relatives, attending social gatherings the importance they deserved. Mingling with people still betters our social skills than window shopping in a mall or making friends with gizmos do, or so I reckon!

With my son's birthday just around the corner and with all those I consider as fond childhood memories turning into routine daily activities I wonder the kind of special memories he will have. Let's see!

The digestive fire of life

Agni or the “digestive fire,” is one of the most important principles in the ancient science of ayurveda. It refers broadly to our ability to process all aspects of life, including food, experiences, memories, and sensory impressions. Agni is responsible for absorbing the nutrients and essential elements the body needs while burning off waste products (agni is the root of the English word “ignite”).

If our agni is strong, we’re able to digest food efficiently and easily assimilate our daily experiences. On the other hand, if agni is weak, our body won’t digest well, creating toxic residue or ama that lodges deep in our cells.


According to ayurvedic teaching, strong agni leads to excellent health and well-being, while the accumulation of ama results in the slow deterioration of the body and—ultimately—disease. The inability to metabolize emotions produces just as much toxic residue as undigested food. In fact, pent-up anger, long-held sadness, and lingering guilt are more debilitating for most people than problems with physical digestion.
Ojas: The Vital Nectar of Life

If we desire perfect health, it’s crucial to eliminate the ama stored in our body and focus on producing ojas, which is the essential life energy. A Sanskrit term meaning “vigor,” ojas is the pure and subtle substance that’s extracted from food that has been completely digested. Ojas circulates throughout the bodily tissues and heart, sustaining the physical self, bringing clarity to the mind and balancing the emotions. In short, when the body produces ojas, the vital nectar of life, we feel blissful. The cells sing with happiness because both the mind and the body are receiving the nourishment they need.

To promote the creation and flow of ojas, we need a good diet focused on pure foods, referred to as “sattvic” in ayurveda. The body can easily digest sattvic food and extract its ojas or prime energy. The most sattvic foods include organic milk, almonds, sesame, honey, rice, and fruits. It’s not necessary to eat these foods exclusively — just focus on having them on a regular basis.

Some foods are difficult if not impossible for the body to convert into ojas, including meat, poultry, fish, oily foods, cheese, leftovers, processed food, and items with an excess of sour or salty tastes. Food that has been canned, frozen, or reheated won’t produce as much ojas as freshly prepared meals. In addition, consuming alcohol and smoking cigarettes destroys ojas.

The following chart will help you determine whether you have healthy ojas or an accumulation of ama in your body. If you’ve been storing toxicity, you can choose now to begin to nourish yourself and enjoy increasing levels of joy and well-being in your life.

Signs of Ojas
You feel rested upon awakening
Your skin has a healthy glow
Your tongue is clear and pink
Your body feels light, regardless of the number on the scale
You feel centered throughout the day
Your digestion is strong without bloating Generalized pain
You feel energized & enthusiastic
Your mind is clear
Your body has a pleasant smell
You rarely get sick


Signs of Ama
Bad breath
Coated tongue
Dull appetite
Delicate digestion
Sluggish or irritable elimination
Fatigue
Depression
Susceptibility to infections
Difficulty manifesting intentions

Creating Nurturing Mealtimes

Our experience while we’re eating is just as important as the kinds of foods we’re consuming. If we’re having a fight with our spouse over the dinner table, our stomach cells are aware of the upset and send distressed chemical messages throughout the body. As a result, we’re not able to create ojas because of the indigestible emotions coursing throughout our cells and organs.

Since ojas is the by-product of all the signals our body receives, we need to create a nurturing atmosphere for our meals, paying attention to all of the senses — taste, sound, sight, touch, and smell. Here are a few tips for making your body happy while you eat:
Eat in a settled atmosphere
Don’t eat when you’re upset.
Always sit down to eat (don’t eat in front of your computer or TV or while you’re driving).
Only eat when you’re hungry.
Dine at a moderate pace. Don’t gulp down your food or eat too slowly.
Minimize raw foods, which are much harder to digest than cooked ones.
Include all six tastes (sweet, sour, astringent, bitter, salty, and pungent) at each meal.

Source: www.chopra.com/agni

To donate or not to

To part with money or not in the first place.
If the decision is in the affirmative, then on whom-self or significant others (spouse, children, parents, numerous relatives, friends) or the needy.

For the needy, ok, some small portion atleast.
Then what kind of need-Those that require food, clothing or shelter, education, medical aid?
Well, say education - then to which needy - boy or girl, Indian or foreigner, Telugu or not, from telangana, rayalaseema or andhra, same caste or different & then the district, village..,,,,

Instead of having to deal with so many choices & making some of the most difficult decisions in life - just follow the tried & tested method and end up buying the nth item for the nth time!

Why can't a needy just remain that without being categorised forever?

Disclaimer : this post is in no way a reflection of how I think or identify a needy.

Standard disclaimer

My blog postings might at best be considered as random thoughts or rather ramblings and are anything but profound. They are not meant to be consequential in the least and therefore, might not lead to conclusions of any sort.

For a change I was watching the live telecast of the Commonwealth games one evening. It was a diving event now, I for one know nothing technical about games of this sort, so was closely following the commentary and relying on it. Soon a 17 year old Australian appeared on screen and apparently did very well with the commentator adding that he stood a good chance of winning at the upcoming Olympics. Now this seriously left me thinking. This guy would have started preparing at a very young age probably at the same age as our kids are geared up to appear for IITs/EAMCETs and what nots. While focus of an average Indian remains on getting their kids educated in professional streams, we still expect India to perform well in sports and bring in golds with meticulous calculations taking into consideration our one billion plus people. But what percentage of this population actually sends its kids to a full fledged sports coaching vis-a-vis education related one is a question we need to ask ourselves let alone answering it. Till then let us at least bask in on producing those who are educated enough to do such mathematics.

Achyutashtakam / Achyutam Kesavam Lyrics

Here is a beautiful gem written by Sri Adi Sankaracharya on Lord Sri Krishna. Thanks to this song, my infant baby calms down in no time when I start singing it. I learnt the lyrics by listening to Jesudas' melodious and incredibly flawless rendition.

Achyutham Kesavam Rama-Narayanam
Krishna-Damodaram Vasudevam Harim;
Sreedharam Madhavam Gopikavallabham
Janakee-Nayakam Ramachandram Bhaje

Achyutham Keshavam Satyabhamadhavam
Madhavam Sreedharam Radhikaradhikam;
Indiramandiram Chetasa Sundaram
Devakee-Nandanam Nandajam Sandadhe

Vishnave Jishnave Sankhine Chakrine
Rukmineeragine Janakeejanaye;
Vallaveevallabha Yarchitayatmane
Kamsavidhvamsine Vamsine Te Namah

Krishna Govinda he Rama Narayana
Sreepate Vasudevajite Sreenidhe;
Achyutananta he Madhavadhokshaja
Dvarakanayaka Draupadee-Rakshakaa

Rakshasakshobhitah Seetayah Shobhito
Dandakaranya Bhoopunyata Karanah;
Lakshmanenanvito Vanariah Sevito
Agastyasampoojito Raghavah Patumam

Dhenukarishtaka Nishtakriddveshinam
Keshiha Kamsahridvamshiko vadakah;
Poothanakopakah Soorajakhelano
Bala-Gopalakah Patu mam Sarvada

Vidyududyotavan Prasphuradvasasam
Pravridambhodavat Prollasavigraham;
Vanyaya Malaya Shobitorasthalam
Lohitanghridvayam Varijaksham Bhaje

Kunchitaih Kuntalairbhrajamananam
Ratnamaulim Lasatkundalam Gandayoh;
Harakeyoorakam Kankanaprojjvalam
Kinkineemanjulam Shyamalam Tam Bhaje

Achyuta syastakam Yah Pathedistadam
Prematah Pratyaham Purushah Saspruham
Vrittatah Sundaram Kartrivisvambharas
Tasya Vasyo Harirjayate Satvaram