Maharishi Ayurveda Recipes: Breads

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Cornbread

American colonists first incorporated New World cornmeal into their Old World breads. Try the variations separately, or put them all together in one go-for-broke batter. Ayurveda also recognizes this food as both medicinal and delicious.

Ingredients:

  • 1 – 1/2 cups unbleached organic white flour.
  • 1 – 1/2 cups cornmeal
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons arrowroot or cornstarch
  • 1/3 cup raw or packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 melted organic gheeor oil
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup water

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan. For crusty cornbread, place in oven to heat.
  2. Mix the dry ingredients together.
  3. Add the melted Ghee or oil, buttermilk, and water. Mix just until blended.
  4. Pour into the pan. Bake until golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Unlike other quick breads, cornbread can be eaten as soon as it is baked — hot and crumbly is heavenly.

Variations:

  • Reduce the sugar to 3 tablespoons and add chopped jalapeno chilies, chopped bell peppers, and/or sliced dried tomatoes to the batter.
  • Add chopped green herbs, such as sage, cilantro, or dill, to the batter.
  • Add fresh corn kernels to the batter.

Recipe is reprinted with permission from Heaven’s Banquet, by Miriam Kasin Hospodar, April, 1999.

Pan Bread

Makes 4 servings

  • 1 cup Chapati flour
  • 2 teaspoons organic ghee
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ajwain seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/3 cup and 2 tablespoons yogurt
  • ghee for frying
  1. Mix ghee and flour with your fingers. Stir in salt, seeds and baking powder.
  2. Add ghee and knead dough until smooth and even.
  3. Divide dough into four balls. Roll out one ball to a 5-inch circle.
  4. Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add one teaspoon ghee and fry bread on both sides until light brown. Press it down with a skillet to make it puff up. Repeat with the rest of the balls. Serve warm. Great with soup, dahl or salad.

Sugar-Free Fruit Bread

  • 1 cup finely chopped dates
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1/3 cup ghee, melted
  • 3 sweet apples, peeled, cored and shredded
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup unbleached white flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
  1. Place chopped dates and raisins in a 2-cup measuring cup and cover with water. Soak for one hour.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.
  3. Mix ghee and apples. Add soaked dates and raisins.
  4. Mix all the dry ingredients and stir into wet ingredients until thoroughly moist. Stir in walnuts; the batter will be thick.
  5. Spoon the mixture into the buttered pan and spread evenly. Bake for about 50 minutes.You can also make a dozen muffins from the same batter. Bake on 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes.