Maharishi Ayurveda Recipes: Soup and Salad

Food is considered an essential component of Ayurvedic health care. In many ways, delicious food is considered ‘medicine’ in Maharishi Ayurveda. An expert Ayurvedic consultation almost always includes modifications to diet and the inclusion of certain types of foods and certain tastes at specific times. In the Maharishi Ayurveda model of health, foods are medicinal influences in themselves, and expert Ayurvedic practitioners recommend them regularly. The Ayurvedic dietary cupboard is full of a wide and delicious variety of foods that include grains, vegetables, nuts, fruits and spices. As modern research is showing, diet can play a significant role in restoring health and a growing list of scientific studies are pointing to the therapeutic value of both foods and spices. Ayurveda has embraced this principal of health for millennia. Please consult your physician for specific recommendations for your health needs.

The following recipes are offered as easy delicious health-supporting tools for your best health. Favor organic raw ingredients whenever possible.

Vegetarian Noodle Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil or Organic Maharishi Ayurveda ghee
1 chopped medium onion (optional)
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
1 cup sweet potato, diced
1 medium parsnip, diced
1 inch piece ginger, grated
3 sprigs fresh thyme, minced
1 sprig parsley, minced
2 bay leaves
Cooked noodles to taste
Vegetable broth, 4-6 cups
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the ghee or oil in a large soup pot. Sauté onions, ginger, and celery until onions are transparent. Add vegetable broth, parsnips, carrot, sweet potatoes, bay leaves, parsley, and thyme. Bring to boil and then lower to medium. Cook for about one hour. Add salt and pepper. To serve, put one heaping spoon of noodles in bowl and pour soup over the noodles. Serve hot.

Beet Soup

2 cups finely sliced fresh beets cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 teaspoon minced parsley
1 stalk celery chopped
1/2 onion chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon ghee
1 carrot grated
1/2 cup potato chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon organic raw sugar
5 cups water or vegetable broth
Fresh yogurt for garnish

Sauté the onion in ghee for 5 minutes. Add water, beets, potato, carrot, and celery. Bring to a boil, then cover pot and bring heat to a medium low. Allow to cook for 45 minutes or until beets are tender but not overcooked. Add lemon juice, sugar, salt and pepper. Stir well. Serve with a dollop of yogurt or sour cream on top.

Corn Chowder

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

1 potato
1/4 cup organic Ghee or butter
pinch of hing (optional)
carrot, thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/8 tsp. rosemary leaves, dried or fresh
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup flour
3 1/2 cups nondairy milk
2 1/2 cups corn kernels
1/2 tsp. paprika
salt and black pepper

Directions:

Boil the potato until tender. Drain. When cool enough to handle, peel and cut into chunks.
While the potato cooks, melt 1 Tbsp ghee or butter in a skillet. Sauté the hing, carrot, celery, herbs, and parsley on a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the tomatoes and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes or more.
Melt the remaining 3 Tbsp of ghee or butter in a 2-quart saucepan. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute on a low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk. Slowly add the nondairy milk. Beat with the whisk to remove any lumps.
Add the sautéed vegetables, potato, corn and paprika. Simmer until the corn is tender, and the soup is thickened, about 3-4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

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

Summer Pitta Stew

Use the freshest of summer vegetables available from your farmer’s market for this pretty and delicious one pot meal.

1 Tbl. Maharishi Ayurveda Ghee
1 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tsp. anise seed
1 Tbl. Maharishi Ayurveda Pitta Churna
2 ears fresh corn
6 small new potatoes
5 stalks celery
1 small head of broccoli
3 carrots
7 cups water
1 tsp. salt
Fresh ground pepper

In a medium stock pot, place Ghee and olive oil over a high heat and add anise seeds. When seeds start to slightly pop, remove from fire and add Pitta Churna. Stir ingredients together.

Remove corn from the cob with a scraping motion of a large knife, chop the potatoes in quarters, dice the celery and carrots evenly and thinly and cut up the broccoli. Add all the vegetables to the stock pot, return to the high heat and add the water. Bring to a boil and cover.

Cook the vegetables at a rollicking boil over medium heat about 20 to 25 minutes until they are tender. Several minutes before serving add the salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

I like to whisk the vegetables with a wand hand mixer until the vegetables are slightly pureed. If you do this, don’t overdo it. You want the vegetables to be chunky and tasty and not reduce the mixture to a broth. You can try a large manual whisk as a substitute.

The combination of spices, olive oil, and Ghee gives a lovely hearty flavor perfect for summer and not heavy. Enjoy!

Serves 4 as a main course, 6 as an appetizer.

Recipe courtesy of Dennis Boatright

Three Bean Stew

3/4 cup dried pinto beans
3/4 cup dried black beans
3/4 cup dried kidney beans
4 Tbl. Olive Oil
4 Tbl. Organic Maharishi Ayurveda ghee
6 celery stalks, chopped to bite size pieces
2 or 3 fresh serrano peppers, seeded and minced
2 Tbl. chili powder
2 Tbl. Maharishi Ayurveda Vata Churna
salt
black pepper

Pick over and discard any damaged beans and remove any small stones. Rinse the beans and in a large bowl, add water to cover by an inch and soak for 4 to 8 hours. In a medium stockpan, warm the olive oil and ghee and add the vata churna, peppers and celery and saute until the celery is soft, about 7 minutes. Add the chili powder and mix well. Next, discard the water from the soaked beans and stir into the spice and vegetable mix. Add enough water to cover the beans 3 inches and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and cook uncovered until the beans are tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Add a little more water if the beans begin to dry out. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve. Enjoy!
Recipes by Dennis Boatright

Summer Fruit Salad

This light and sweet salad can be eaten as a desert, afternoon snack or pancake topping. Use fresh, ripe fruits.

Ingredients:

1 mango
2 pears
1/2 pound strawberries
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon Maharishi Ayurveda Almond Energy

Peel and cube mango and pears. Quarter strawberries. Gently mix all the ingredients, let it stand for 10 minutes.

Couscous Salad

Serves 6

3 tablespoons Organic Maharishi Ayurveda ghee
2 teaspoons Maharishi Ayurveda Pitta Churna
1 1/2 cup couscous
3 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup olive oil
1 medium size cucumber, peeled, seeds removed, and diced
1 daikon radish peeled and diced
2 pieces of corn on the cob, steamed, kernels removed
1 cup roasted cashews
1 sweet apple, peeled, cored, diced
1 cup minced fresh parsley
1/2 cup minced fresh basil
1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
2 tablespoons lemon juice
black pepper

Sauté churna in ghee for 30 seconds. Add couscous and roast for 3 minutes, stirring. Add water and salt bring to a boil, cover and turn heat off. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
Place couscous in a large bowl, add olive oil and keep fluffing it every 10 minutes while it cools down to prevent sticking.
Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well.

Steamed Cabbage Salad
Serves 4-6

2 cups thinly shredded green cabbage
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped cashews
1 mild green chilli, chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Pitta Churna
1 tablespoon Ghee
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
Salt to taste

Lightly steam cabbage for 5-8 minutes. In a large salad bowl, combine the cabbage, coconut, cashews, green chilli, lemon juice and cilantro. Add salt to taste. Heat the Ghee in a small pan. Add the mustard seeds. As they pop, add the Pitta Churna to the Ghee and remove from heat. Pour over the salad mixture and toss well.

Creamy Loki Soup

Serves 2

2 tablespoons Organic Maharishi Ayurveda ghee
1 medium size loki squash peeled and cut into cubes
1 teaspoon Maharishi Ayurveda Pitta Churna
1/2 teaspoon coriander
a pinch of saffron
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 ouce minced fresh basil
1/8 ounce minced fresh dill
black pepper

Sauté spices and churna in ghee for 30 seconds. Add flour and cook for 2 more minutes. Add loki and water, cover and cook on low heat for 15 minutes.
Put the soup in a blender, add salt, pepper and herbs, and purée until smooth. Serve warm in the winter and at room temperature in the summer.

Butternut Squash Apple Soup

Serves 4

2 tablespoons Organic Maharishi Ayurveda ghee
2 teaspoons Maharishi Ayurveda Vata Churna
2 pounds butternut squash
2 cups water
freshly ground black pepper
salt
3 round tablespoons Apple Chutney
1 cup plain soymilk (optional)
3 red delicious apples
10 cloves
1/2 cup water

Peel and dice squash, peel, core and dice apples.
In a large pot heat ghee and sauté Vata Churna for 30 seconds. Add squash and water, bring to a boil, cover and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.
At the same time make the stewed apples. In a small pot, place apples, water and cloves. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until all the water is gone.
In a blender or food processor, combine squash, half of the stewed apples and Apple Chutney. Purée until smooth. Add water if necessary.
Bring the soup to a boil again, add the second half of the apples and season with salt and pepper. Stir in soymilk. Serve with chapatis (Indian flat bread).

Cream of Spinach Soup

serves 4

2 tablespoons Organic Maharishi Ayurveda ghee
1 teaspoon Maharishi Ayurveda Vata Churna
1/2 teaspoon Maharishi Ayurveda Kapha Churna
1 lb cauliflower
1 lb spinach
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Wash spinach leaves and remove stems. Wash cauliflower and break into small florets.
Heat ghee in a large pot. Add churnas and sauté for 30 seconds. Add cauliflower and 2 cups water and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes.
Add spinach leaves and 1 cup of water and cook for another 5 minutes.
Puree in a blender and season with salt and pepper.

Vegetable Soup

serves 4

1 tablespoon Organic Maharishi Ayurveda ghee
2 teaspoons Maharishi Ayurveda Vata Churna
2 stalks of celery
2 carrots
1 zucchini
1/2 cup mung dahl
3 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika 3 tablespoons fresh minced
parsley freshly ground black pepper

Wash mung dahl, wash and chop vegetables.
Heat ghee in a large pot and saute Vata Churna. Add vegetables, dahl
and water. Boil then simmer on low for 25 minutes. Take off heat and cool for 5 minutes.
In a blender, combine soup, salt, paprika, parsley and pepper. Puree until smooth. Add more water if necessary.

Vegetable – Barley Soup

serves 4

2 tablespoons Organic Maharishi Ayurveda ghee
2 teaspoons Maharishi Ayurveda Vata Churna
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
2 carrots, chopped
1 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup pearl barley
4 cups water
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat ghee in a large pot and saute Vata Churna for 30 seconds. Add celery and carrots and saute for 5 minutes.
Add rest of the ingredients and bring soup to a boil. Cover, lower heat and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until barley is soft, about 2 hours.

You can significantly reduce cooking time if you make this soup in a pressure cooker. Follow step one of the recipe but in step two, after you add all ingredients, seal pressure cooker and bring it up to high pressure. Reduce heat to maintain pressure and cook for 15 minutes.

Vegetable Barley Soup #2

1/3 cup organic whole barley or pearl barley
1 quart unsalted vegetable stock
1 Tablespoon ghee
1 small onion finely chopped (optional)
2 small carrots, diced
2 celery stalk, diced
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 pound tofu, cubed
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
freshly ground pepper
salt to taste
1 cup green beans, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

Place the barley and the vegetable stock in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes. While the barley is cooking, heat the ghee in a heavy skillet and add the onion, celery, carrot, and green beans. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add the vegetables and lemon juice to the barley and stock and cook for another 20 minutes. Add the tofu and parsley and cook further for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Carrot and Orange Salad

serves 4

1 pound carrots finely grated
2 Navel oranges
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
1 teaspoon Maharishi Ayurveda Ginger Preserve

Working over a bowl to catch the juice, cut away the peel, white pith and outer membrane from ONE orange. To separate the segments from the inner membranes, slice down to the core with a sharp knife on either side of the segment and set the segments aside.
Grate 1 teaspoon of the peel of the second orange and squeeze the juice out of the whole orange. Whisk peel, orange juice and Ginger Preserve together in the bowl. Add carrots and mix well.
Add the orange segments and the dill and gently toss the salad.