Ayurvedic vegetarian cooking is based on the writings of Ayurveda, the classical Indian god of medicine. Ayurveda is concerned with improving one's mental and physical health. The greatest demand on our human system is digestion. Energy used for digestion could better be utilized for enjoyment, concentration and meditation. Cooking vegetarian foods is considered a form of worship. It is believed to be the path of least resistance for a person wanting to raise his energy level.
What is Ayurvedic Cooking?
Ayurvedic vegetarian cooking, prevalent in Indian cuisine, has a purpose of maintaining mental, physical, social, physical and spiritual harmony through a variety of vegetarian foods, herbs, spices, legumes, fresh fruits and fresh vegetables. The cooking is based upon knowledge of Ayurveda and involves more than simply cooking food. According to the Dhanwantari, how the food is prepared, when it is cooked and eaten, how food affects an individual's consciousness, compatibility of foods and the cleanliness of both the kitchen and cook all play a role in ayurvedic cooking. Ayurvedic cooking is an art and a science.
Why Vegetarian?
Vegetarian cuisine has been the foundation of ayurvedic cooking since its inception. Following the Hindu philosophy and living principles, proponents of ayurvedic cooking believe that eating flesh is counterproductive to a healthy lifestyle, according to sanatansociety.org. Meat is considered dead food which has had its vital energy removed. The slaughtering process is another reason to avoid meat since it causes distress to the animal.
Practitioners of ayurvedic cooking believe that plants form the basis of the food chain since they are closest to the life source itself, that being the sun. Plants efficiently provide needed nutrients.
The Basics
Basics of ayurvedic vegetarian cooking are the five elements of fire, water, earth, air and akash, according to sanatansociety.org. Other basics involve three doshas (body types), three gunas (medicines and foods categorized as sattva, rajas and tamas); six tastes (sweet, salty, pungent, sour, astringent and bitter).
The three doshas or body types are vata, pitta and kapha. These body types (or humors) are tied into the five elements and are responsible for the way that the body functions, according to the Ayurveda. Our system is in balance when the three are undisturbed in their proper organs. Disease and health concerns are caused when the humors are disturbed.
The three gunas are foods categorized as sattva (which is considered essence), rajas and tamas (considered gross) according to Ayurveda teachings. The healthiest are sattva which includes foods that are the foundation of higher states of conscious. They provide nutrition without taxing the system. Easily digestible fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, nuts, grains and many herbs fall into this category. Rajas foods are hot, dry, sour, bitter, pungent and salty. They increase our metabolism and are the foundation of activity, pain and motion. Fried foods are examples. Tamas foods are distasteful and decaying. Large amounts of energy are needed to digest them. Processed foods, meat products and alcohol are examples.
The six tastes are used by the cook as indicators of how certain foods will affect a person before digestion.
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