Ayurvedic
Foods
Lentils
Lentils are storehouses of nutrition, especially
fiber and protein, and are a staple of the vegetarian ayurvedic
diet. Lentils come in a wide variety of shapes, colors and textures,
and are eaten whole or split or split and hulled.
According
to the ayurvedic perspective, the small lentils offer substance
and nourishment while not being unduly burdensome on the digestion.
To increase their digestibility, cook them to butter-soft consistency
and cook them with digestion-enhancing spices like cumin and coriander.
Of
the Indian dhals, mung dhal--split, hulled mung beans--are revered
highly by ayurvedic healers because they cook easily, are easy
on the digestion and are tri-doshic. Recuperating individuals
are traditionally fed kitcheree--a mushy porridge of Basmati
rice and mung dhal--as
nourishing food on the road back to a normal digestion.
Urad
dhal and whole urad--black lentils--are rich and heaviest of the
small lentils. They are nourishing in the winter months, because
they have an unctuous texture and are a "heavy" food.
They need pre-soaking to cook down well. Add balancing spices
such as ginger and black pepper to increase digestibility, and
eat small portions.
Masoor
are red lentils, and again can be eaten whole or split and hulled
as masoor dhal. These also cook with relative ease, but may require
some pre-soaking.
Toor
dhal are split yellow lentils with a nutty flavor. These, when
cooked, can be mashed into a puree to form a base for soups.
Channa
dhal are split hulled black chick-peas. They have a nutty flavor,
take longer to cook than most other dhals, and keep their shape
even when fully cooked.
All
of these dhals are readily available at Indian groceries or at
some health food stores. They need to be stored in airtight containers
in a dry, cool place, and used within 90-120 days of purchase.
Sort through them before you wash them thoroughly to eliminate
small stones or other debris.
Dhals
combine well with vegetables, rice and wheat flatbreads.
A
pressure cooker is very useful if you plan to eat dhals on a regular
basis.
