Recipe: Homemade Ghee

Ghee is Ayurveda's liquid gold elixir. Ghee is a nourishing and shelf stable fat due to the absence of milk solids, and has an impressive smoke point of 450F+. It is meant to be cooked in the same fashion as you would oil, butter or lard, pairing well with both sweet and savory dishes.

Ghee is considered very therapeutic:

• Ghee kindles the digestive fire and supports digestion and metabolism

• Nourishes all tissues and organs

• Immunity-building; promotes vitality, strength, and mental clarity

• Anti-inflammatory, rich in vitamins A, K2, and E and Omega-3 fatty acids

• Ghee helps transport nutrients throughout the body

• Helps facilitate the movement of toxins out of the body

• Can be used topically, adding moisture, unctuousness and lubrication to the skin and joints

Tongue of the gods,” “navel of immortality.”

We will proclaim the name of ghee;

We will sustain it in this sacrifice by bowing low.

These waves of ghee flow like gazelles before the hunter…

Streams of ghee caress the burning wood.

Agni, the fire, loves them and is satisfied. – Rig Veda

HOMEMADE GHEE

4 sticks unsalted, clarified butter

METHOD

Melt 4 sticks of butter in a small saucepan. Over the course of a few minutes, the ghee will form small bubbles and start crackling. Stir every so often with a wooden spoon to prevent burning. Do not skim off the foam. Let it be.

After about 10 minutes, the ghee will start gurgling and crackling loudly, bubbling intensely at its surface. The white milk solids will sink to the bottom and the ghee will foam over. This is a crucial moment in the process as ghee can easily burn here. Stir. At this point, ghee begins to release a sweet, nutty, buttery aroma.

Observe as the ghee goes from white to yellow to deep golden. Remove the ghee from the stove when it turns a rich amber orange color, but before burning.

Let it cool then strain ghee with a fine mesh sieve and / or cheesecloth into a glass jar. Leave the lid off until it cool downs entirely. Ghe is shelf stable in the pantry.

Makes ~1 pint

Takes 20-25 minutes + time to cool

Copyright 2022, A. Chavez, Original Recipe.

Recipe: Simple Ayurvedic Kitchari

Kitchari is a complete, well-spiced and very nourishing meal. It incorporates all 6 tastes and makes sense in every season. It is best served as a main dish and pairs well with assorted chutneys and chapati bread. Kitchari is the healthy homestyle staple dish of Ayurveda and is very versatile.

Because Kitchari is a simple, single pot meal, basically any recipe online will yield similar results. Consider the measurements below as guidelines to customize this dish to your liking. Sometimes I'll swap out moong for legumes, or rice for quinoa. Some like the ingredients to fully meld together, others prefer a soupier texture.

SIMPLE AYURVEDIC KITCHARI

⅓ cup split yellow moong beans

⅓ cup white basmati rice

1 tbsp ghee (sub coconut or sesame oil)

1 tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground turmeric

½ tsp fennel seeds

¾ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground ginger or 1 inch ginger root, grated

4 cups water

Pinch of hing (optional)

½ - 1 tsp himalayan salt

Generous cracks of black peppercorns

2 cups chopped veggies (1 cup carrots,1 cup chard)

METHOD

Rinse the beans and rice in a mesh strainer until the water runs clear. Soak legumes and grains in advance if times permits. Set aside. Heat your heavy-bottomed pot to low-medium heat, then add the ghee and let it heat up. I prefer using my ceramic dutch oven, or stainless steel pot. Turn heat to low and add the coriander, turmeric, fennel seeds, cumin, and ginger and saute for 2 minutes until spices release aroma. Add the beans and rice and saute for another 1-2 minutes until fully incorporated with spices. If food gets stuck to the bottom or you notice the spices burning, add a little bit of water and continue to mix and stir. Add the remaining water and turn to high heat. Add the hing if using, salt and pepper. Once the water comes to a boil, return heat to a simmer, add the carrots, cover and let cook for 30 minutes. Check kitchari at the 20-25 minute mark and add more water if it boils off. With this ratio, you may have a little extra water. If this is the case, turn heat up a bit and remove the lid, letting some of the excess water boil off. Add the greens in the last 1-2 minutes of cooking. Squeeze fresh lemon or lime before serving and / or a drizzle of ghee, fresh herbs or sesame seeds.

NOTES

• Diversify kitchari blend by replacing rice with quinoa, barley, millet, or farro. Water ratio may need to be adjusted depending on the grain.

• Try swapping moong for lentils.

• Spices that work well in a kitchari blend include: cumin, turmeric, coriander, fennel, ginger, mustard seeds, cardamom, fenugreek, and black pepper. Already-ground spices are the simplest for quick cooking, but whole spices can add in a punch of flavor, aroma and freshness. Start by hand grinding coriander seeds into a fine powder- experience the difference.

• Hing is an Ayurvedic, pungent herb that resembles the flavor profile of alliums, or the onion and garlic family. A tiny bit goes a really long way- use with caution.

• Kitchari texture typically resembles that of a creamy porridge. However, some prefer more liquid, making it a soupier dish.

• Not all vegetables are creating equal. Depending on what you go with, cooking times will vary. Add your heartier vegetables like cruciferous, roots and potatoes early on, your lighter vegetables like asparagus about midway through, and the most delicate leafy greens towards the end.

Serves 2 people

Takes 50 minutes

Copyright 2022, A. Chavez, Original Recipe.

Recipe: Rose-Whipped Tahini Dates

This is your new favorite, quick and simple, elegantly rustic, and nutrient-dense sweet snack. Dates are considered a superfood in Ayurveda. They are loaded with fiber, cooling to the system, sattvic by nature, and nourishes the Ojas in the body.

What do you Mean by Sattva?

'Sattva' is a coined yogic term that dates back to ancient Ayurvedic principles. Sattva means harmony, intelligence, clarity, balance, health and well-being, neutrality and calmness in both mind and body. It represents the middle path between the two ossiciliating forces of extreme movement / turbulence / intensity (rajas) and ignorance / laziness / dullness (tamas).

Exploring the Energetic Qualities of Food: What are Sattvic Foods?

What we consume influences our well-being on all levels, thoughts and emotions included. Some foods have a stimulating effect on the mind-body, making us feel jittery or even a little irritable. Examples of this fall under the Rajasic food category; caffeine, hot and spicy foods, fried foods, onion and garlic, and even the act of eating too fast.

Tamasic foods on the other hand have a more dulling effect on the mind-body, leaving us feeling heavy, clouded in thought, and lethargic. Examples include canned and frozen foods, lifeless leftovers, overprocessed, overeating and distracted eating.

Sattvic foods leave us feeling light, energized, uplifted, bright, nourished both physically and emotionally. Sattvic food is fresh whole foods prepared with love, eaten slowly and with deep gratitude. Sattvic foods include fresh fruits and vegetables, organic, nuts, seeds and legumes, whole grains, quality dairy products like ghee and whole milk, raw honey, and dates.

There is no list of good and bad foods in Ayurveda, as there is no black and white approach to healthy living and internal success. Your healthy lifestyle is not defined by how much sattvic food makes up your diet. Ayurveda lays out a set of principles, not to be followed by so strictly, but as guidelines encouraging us to favor what is good for us while reducing what is less suitable. A

s we shift our focus to the present moment, we can begin to tune in to what our bodies actually need from us, versus want, inviting us to act in a way that is supportive to our intention.

ROSE-WHIPPED TAHINI DATES

8 dates Mejdool dates

1/4 cup tahini

2 tbsp raw honey

1 tsp rosewater

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

Pinch of pink Himalayan salt

Dried rose petals to garnish

METHOD

Remove the pits from the dates and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, honey, rosewater, cardamom and salt. It should turn into a thick paste. Adjust the flavor as needed. Spoon the mixture into the dates, about 1/2 - 1 tsp per date. Garnish with dried rose petals or Maldon's Sea Salt.

NOTES

• Rosewater can be strong in flavor for some people. If it's a new taste, start with 1/4 - 1/2 tsp or omit altogether.

• You can substitute another nut butter for the tahini if you don't have it on hand. A crowd favorite is using Clean Nature's Maple Nut Granola Butter.

Makes 8 dates

Takes 10 minutes

Copyright 2022, A. Chavez, Original Recipe.