Ayurveda
Abhyanga Snanam – Ayurveda’s take
For many out there Diwali is the festival of lights. But If you ask me what is Diwali, I would say “Diwali is a wisely
October 17, 2022
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At their core, traditional recipes are a way of ensuring you’re eating what your body needs to stay healthy and feeling good. Each recipe has been passed down for generations, tested for accuracy by thousands of women, and perfected through the time-tested methods of cooking. Traditional recipes are also economical, as they require few ingredients and can be easily assembled into a dish. In this article, we have listed 10 simple yet healthy traditional recipes that will make the journey of your pregnancy ‘Blissful’.
Thalipeeth is a spiced nutritious flatbread made from multigrain flour (Wheat, Jowar, Chickpeas, Bajra (pearl millet), Ragi).
Preparation
• Mix all the flour, spice powders, seeds, onion, ginger, green chili, coriander leaves, vegetables of your choice, 1 teaspoon oil, and salt in a bowl.
• Gradually add water as required and make a smooth dough.
• Spread the wet muslin on the rolling board, roll a portion of dough in your palms and flatten it on the muslin.
• Making a hole in the center helps in frying the Thalipeeth well.
• Lift the muslin cloth, gently place on the tawa, oil it, cover the lid for 2-3 minutes, turn over.
• Remove and serve Thalipeeth hot.
Ayurvedic Goodness
1. As per Ayurveda, the vegetables from the gourd family are safe and best for the first trimester.
2. Make your Thalipeeth more nutrient-rich by adding grated bottle gourd, carrots, cucumber, tomato, and lots of other vegetables.
3. The iron and folic acid content of this recipe is very high.
Thepla is a stuffed flatbread made from fenugreek leaves, wheat flour with some spices.
preparation
• Mix wheat flour, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, carom seeds, and salt in a bowl.
• Add green chilies, ginger paste, Methi (fenugreek) leaves, and oil, gradually add water, and knead into a semi-soft dough.
• Cover and keep it aside for only 15 minutes.
• Knead the dough once again, flatten the smoothened roll.
• Shallow fry thepla for 20-40 seconds, flip and cook from both sides.
• While storing, spread a paper towel at the bottom of the container to avoid sogging of thepla.
Ayurvedic Goodness
1. Thepla is the best combination of fibers and healthy carbohydrates.
2. Fenugreek leaves improve the insulin and glucose response. This snack is best for one who is suffering from gestational diabetes.
3. Use half wheat and half jowar flour to increase the iron content in the recipe.
Idli is the whole packed nutrition one can have in pregnancy. One of the most loved breakfasts of India, Idli-Sambar-Chutney needs no introduction.
Idli preparation
• Take rice, urad dal, and fenugreek seeds in a bowl, rinse them and soak for at least 5-6 hours.
• Grind into the fine paste by adding water as needed. Cover the mixture and let it ferment overnight (10-14 hours)
• After the fermentation, the batter will increase in volume by 2-3 times.
• Add salt to the batter and gently mix it.
• Add a glassful of water to the steamer, grease the idli tray with oil and pour the batter.
• Steam for 12-13 minutes. Once done, remove from the steamer, let it cool for a few minutes then remove the idlis using a spoon.
Chutney Preparation
• Grind coconut, roasted chana dal, green chili, curry leaves, ginger, salt, with little water, and make a smooth paste.
• Heat the oil, mustard seeds and let them pop, add urad dal and saute till it becomes light brown.
• Now add to the prepared chutney and mix it.
Sambar Preparation
•Soak tamarind in the warm water for 20-30 minutes, Extract the pulp and strain it.
•Cook tur dal for 5-6 whistles, and mash it once cooled.
•Heat the oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and let them pop. Add cumin seeds, methi seeds, dried red chili, green chilies, and curry leaves.
• Now add all the veggies (tomato, carrot, drumstick, eggplant). Add salt, turmeric powder, and sambar powder and cook till vegetables turn soft and tender.
• Now add mashed dal and the tamarind water and let it cook for the next 5-6 minutes.
• Turn off the stove and add coriander leaves.
Ayurvedic Goodness
1. This wholesome breakfast is a combination of lentils, whole grains, and vegetables.
2. The fermented rice, dal, and fenugreek seeds make it a protein-rich recipe and provide healthy gut bacteria as well which acts as probiotics.
3. The fresh coconut in the chutney gives you healthy fats, antioxidants.
4. The drumstick in the sambar makes it an iron-rich recipe.
Paratha is stuffed flatbread with the stuffing of your choice. Served with homemade fresh butter or ghee is the most nutritious and healthy recipe you can eat in all three trimesters.
Preparation
• Knead the dough out of wheat flour, salt, and water.
• You can include a lot of options like carrot, radish, mashed sweet potato, mashed potatoes, paneer, Onion, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, beetroot as a stuffing.
• Add amchur, garam masala, red chili powder, and cumin powder.
• Knead well, keep aside for 15-20 minutes, and later flatten the rolls into parathas.
Ayurvedic Goodness
1. Carbohydrates from wheat give you an energy boost and the stuffed vegetables take care of the calories to prevent excess weight gain in pregnancy.
2. Homemade butter is a healthy fat that prevents pregnancy-related issues like constipation, piles and it also keeps the body cool.
Broken wheat dessert made with broken wheat, jaggery, ghee, and nuts is the must-have recipe for the last trimester.
Preparation
• Heat the ghee, add cloves, cinnamon stick, and Dalia (broken wheat)
• Roast the dalia for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly till it turns light brown.
• Add hot water and let it boil. Once boiled, lower the flame, cover the pan and let it cook for the next 20-25 minutes till the mixture appears soft.
• Add sugar and cardamom powder and keep stirring and cooking until it becomes dry. It takes about 5-6 minutes.
• Turn off the stove and garnish with sliced almonds and cashew nuts.
Ayurvedic Goodness
1. This recipe helps to increase fetal weight.
2. The one who is concerned about low weight during pregnancy can include this recipe 3-4 times a week.
3. It is rich in iron, fiber, and magnesium.
4. Iron in this recipe prevents anemia, potassium helps to regulate bp, magnesium helps to maintain heartbeats, fibers help to prevent constipation.
Panchamrit is one of the most satwik, nutrient-rich, and healthy recipes a pregnant woman can add to her diet especially in the last trimester to pack on baby weight.
Preparation
Ingredients – Banana – 1, Dates – 4, Dried Figs – 2, Raisins – 12-15, Grated Jaggery (Gur) – 1 tbsp, Honey – 1 tbsp, Cardamom Powder – ¼ tsp, Rock sugar or Mishri – 2 tsps, Ghee – 1 tsp, Pachai Karpooram or Edible Camphor– 1/8 tsp or a pinch
Chop the banana, dates, and figs. Add all the ingredients, except rock sugar and ghee. Give it a nice mash! Now, add the ghee and rock sugar. It’s ready!
Ayurvedic Goodness
1. Panchamrit nourishes the Sapta Dhatu – the seven bodily tissues, Shukra Dhatu (reproductive tissues), Majja Dhatu (bone marrow and nervous tissues), Asthi Dhatu (bone, teeth), Medas Dhatu (fatty tissues), Mamsa Dhatu (muscle tissues), Rakta Dhatu (blood) and Rasa Dhatu (plasma for strength, immunity, and vitality).
2. According to Ayurveda, it balances the Pitta Dosha, improves immunity, enhances brain function, memory, and creative abilities.
3. It clears the complexion and keeps hair healthy.
Tamarind rice is a very tasty type of rice. Relishing tangy/sour, spicy taste, this rice can curb your second-trimester cravings of sour taste.
Preparation
• Cook the rice and let it cool.
• Dry roast the sesame seeds and keep them aside. Once cooled, grind them coarsely.
• Dry roast the spices (chana dal, urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, dried red chili, and curry leaves) till they get light brown color. Once cooled, grind into fine powder.
• Keep the tamarind in hot water for 15-20 minutes and then squeeze out all the pulp.
• Heat the oil, add mustard seeds, add dry red chili, and curry leaves, sauté for a minute.
• Add peanuts and roast it till it gets light brown.
• Add tamarind water.
• Add freshly ground spice powder, turmeric powder, jaggery, and salt.
• Then add cooked rice.
• Lastly garnish with sesame powder.
Ayurvedic Goodness
1. This helps to make your diet “shad rasatmak” which means the one which has all six rasas (type of taste) in it.
2. The Vitamin C-loaded recipe satisfies your cravings for eating some tasty yet healthy food.
3. The Vitamin C from tamarind also helps to absorb iron.
4. It’s rich in minerals and micronutrients as it contains a variety of seeds like sesame, coriander, mustard, peanuts providing healthy fats as well.
Ghavan is a dosa kind of dish made from rice flour. Served with Coconut and mint chutney, ghavan is a fulfilling breakfast option.
Preparation
• Soak the rice in water overnight (at least 5 to 6 hours)
• Grind into a smooth thick batter adding little water at a time.
• Pour the Ghavan batter into a bowl and add the salt and some more water to adjust the consistency of the Ghavan to ensure it is not very thick nor very thin. Cover the batter and keep it aside for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Pre-heat a non-stick tawa, spread oil, stir the batter and pour the batter evenly from the edge towards the center.
• Drizzle little oil all around and cook it until light brown. Now flip it and cook it on the other side too.
• Ghavan has been served immediately.
Ayurvedic Goodness
1. Ghavan with coconut and mint chutney is the best meal in the early months of pregnancy where the digestion is poor, and you need something light on your stomach with good nutrition and energy.
2. Ghavan is made with rice flour, which is laghu as per Ayurveda, i.e., it is easy on the stomach.
3. Mint, coriander, curry leaves enriched in antioxidants work well on nausea during early pregnancy weeks.
This one-pot meal made with whole wheat and Moong dal are packed with wholesome nutrition and an easy-to-go recipe.
Preparation
• Wash and soak the wheat, moong dal, and rice separately for half an hour and mix.
• Heat three tablespoons of ghee, add cumin seeds and asafoetida (Hing)
• Add the drained grains and saute for three to four minutes.
• Add five cups of water, salt, and pressure cook till two whistles.
• Lower the heat and cook for another five minutes.
• Serve garnished with chopped coriander leaves and the remaining ghee.
Ayurvedic Goodness
1. Godhuma (wheat) in Ayurveda is considered poshak aahar means the one which balances all three doshas in the body and provides with bala i.e. strength.
2. The richness of ghee will nourish your baby’s brain, help to control your mood swings, and achieve a healthy weight gain for both baby and mother.
Pesarattu i.e. Whole moong dal dosa which does not require fermentation.
Preparation
• Wash and soak the green moong dal for 6 hours or overnight.
• Grind dal with green chili, water, ginger, and cumin seeds.
• The batter should be smooth and slightly thick.
• Add the rice flour and salt, set aside for 15 minutes.
• Pre-heat a non-stick tawa, stir the batter and pour the batter evenly from the edge towards the center.
•Sprinkle chopped onion, grated carrot, coriander leaves, and press.
•Close the lid and cook for 30 seconds. The steam will help onions to get soft, you don’t want the taste of raw onion.
•Cook the dosa on one side only.
•Serve the dosa immediately with coconut/ginger chutney.
Ayurvedic Goodness
1. Pesarattu is a great source of proteins, vitamins, and dietary fibers.
2. It’s a great option for diabetic or hypertensive patients as it is low in sodium, rich in potassium, saturated fats, and cholesterol.
3. Moong is called Mudga in Ayurveda which means Happiness. Also, ancient science says moong is the best pulse.
4. This recipe is light to digest so well in the first and last trimester where symptoms like heartburn, acidity takes a toll.
5. You might want to check our blog on ‘Diet tips for pregnancy‘ as per Ayurveda and explained with the help of modern science
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One Response
Thanks so much Mam… Grateful for your guidance.