As the world fights the battle against the pandemic, let us step up our immunity with the holistic Ayurvedic cuisine of Kerala. Enriched with thousands of years of knowledge and the principles of life sciences, Ayurveda cuisine aims to achieve balance amid the natural elements in our bodies. Ayurveda believes food to be medicine, and any anomaly in the diet may cause poor immunity, leading to a host of diseases. Simple, vegetarian, and delicious; Ayurveda cooking is based on harmonizing the three fundamental energies or doshas in our bodies – Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. A perfect balance of these three energies creates a healthy body and aids in boosting our immunity.
According to Ayurveda food principles, Kapha-dominant people should avoid oil and butter, Pitta-assertive ones should desist from chili, and Vata-dominant people should not eat raw vegetables. However, the Ayurveda dishes shared here are perfectly balanced to harmonize your energies and tickle your taste buds. Prepared with fresh ingredients, and served with much love, these Ayurveda delicacies from Kerala are food for both your body and soul.
Kerala Appam and Vegetable Stew
Appam and Vegetable Stew, a popular breakfast in Kerala, are power packed with the goodness of health and taste. The stew is cooked with fresh vegetables, and healthy coconut milk, and is tempered with subtle spices and curry leaves. Carrots, peas, and coconut go a long way in resolving the Pitta Dosha and maintaining harmony in the body. Its creamy texture, complex flavors, and delightful taste make it a much more popular recipe across Kerala. It is served with Appams or Idiyappams (hoppers and string hoppers) made with fermented rice powder, which is not just delicious, but also a potent digestive ingredient.
Yellow Pumpkin Soup
Pumpkin soup, a popular Ayurveda dish of Kerala, is served especially during the monsoon and winters. Simmered in subtle flavors of bay leaf, peppers, and cinnamon this delicious soup is a savory delicacy. The succulent pumpkin balances the Kapha–Vata and its cool energy calms the Pitta dosha, creating perfect equanimity in your body. Served at most of the Ayurveda retreats in Kerala, this hot and aromatic soup is an absolute palate-pleaser.
Karkidaka Kanji
A wholesome meal, Karkidaka Kanji, is a kind of porridge made with rice and green gram. Cooked with Navara rice, much used in Ayurvedic medicines, and filled with the nutritional benefits of split green gram, Karkidaka Kanji is a classic immunity booster. This appetizing recipe is cooked in virgin coconut oil and tempered with turmeric, black pepper, and shallots. It is a must-try Ayurvedic dish of Kerala that calls for a sumptuous and healthy experience.
Carrot Toran
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This subtle, light and delicious recipe makes a great accompaniment with chapatis or bread. Finely chopped carrots are cooked with freshly grated coconut and tempered with mustard seeds, pepper, and curry leaves to make a delicious Toran. An excellent combination of Pitta calming carrots, cooling coconut, and herbs and spices, this immunity-enhancing recipe is both nutritious and delicious. Light on your tummy and loaded with immunity boosters, Carrot Toran is a gem of Kerala’s Ayurveda cuisine.
Mung Dal Payasam
Ayurveda believes in incorporating all flavors and so a meal is complete only after a few spoons of this delicious Ayurvedic dessert from Kerala. The aromatic goodness of roasted split green gram cooked slowly in coconut milk, sweetened with jaggery, and flavored with cardamoms- Moong Dal Payasam is simply mouth-watering! The Vata pacifying jaggery and the healthy green gram help you maintain a positive balance of energy while boosting immunity. Topped with dry fruits and nuts, this delicious pudding is a sound balance of lip-smacking sweetness and holistic nutrition.
Well, these delectable dishes are just the tip of the iceberg. Kerala’s Ayurvedic menu incorporates a range of tasty and healthy recipes. Finger-millet porridge, curd-rice, bitter-gourd pickle, spicy okra, and many such recipes help in pacifying your inner energy. Cooked with fresh and organic ingredients and therapeutic herbs and spices, these foods not only help in immunity-building but also enhance the taste. You may also try some warm herbal water or a cup of Ayurvedic tea to detoxify your body. Rightly called “Healing cuisine”, the Ayurvedic food of Kerala is your freeway to increased immunity.