I Have a New Website!

Hi All, 

I have a new website, with loads of new content! If you are not redirected within 30 seconds, click this link: chitchaaatchai.com 

Thank you, 
Rumin

Digestive Fire: Keep it Kindling With Black Pepper

Whole Black Peppercorns. Photo Credit: Rumin Jehangir 2015

Black Pepper—like cinnamon, is another staple spice for the Ayurvedic pantry and here in the US, I think it’s pretty safe to say it’s probably one of the most commonly used spices. It can be easily found at restaurants, cafes, fast food joints, either on the table or in a packet. Even pantries that aren’t filled with array of spices likely have black pepper. Its accessibility and likely hood of being in every savory meal you eat, is why I thought sharing its medicinal benefits would be helpful.

Black Pepper stimulates the agni (digestive fire) like cinnamon. It's considered to be one of the strongest digestive stimulants that is also considered a cleanser because it burns ama (toxins). In-turn, helping to better absorb nutrients from your food as it prevents stagnation.

In taste, black pepper is pungent and its heating—a great spice to bring balance to cold or raw foods such as cucumbers or salads. It rajastic quality makes it an irritant, or produces an action like sneezing or coughing making excellent to treat respiratory issues related to congestion. I think we have all experienced a good sneeze when coming a little to close to peppercorn at some point in our lives—yes?

Black pepper's pungent, heating and rajastic qualities makes it a great spice for these cold winter months (Kapha time) helping to counter balance common winter imbalances—colds, flus, sinus and congestion. While also helping to digest and balance heavy winter foods.

The ratio of black pepper used when cooking is often times less compared to other spices due to is strong flavor—a little goes along way. Of course, all of our tolerances to spices differ, but I encourage you to give your pepper mill a few extra turns this season. Experimenting with quantity or type (whole vs. ground) can help to find the balance thats right for you. Especially if cooking with spices is new to you—this is the fun part. Ask yourself, do you feel a bit warmer? Did it make you sneeze, loosen some phlegm you didn't realize you had in your chest? Did you enjoy a little extra pungent flavor or maybe even with a few extra turns you didn't notice a difference?

Now don't go crazy. Its still about maintaining balance—if your mouth is burning or your sweating up a storm, its a good indication that maybe ½ tsp would have been better than 1 tsp. Eating should always be a pleasurable experience—visually, aromatically and for your taste buds.

Well,tell me, tell me – what are the benefits of black pepper?

• Improves digestion
• Removes toxins
• Helps absorb nutrients
• Stimulates the appetite
• Reduces congestion
• Improves circulation
• Promotes sweating (great for those who retain water)
• Pacifies Vata and Kapha. Increases Pitta (this doesn't mean Pitta constitutions should not eat black pepper, monitor the quantity as sometimes its about balancing the food)

How do I incorporate pepper into my next meal?

Ground Pepper

• Salad: Grind about ¼ tsp to ½ tsp into your salad dressing or after tossing—this is a great way to balance the cold qualities of salads and help digest raw/cold foods. 
• Sauté: Add ½ tsp to 1 tsp depending on quantity to hot oil/ghee to release the aroma (about 30 secs), prior to adding in your veggie. 
• Soup: Grind ¼ tsp to a ½ tsp in your bowl in addition to what the recipe call for. The hot steamy nature of soup combined with a pungent spice, is like giving yourself an internal steam.

 

Whole Peppercorns

• Make a quick black pepper tea/infusion and cook your rice, grains, pasta etc.. in this broth to infuse the flavor and add an amazing aroma. (Add some cloves, cardamom, cinnamon sticks and/or bay leaves—go crazy!)
• When making a stew style dish or a broth, add whole peppercorns in addition to ground, its adds a subtle quality to the background that less peppery and more warming. 
• Find a whole peppercorn in your next meal? Eat it and see how you feel.
• Whether you cook or not having knowing the medicinal benefits of spices is important in expanding our awareness of seeing food as medicine and to further appreciate every meal we enjoy.

Supplemental Notes

People with a little extra (imbalance) Pitta (heat) or digestive issues like IBS, should be wary… too much black pepper might not be the best option—listen to your body.

References

Lad, Vasant and Frawley, David; The Yoga of Herbs: An Ayurvedic Guide to Herbal Medicine; Lotus Press, Santa Fe, New Mexico USA, c1986

Recipes With Cinnamon Spice Are So Very Nice

After sharing the benefits of Cinnamon in my last blog post, I thought I would pull together some healthy, seasonal, easy recipes that hopefully inspire you to find new ways of adding cinnamon to your future meals.  I would like to note these recipes are not “Ayurvedic’.  My intention with this spice series is to encourage using more spices by sharing their benefits (learned through my Ayurvedic studies) along with helpful tips and recipes. 

I hope you enjoy these lovely recipes I have found on various blogs/magazine websites. If you have any to share, please let me know. I would love to hear how you are adding more cinnamon spice to your life. 

Cinnamon in the morning 

Farro with Cinnamon

Baked Apples

Cinnamon with my veggies

Cinnamon Parsnips

Rutabaga Fries with Cinnamon

Cinnamon Acorn Squash Soup

Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash

Cinnamon with meat

Cinnamon Spiced Moroccan Chicken

Orange Cinnamon Beef Stew

And here's one from me.... 

Warming Cinnamon Tea
This recipe is for medicinal purposes--great for when you have a cold or when you feel one coming on. Steeping (not boiling) cinnamon or using tea bags have a lighter quality and may not have the same impact.

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 4 sticks of cinnamon
• raw sugar to taste (optional)

Bring 4 cups of water and cinnamon sticks to a boil in a stainless steal pot or kettle and let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Strain and serve. Add raw sugar to taste. (Ayurveda does not recommend heating honey rather eating it raw or mixing it with spices). Makes about 3 cups. Serving size 1-2 cups a day (when ill) for adults and one-quarter to half this amount for kids. 

Balance is key--listen to your body.

Digestive Fire: Keep it Kindling With Cinnamon

Before you know it the holidays will be here and the smell of cinnamon will fill the air. I love that invigorating smell--it’s so nostalgic and makes me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside—this must have some sort of positive effect on my brain right?! Cinnamon’s aromatic energy is not its only fabulous quality. It’s also a wonderful flavor booster for your spiced loaves, apple pies, oatmeal and so much more.

To top it off, cinnamon is medicine. Whether you are consuming, smelling or applying this wonderful spice for pure pleasure, you are also reaping its medicinal benefits. Like most spices I have studied, each has their unique, but also similar benefits. I chose to write about cinnamon first because out of all the spices in a Desi (S.Asia) pantry, I think cinnamon can be found in most kitchen cabinets (cross-culturally) – I love that about this spice!

Well, tell me, tell me - what’s so great about cinnamon?

· It helps keeps the digestive fire alive
· Prevents toxins from building in our digestive tracks
· Its’ warming-so it’s great to counter balance colds and reduce phlegm
· Stabilizes blood sugar levels
· Lowers cholesterol
· Awesome for arthritis, joint pain and headaches due to its anti-inflammatory properties
· Great for increasing circulation
· Balances vata and helps to pacify kapha
· For a medicine it tastes and smells grrreat!

How do I incorporate cinnamon as a medicine into my life?

Starting to increase your cinnamon consumption in the fall is the perfect time to begin storing up your internal heat to take you through the cold and wet winter months. Consuming cinnamon a few times a week is a great way to begin, while also being aware and present to its healing properties. Remember BALANCE IS THE KEY INGREDIENT – too much of a good thing is not always a good thing.

· Love oatmeal? Add a little extra ( ½ a tsp per serving is a good amount to start with)

· Craving something sweet? Or Feel a cold or some congestion coming on? Take ½ tsp cinnamon with 1 tsp of honey. (cinnamon oil is great for this as well)

· Have sore/stiff joints? Rub cinnamon oil (food/massage grade) on your joints before going to bed, exercising, or when you feel some pain/stiffness

· Feeling a little cold or want to stabilize your blood sugar levels? Enjoy a warm cup of milk with ½ tsp of cinnamon or a cup of cinnamon tea*, a few times a week is a great place to begin

· Got a headache? Cinnamon oil is good for this – it gets the circulation going and the aroma helps to relax any mental tension

Supplemental Notes

People with a little extra (imbalance) Pitta (heat) or digestive issues like IBS, should be wary… too much cinnamon might not be the best option - listen to your body.

Coffee drinkers wait at least an hour to drink coffee if you have just consumed cinnamon medicinally (like the cinnamon and honey combo). Both are heating and may cause some irritability.

Suggestions above can be combined, i.e. suffer stiff joints, consuming more cinnamon can help as well – don’t limit your actions to just the topical application.

*To make medicinal tea, it’s recommended to simmer the spice for at least 15 minutes on the stove.

Looking for some recipes with cinnamon? Follow Chit Chaat Chai on Facebook and get access to a wide range of recipes.

Lentils, Lentils, Lentils: Let the Cooking Series Begin!

Daal (lentils) was a staple food in our home growing up. We ate Daal at least once a week. First, it would fly solo with some rice and chapatti. Then, the leftovers served as a side to compliment other dishes for the remainder of the week.  It was like the dish that just kept giving  and giving and giving. Reflecting back on those weekly Daal days,  it was amazing how 1 cup of daal could be part of our  family meals for multiple days. A little sure went along way!  Not only in quantity, but also nutritionally. And all this for not a ton of cash! I can see myself going down the philosophical path on the karmic value of this staple Indian/Pakistani dish, so I think I better stop myself before I begin to ramble and forget my point. However, before I get to it, I also have to mention the numerous types of daals and the variety of recipes that are floating in this ether. My imagination can only ponder so far when I begin thinking about the regional differences and then break it down further by city, then town, then village, then neighbor and faith. It’s endless. All I know is  I want to try as many Daals as I can in my lifetime! This being said, I also want to share the Daals I grew up eating, many of which I have yet to see in Northern California Indian or Pakistani restaurants. So, in addition to  serving up my favorite Daals when i pop open the café,  in July Chit Chaat Chai’ will also hold a 3-part cooking series on you guessed it – DAAL!

The 3-part cooking series will be held on 3 consecutive Thursdays beginning, July 12^th, 2012 at 6:30pm in Oakland. Each class will demonstrate how to cook one of my three favorite Daal recipes beginning with quick and easy Daal and ending with a more complex Daal. In addition to sharing my three favorite Daal recipes, each class will also discuss the medicinal benefits of the spices and Ayurvedic (a 5000 year old Indian veda meaning "the science of life") principles in relation to food, the seasons and our eating/cooking practices. After the demo and interactive discussion we will sit down together and enjoy a meal in good spirit! All are welcome to join, no matter what your skill level.

 Click here for class detail

First Gathering in Oakland

Take 2 in Oakland turned out so lovely! I was worried it was going to be either too hot to enjoy a warm meal or too cold to eat in our lovely garden where we are visited daily by squirrels, butterflies, hummingbirds & of course our resident cats Poppy & Jack.

But it was a purrrfect weather! 70 degrees with a slight breeze and plenty of California sun. 

 

After lunch we transitioned from our love of food to crafting folk-art inspired stuff animals with love.  

 In partnership with my dear friend Robbyn McGill's organization Animals for Africa, we made a variety of stuffed animals for the KAYDA orphanage in Uganda.

 Crafting with a group of lovely ladies then inspired us to watch How to Make an American Quilt and go down memory lane with the Quilting Bee ladies. Total nerd moment.. but super fun!

They all turned out super cute!

Thank you all for coming and supporting our first event and partnership !

Take 2

After a two-year hiatus, a journey through graduate school, retuning from Toronto to the Golden State and beginning a new adventure in Oakland, Chit Chaat Chai will pop open for lunch on Sunday, June 24^th from 12-1pm. Since we celebrated new beginnings with Spring/Navrooz for the café’s first opening,  it seems appropriate after a winter in Toronto to open the second time around a few days after the first day of summer. As the daylight hours now slowly begin to shorten, celebrating sunshine and all the warmth it brings is a little too picture frame perfect to represent the second opening. It makes me go hmm…cuz my normal is not “practically perfect in everyway”. But hey… when in Rome, we must eat!

On Sunday, June 24^th, Chit Chaat Chai will partner with Animals for Africa: Love Made Tangible, a non-profit arts program that benefits and empowers vulnerable women and children through art workshops/education to develop and support hand-crafting cooperatives in impoverished villages. To support the program’s mission, founder Robbyn Alexander McGill has developed folk-art inspired stuffed animal crafting kits to promote crafting circles here in the states.  The cute little creations are then given to vulnerable children as tokens of love. This Sunday retreat, Animals for Uganda will be hosted at the Animals for Africa's headquarters in Oakland, CA.  Crafters of all skill ranges are welcome to create stuffed animals for the KAYDA Orphanage in Kampala and raise funds for their youth art program - In Movement- Art for Social Change. Prior to the crafting party, I will serve up a some fare to fill the belly followed by a cup of cardamom chai at tea time for those who are participating in the crafting circle. (if you would like to host your own crafting circle click here)

Menu

Served together:

Masoor daal - red lentil stewed with pungent spices, herbs, garlic, ginger and a squeeze of citrus

Qunioa infused with garam masalas

On the side:

Roasted sesame cabbage salad with ginger-lime-cilantro dressing

Chopped beets for a little something sweet

BYOA

All food is sourced locally, organic + local when available, cooked with ayurvedic principles and l-o-v-e 

Donation Requested $10 (for lunch)
Tax deductible donation for Animals for Africa $25 (includes chai)

Buy your ticket online here or donate at the door

Space is limited. Reservations Required. Please RSVP

Animals for Africa
1119 E. 15th Street
Oakland, CA 94606 

A Cup of Ginger Tea A Day Will Keep the Doctor Away

As the weather transitions from winter to spring, cold to warmer, wet to wetter, maintaining a healthy balance can be challenging. The unpredictable changes in temperature are common during the Kapha season resulting in a cold, the flu or just feeling sluggish. There are many things we can do to help us during this time like increase our vitamin C intake, take shots of echinacea, oregano oil, and many more. All of these can help, but I am not sure how well they work with the root of where disease begins, our digestion. In considering the importance of maintaining a healthy digestive system to prevent diseases I prefer consuming ginger. The heating element of ginger not only increases the digestive fire needed to maintain an active digestion, but in-turn helps prevent colds. A quick, easy way to incorporate ginger into your daily routine is making ginger tea. A cup or two of fresh ginger tea takes minutes to make and provides the hydrating benefits of water with a little extra zing!

Ginger Tea on the Go!

Time: as long as it takes to boil some water

Ingredients:

• Boiling Water
• 2-3 thin slices of ginger (no need to peel it)
• 12 oz thermos (if larger increase amount of ginger)
• Lime juice -optional
• Honey - optional

Directions:
Pour boiling water into thermos and 2-3 slices of freshly sliced ginger. Cover and steep for five minutes before drinking. Beware it's hot! Add honey and lime to taste prior to steeping (optional).
 

Enjoy!

P.S - If you make yourself a cup of tea every morning, add the 2-3 ginger pieces to it. Get your caffeine and help maintain your digestive fire too. 

 

Tips:

• Ginger is pretty strong, replenishing your thermos with more hot water a couple more times will still give you a boost

• Store ginger in a cool space on your kitchen counter or with your fruits and veggies. Refrigerating ginger takes away its heat in my personal experience

• Ginger travels well! Pack a small piece in your suit case. I get made fun of but it's a great remedy! And helps keep you regular. Many of my sniffles never became colds as I sipped on ginger tea throughout the day. Ginger tea was especially handy on days I had to sit in cold air-conditioned conference rooms for hours

• Like your ginger tea extra spicy? Grate some ginger instead of slicing it or boil ginger and water together for 5 minutes

• Already have a cold? Grate 1/2 teaspoon of ginger, mix with 1 teaspoon honey - and eat! make sure you chew it a bit to release the spices. Do this in-addition to sipping ginger tea throughout the day 

• Taking a little time to treat your body with an affordable, quick, homemade, natural remedy will help reduce or eliminate the time taken away from being sick
  

 

Squash Stoup (a soupy stew) to Welcome Fall

I thought I would share this recipe of a zucchini soup I made today to take me from summer to fall. It's light yet filling with a little warming hydration that is easy on the digestion.  In other words, a nice meal that's still summery, but has qualities that help to balance vata as we step into Fall. Hope you enjoy.

Squash Stoup (a soupy stew)

serves 1 as a meal with some leftover or 2 with another course

Ingredients:

Broth

4 cups water*

1/2 turnip chopped in small pieces*

2 thin slices of ginger (add more or less depending on your taste)

1-2 t chopped oregano or 1/2 t dried oregano (or rosemary, thyme, basil, tarragon)

* substitute 4 cups vegetable broth

Stewy part

1/2 a medium zucchini - quartered and very thinly sliced or grated

1/2 a medium summer squash - quartered and very thinly sliced or grated

1 small onion sliced

1 clove garlic sliced or minced

1 1/2 T olive oil

1/2 t cumin seeds (a big pinch)

1/4 t fresh ground pepper (about 5-6 turn on the pepper mill)

salt to taste

optional: a pinch of basil to garnish and a squeeze of lemon or a dash of yogurt)

In a pot bring to a strong simmer all the ingredients for the broth. In the meantime, prepare the zucchini, squash, garlic and onion.  After the broth has been simmering for about 15-20 minutes, pour into blender jug and let steep while you begin the saute process. 

I used the same pot on a medium flame with the 1 1/2 T of olive oil. Once the oil was very warm but not hot, I added the black pepper,  cumin, onion and garlic and let saute for about 7-10 minutes.  I cooked the onions until they were soft slightly golden.  Next, I added the squash + salt and stirred for almost 5 minutes or until the squash was bright in color. 

While the veggies were cooking I blended the broth.  After the 5 minute saute time, I added the blended broth and let simmer to blend all the flavors for another 5 minutes adding the pinch of basil. I added a little bit of yogurt halfway through my first bowl for a little creamy tartness. 

Bon Appetite !

Notes: I happen to have a turnip I need to use up but anything other vegetable you have to make a quick instant veggie broth would work. Like a potato, carrot, onion, etc... Just remember to cut in small so that it cooks and blends quickly.

More Notes: Consider how you like the consistency of your veggies in the cooking times. I like my veggies with a little bite, not too cooked not raw.

What makes this a good soup for the fall/vata season?

Broth: The light consistency made with root vegetables provide grounding qualities and the light consistency allows for a good consumption of liquids to stay hydrated. The warm temperature and heat from the ginger offset the cold qualities of vata while aiding digestion (important for preventing colds.

Veggies: Squash is in season! always a good sign. Squash is a great vegetable for both summer and fall as its not too heavy (for the days it's too hot to eat) yet it's filling, easy to digest and pacifies both vata/pitta.  The cumin (cold), pepper (hot) balance each other aiding in digestion. The olive oil provides the good fat and the internal moisture especially as the days get drier in the is season.

Optional ingredients: Both yogurt and lemon are sour in taste and have qualities help balance vata

Chit Chaat Chai: Hi Fall – Hello Vata Imbalances

Chit Chaat Chai: Hi Fall – Hello Vata Imbalances

Hi Fall – Hello Vata Imbalances

The sudden change in climate today is telling me that fall is here! The leaves are changing from green to red, to orange, to bright yellow, the air is getting drier and colder with every gust of wind, pumpkins are appearing in the markets and clothes I have avoided for months are becoming my friend again. Hellllooooo Fall! I love that you bring a change of color to my daily scenes of green, but must you  bring aggravated sinus’, throat and eyes?  I guess this is Mother Nature’s sign to tell me to change it up, shake it around, and turn my summer favorites into loving memories. It’s Vata season!

In Ayurveda, this time of the year is known as the Vata season.  Vata, the king of doshas governs all movement in the body from blood to waste and is also connected to our nervous system.  It’s  a combination of two elements vayu (air) + akash (ether).  The combination of both these elements create the qualities of Vata.  For those of us who have vata dominant energy or who have vata imbalances (most of us do), this can be an especially tough time of year.  Imbalances that become more prominent are dryness of skin, throat, eyes and sinus’, constipation, joint stiffness anxiety, insomnia, and lack of concentration just to name a few.

How can I keep my Vata energy in balance?

To maintain balance with Vata know it’s qualities and then do the opposite which, will help to counter balance. Like can aggravate like.

Qualities of Vata (apply this holistically – mind, body soul and all that surrounds)

Vata/Opposite

Cold /Hot
Light / Heavy
Dry /Wet
Hard / Soft

Rough /Smooth
Clear /Cloudy
Quick / Slow
Sharp / Dull

 

Tips on how to apply Vata opposite qualities to daily life

Hot + Wet = Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate with room temperature or warm beverages. Avoid ice.

• Water at room temperature
• Herbal Teas
• Ginger Tea (fresh not dry ginger)
• Warm milk with honey and cinnamon
• Almond milk shakes with fresh fruit, nuts, seeds – no ice

           

Hot + Heavy+ Wet+ Soft+ Smooth = Warm, moist foods.

• Steamed veggies instead of raw (root veggies/squash are very balancing for Vata)
• Saute leafy greens instead of cold salads. Cold leafy green salads in moderation
• Fresh ripe fruit instead of dry fruit
• Nuts and seeds make great snacks
• Pie or warm baked food over ice cream
• Warm lentils salads, soups, rice dishes
• Oatmeal. Avoid dry oats
• Quinoa, brown rice, whole wheat. Buckwheat, barley, millet, rye in moderation
• Warm hearty soups are great!

Hot + Heavy+ Smooth = Embrace the oil.

•  The good fats – like olive, flax, sesame, ghee (avoid coconut it’s too cold for this season)

• Drizzle a little extra olive oil over steamed veggies/leafy greens, which tend to aggravate dryness
• Abyangan – warm oil massage (sesame oil is nice and warm for Vata season). Good to do prior to yoga especially for stiff joints
• Nasya – a few drop of sesame or herbal vata oils in each nostril. Sounds weird but great relief afterward
•  A few drops of sesame oil in each ear prior to bed

Lifestyle Tips

• Aid your immune system with plenty of sleep and rest
• Pull out the Nettie pot at least once a week
• Pranayama - Nadi Shodhana (alternative nostril breathing)
• Yoga.  Asanas that regulate Vata such as inverted poses, twisting poses, shavaasana (corpse pose)
• Be regular by eating meals on a timely basis. Avoid skipping meals
• Stay warm with the foods you eat, the clothes you wear and your daily thoughts
• Avoid excessive multi-tasking. Create calm. Meditate
• Help your  digestion with  cumin, ginger, coriander, cinnamon, fennel, basil, oregano, rosemary, black pepper, nutmeg, cardamom
• Aromatherapy: chamomile, lavender, rose, geranium, neroli, vetivert, rosemary, lemon balm, peppermint, basil, sweet marjoram, bergamot, lemon, clary sage, myrrh, frankincense, sandalwood, aniseed, cinnamon, eucalyptus

EMBRACE (with balance): SWEET (whole grains, fruits, veggies), SOUR, SALTY.

Keep in Check: Pungent, Astringent and Bitter

The Second Gathering

Last Sunday, April 25th Chit Chaat Chai served up some Ghar Ka Khana, which literally means food of the home. The intention behind April's menu was to serve a meal that I grew up eating on almost a weekly basis - Daal. 

Daal is a dish  that never taste the same from home to home, but always feels like your home especially with some basmati rice.  It's a staple dish that brings up fond childhood memories, even though at times there were moments of"Daal again?!". Yet, I still crave it ! For me, Daal will always be associated with home. 

Daal can be eaten many ways with many sides or pour it over almost any leftover and it just adds a little something! Last Sunday, I served it both sweet (with sev) and savory (with rice) for a side by side comparison of two of the many ways Daal can be enjoyed.  Below are some photos of the dishes...minus the main dish Daal. Unfortunately, the camera disappeared when it came time for the close-up but, pictures will come to a blog near you soon.

In the meantime, here are some other dishes from the evening that were served alongside the Daal.

Dudhi or Kadhu

a light green squash sauteed with cumin and mustard seeds

   

                                                      Cabbage Salad 

  w/green chilies, tomatoes, cilantro

Radishes

                                                       Roasted Beets

            

Sliced Cucumbers

Green Chilies 

pickled with mustard seeds

Keri Achaar

 pickled mango

Chundosweet and spicy green mango

& Limbo Achaar

pickled meyer lemon

Sev

sweet vermicilli

cooked in milk with raisins, almonds, pistachios & saffron

Badam Paak

almond and cream of wheat bar with cardamom & saffron

Recipes coming soon...

Lentils/Daal - Village Fabulous Food!

The one dish you could find in my home growing up at all times was a dish made with daal or lentils. It was a weekly staple that came in a variety of forms from sweet to savory, soup form to a mush or mixed with rice or meat to the base of a batter for some fried deliciousness. The list of dishes are endless! As are the interpretations of the word daal. 

Daal translates to lentils, but also refers to the name of the dish. Most of the time if someone says we are having Daal it usually means a lentil style soup. And because of the variety of daals available you never know what you are going to get. There is no one recipe for Daal. The taste, consistency, spice factor differs from home to home, village to village, town to town, region to region. And don't even get me started on all the different type of daals available. The one thing that is consistent with daal is that you get alot of bang for your buck.  Not only can you create a variety of dishes from one bag of daal -the perfect poor mans food but daal is a super-food rich in proteins, vitamins, minerals, cholesterol lowering fibers, amino acids, and iron. Mix daal with a grain and you get complete protein.

This Sunday, I will be making the version that is simply referred to as Daal in my home. It's a combination of Mung, Masur and Chana daals, which have been cooked in a big pot of water to create a soup like consistency. After infusing it with spices and topping it off with some lemon and cilantro it will be served with a squash dish, basmati rice and sweet sev (vermicelli) for a sweet and savory experience. All six tastes sweet, sour, salty, astringent, pungent and bitter will be present in the meal, so not to leave you with any cravings afterwards at least according to Ayurveda  Look forward to testing it with you all!

Below are a list of 7 (don't even get me started) daals that keep my kitchen cabinet full and colorful. If you are just beginning to experiment with daal,  Mung is quite versatile as it's a great soup, saute, sprout, 1 of the 2 ingredients in kitchri, its easy to find and cooks quickly.

Mung daal

 whole                          split with no peel             split with peel

Masur daal 

whole                      split with no peel

Chana daal

(garbanzo)split and peeled

Tuwar daal

split and peeled

Ayurveda Chit Chat

This afternoon the Ayurveda academy I attended wrote a great blog pic about Ayurveda. I wanted to share some excerpts from the entry with you especially because one of the reasons Chit Chaat Chai came to fruition was to practice the Ayurvedic teachings about nourishment. I hope the entry gives some insight. 

Ayurveda is the oldest surviving complete medical system in the world. Derived from its ancient Sanskrit roots - ‘ayus' (life) and ‘ved' (knowledge) – and offering a rich, comprehensive outlook to a healthy life, its origins go back nearly 5000 years. Ayurveda was expounded and practiced by the same spiritual rishis, who laid the foundations of the Vedic civilization in India, by organizing the fundamentals of life into proper systems.

The main source of knowledge in this field are the Vedas, the divine books of knowledge they propounded, and more specifically the fourth of the series, namely Atharvaveda that dates back to around 1000 BC. Of the few other treatises on Ayurveda that have survived from around the same time, the most famous are Charaka Samhita and the Sushruta Samhita which concentrate on internal medicine and surgery respectively. The Astanga Hridayam is a more concise compilation of earlier texts that was created about a thousand years ago. These sources form the greater part of the knowledge base on Ayurveda as it is practiced today.

The art of Ayurveda had spread around in the 6th century BC to Tibet, China, Mongolia, Korea and Sri Lanka, carried over by the Buddhist monks traveling to those lands. Although not much of it survives in original form, its effects can be seen in the various new age concepts that have originated from there.

No philosophy has had greater influence on Ayurveda than Sankhaya’s philosophy of creation and manifestation. Which professes that behind all creation there is a state of pure existence or awareness, which is beyond time and space, has no beginning or end, and no qualities. Within pure existence, there arises a desire to experience itself, which results in disequilibrium and causes the manifestation of the primordial physical energy. And the two unite to make the "dance of creation" come alive.

To use Ayurveda in daily life, one has neither to accept nor even understand this philosophy. But it does provide a deeper insight into how Ayurveda works towards betterment of your health.

Ayurveda therefore is not simply a health care system but a form of lifestyle adopted to maintain perfect balance and harmony within the human existence, from the most abstract transcendental values to the most concrete physiological expressions. Based on the premise that life represents an intelligent co-ordination of the Atma (Soul), Mana (Mind), Indriya (Senses) and Sharira (Body). That revolves around the five dense elements that go into the making of the constitution of each individual, called Prakriti. Which in turn is determined by the vital balance of the three physical energies - Vata, Pitta, Kapha and the three mental energies - Satwa, Rajas, Tamas.

Ayurveda thus offers a unique blend of science and philosophy that balances the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual components necessary for holistic health.

The First Cafe Gathering

Chit Chaat Chai cafe hosted it's first monthly gathering and celebrated new beginnings on Navroz day.  The cafe hosted dinner for 7 people with traditional foods from the Sindh region, Iran & a wonderful Parsi drink. We had a great group of people who surrounded the table with wonderful energy. Thank you all for coming  and supporting the first dinner of this alternative cafe. And a BIG thank you to Yve who found 2 more chairs for the cafe. Now we can host a bigger group - bring on more foodies!

Photos from the Navroz dinner

Sharbhat 

Rose flavored milk, with basil seeds, vegan vermicelli, vanila bean ice cream, crushed almonds and pistcios

Kashk Bedemjoon

Roasted eggplant and whey cheese topped with mint, fried onion & walnuts, Served with whole wheat pita

Machi Bhaat 

Potatoes & Halibt braised in a dill, fengreek, cilantro, garlic & green chilli broth. Served over basmati rice infised with mustard seeds

 

Served with

Cucumber & Roasted Cumin Raaita

Whipped yogurt with grated cucumber, roasted cumin & cilantro

Mark your calendars! 

Chit Chaat Chai Cafe re-opens on Sunday, April 25th, 2010

A Lil' Chit Chaat: Fenugreek

One of the distinct flavors at the Navroz dinner will be methi (fenugreek) leaves, a distinct pungent herb that is popular in many Indian, Pakistani and Persian dishes. You may have tasted in dishes like Aloo Bhaji (potato spinach) or Gormeh Sabzi (green herb stew), a popular Persian stew with kidney beans. Methi  is enjoyed  as a spice in seed form or  as an herb in leaf form often called Methi Bhaji. A small amount of methi in either form goes along way adding a sweet and pungent flavor. The pungent flavor of methi makes it a great herb/spice for the spring season. Plus it also packs in some great health benefits!

crumblets of information...

Methi has a warming energy, pungent taste and a light quality helping to balance the cold, damp and heaviness that comes with the Kapha season in spring. Incorporating foods into our diets that have opposite qualities to the current season can help to counteract what is already sufficient in our environment. By decreasing similar qualities and increasing opposite qualities we can achieve better balance - a yin and yang effect that helps to create a better harmony.  For example, let's say it's a hot and humid day are you going to reach for a cup of hot tea or a glass of iced tea?  The hot choice will only increase the feeling of heat as like will likely increase like. On the other hand,, choosing the opposite temperature as the outside climate will than more likely cool me down. Similarly, we can use foods, herbs and spices in the same way to help keep us in balance with the season or to balance an imbalance that might be present in our constitution.

methi health benefits
antibiotic, anti-diabetic, anti-fatigue, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant,antiseptic, aphrodisiac, astringent  

increases agni (digestion), breast milk for mothers who are breast feeding.   
decreases ama(toxins), cholesterol, glucose levels, PMS, menopause symptoms, phlegm. 
source of vitamin c, potassium, niacin,protein, iron

How Do I Incorporate Methi Into My Diet?

Spice it up!

methi water

soak 1 teaspoon in a half a glass of water at night & drink the water first thing in the morning. It has a sweet roasted molasses flavor. A good way to help lower glucose levels

methi tea

slightly roast the seeds and grind the seeds. Add 1t to a cup of boiling water and enjoy!

methi vagar

next time you stir- fry some veggies like greens or potatoes, or make a soup add a about 1/2 tsp of methi seeds to a small amount of hot oil/ghee, when it release the aroma add your veggies/broth. You can also take the hot methi oil & drizzle it in on top of your dish as a finishing touch.

methi sprouts

sprout it in the summer. a great way to incorporate methi into your summer salads.

Herb it up!

just like you would use cilantro, or rosemary... chop it up! and add methi leaves to your soups, veggie curries, omelettes, pastas or veggie sautes. It's great with potatoes, spinach, greens, chicken, lamb, lentils, eggplant.

Where can I get it? 

Indian, Pakistani, Iranian grocery stores or on the Internet try Mountain Rose Herbs.

Methi Supplements

I do not recommend taking methi supplements without seeing an herbalist or an Ayurvedic practitioner to see if methi would be the best herb for your constitution. Methi is a pungent, heating herb and large amounts maybe too strong if not balanced correctly.  However, incorporating methi to your diet or making teas is a good way to get its nutritional benefits in small amounts. It's all about balance!

Feel free to e-mail me if you have questions or would like more information.