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I just arrived back from India from our yearly retreat with our teacher.

It was a wonderful time. The teaching, which continued from last year on ‘Ayurveda and Yogic Ideal Living,’ focused on how and what we eat and how this impacts our mind, body, and emotions for our spiritual journey.

Food, because we consistently take it directly into our bodies, is one of the most powerful ways to change our physical and mental state. A suitable approach to food will support our inner journey and influence other people to bring much-needed love, service, and peace through our sense of joy and self-contentment.

We all have minor symptoms of ‘disease’. Aches and pains, tension, upset stomach, skin rashes, mood swings, occasional cold and flu. Some of us have a constant stream of these; others have them now and then.  All these things don’t happen to us; we have an active hand in creating them by the choices we make in our daily lives.  How we exercise, cope with stress, and eat –  especially how we eat!  Snacking, for example, causes a lot of disturbances to our digestion by adding undigested food to partially digested food.  Due to this, food, which enters our bloodstream, is the primary source of our mind disturbances and body diseases.

Experiment and go a whole day of being conscious of eating only when you feel hungry. Reflect on how you feel and how little food you need. Notice how eating usually comes from boredom and emotional needs! It is a difficult one, I know! Usually, our body needs 3 – 4 hours to digest the previous food. However, we seem to be constantly putting in food, regardless of whether the previous food has been digested or not.  

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Taking the time to prepare two meals a day based on whole grains, seasonal vegetables, and fresh produce helps me take that step towards a healthier body and mind for practice. It keeps me satisfied long after eating, and I am less inclined to snack.

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Idli

makes about 40 idlis, with two days of preparation

ingredients

1 cup brown rice (short grain is good, but long grain will also work)

1 cup white basmati rice or arborio rice

1 cup white lentils (urad dal)

½ Tbsp fenugreek seeds

filtered water

½ tsp rock salt

oil/ghee to grease the moulds

to serve

ginger coconut chutney

sambar

pre-soak

  1. Wash well and soak the rice in one bowl with just enough water to cover – set aside.
  2. Wash the dal well with the fenugreek seeds, and soak in another bowl with just enough water to cover—allow to soak for 6-8 hours.

grind the batter

  1. Drain both separately and reserve the water.
  2. Grind the dal with the fenugreek, adding just enough water to grind. Do not make it too watery.  This is very important for idlis.  Grind until soft and foamy, then pour into a large bowl.
  3. Now, grind the rice with the reserved water, using only a little to allow it to grind.  Remember, do not make it too watery; it should be just enough to be able to grind.  Continue to grind the rice until smooth.

Grinding dal separately will make it fluffy, resulting in excellent fermentation.  It will also volume the batter when fermenting.

  1. Combine both batters, add the salt, and mix well. Mix the batter with clean hands. The body heat from your hands will help kickstart the fermentation. Make sure there is enough room in the bowl for the fermentation to take place. It should double in size.

ferment

  1. Cover the bowl loosely and place it in the warmest spot in your home—allow it to ferment overnight. The ideal temperature for idli batter fermentation is around 90F /32C. In colder climates, the batter may take up to 18 hours to ferment.

The batter should have doubled in size.

cook

  1. Grease the moulds with ghee, pour three-quarters full into each mould (they will rise), and steam for 12 – 15 minutes. Try not to overcook them. Allow them to rest for 2 minutes before scooping them out of their moulds.

For the authentic traditional Indian experience, serve them on a banana leaf with spicy rasam and fresh coconut chutney, finishing with a sweet version of a drizzle of ghee and maple syrup.

Goodness shared from Stacey