Common preparations in Ayurvedic cookery

The Kshemakutuhala describes mainly the products of cereals and pulses as common preparations. The meat, fish and vegetables are also used. Even in modern times, many of these preparations have an important place in Indian dishes. SANDHANAKA : It is used as preservative. It is prepared in following way: Take pure mustard oil. Mix mustard, cumin seeds, rock salt and turmeric. Add fruits, roots or flowers which are to be preserved. Cover the vessel with a cloth and keep it in sun for three days. It becomes sour. This process should be followed under the inspection of an experienced person. The following articles are preserved in the sandhanaka: 1. Half boiled bringals. 2. Lamon-fruits. 3. Mango fruits. 4. Bimbiphala. 5. Adraka (ginger root) wwwww 6. Trapusiphala 7. Kusmanda 8. Bilva 9. Marica (black pepper)

10. Pippali (pepper longum) 11. Visva 12. Tinduka 13. Surana 14. Kadalikanda. 15. Mulaka 16. Vansajankura The articles remain fresh for a year in Sandhanaka. One should keep the specific properties of Sandhanaka in mind while keeping articles in it. The Sandhanaka aggravates pitta and alleviates vata. $ The pure mustard oil alone is also used as Sandhanaka. The most of Indian pickles are preserved eighter in mustard oil or 99 in sesume oil with above said condiments. Except bring als all pot herbs should be unripe. The meat and fish are also preserved in Sandhanaka. The Kshemakutuhala describes following four types of Sandhanaka (IX 6 to 11). 1. LAVASANDHAN AKA 2. TITTIR ISANDHANAKA Boil the flesh of Lava bird in sagar cane juice. Add mustard oil. Boil the flesh of Tittiri bird in curd and strain. Cook in oil and keep in lemon juice.

 VARAHABRADHRA SANDHAN AK A 218 Remove the skin and wash the flesh of hog. Apply the paste of asafoetida, turmaric, mustard and rock salt. Let dry in sun. Keep in lemon juice. 4. MATS YA SANDHANKA The part of fish such as heart, lungs etc. are kept in mustard oil. RICE: Rice is the chief cereal food product of India. It is extremely nutritious and cooked properly, it is palatable and accept 100 able to people of all nations as a very valuable food! 101 The rice is prepared in many ways. In modern times the hundreds of delicious recipes are prepared from rice. The Kshemakutuhala describes following preparations of rice: (1) Bhakta: It is known as Bhata in Gujarat. It is prepared as follows Wash the rice and soak in butter milk. Boil water in a vessel. Add soaked rice. When cooked, squeeze out water. It is used with milk or ghee. The cooked rice is digestive stimulant, wholesome, refreshing, light and diuretic. The other cereals are also cooked in this way.

(2) Krsara: Mix eighth part of rice and twelfth part of halves of mudga pulse (Manga Dala) and cook it in water. Add saffron, turmericpowder and salt. It is called Khicadi in Gujarati. Most of the Gujarati families use it as an evening meal. Ghee is added before taking it. It takes long time in digestion. It is heavy, strength promoting, nourishing and purgative. It produces vata, pitta, mala and flatulence. (3) Tahadi : It is a non-vegetarian preparation. Mix fresh meat, spices, ghee, rice and wet ginger. Cook it in water. The Tahadi alleviates vata and pitta. It promotes strength as well as semen. It is heavy. The specific properties vary according to the type of meat mixed in it. VATIKA AND VATAKA : • Vataka and Vatika are prepared from the pulses. The preparation of Vataka in the shape of egg is called Endari. According to modern Dietology pulses belong to vegetable 102 proteid. The pulses are fried to prepare Vataka, Vatika and Endari. ! 3 &

 Pulses, when are fried, they are harmless and easily digestible because the starchy matter contained in them is burnt away during the process of frying. Hence, they are not delayed in the stomach as in cases of proteids taken with starches which get fermented and change into acids. The Kshemakutuhala describes following preparations with their methods of cooking and specific properties. PIST ASUSKAVATI : Mix vesavara with the flour of mas a pulse and make paste. Form the vatis. Fry them in oil. h t ' Mix mustard-powder, asafoetida and salt with masa-paste and fry the vatis in oil. Soak them in butter milk. It is called Dhumansi Vatika. M These vatikas are cardiac tonic and nourishing. It promotes strength as well as semen. It alleviates vata. MASAPISTENDARI : E Indari. Mix rock salt with masa-paste. Form Indari. Cook in oil with spices. It promotes semen and it is aphrodisiac, un-unctuous and constipative. It alleviates vata and kapha. F

MUDGENDARI : 221 Mix asafoetida, cumin seeds and fresh ginger-root with mudga paste. Form Endari. Cook them with fragrant spices. It stimulates digestion and alleviates all the three dosas. It is cold, light and appetiser. ALIKAMATS YENDARI: Apply the paste of vesavara to the betel leaves. Again apply the thick masa paste and make rolls. Cook the rolls in steam and cut into pieces. Cook the pieces with asafoetida, vesavara and sour spices. It is appetiser, nours hing and aphrodisiac. It promotes strength as well as semen. It aggravates pitta slightly. The famous Gujarati item, Patra or Patara-veliya is cooked in this way. 103 VES ANAVATAKA : Cook the vesana (gram flour) paste in oil with asafoetida. Make round lump. Form long and thin pieces. Cut them into ivy gourd sized pieces. Cook them in oil with salt and vesavara. PAKVAVATI : VATI Add asafoetida and water to vesana and stir round. Form

emblic myrobalan sized vatis. Cook in oil. Sock them in the mixture of buttermilk and ves avara. It is exceedingly appetiser, refreshing and sweet. There are many preparations of canaka (gram). The canaka alleviates kapha. It is light, digestive stimulant, cold ununctuous, wind-forming and aggravater of vata. It is detrimental to sex hormones. KORAKAVATAKA : Mix black pepper, wet ginger, cumin seeds, rock salt, asafoetida and cinamon bark with masa paste. Form rounds. Fry in sesame oil and soak in ghola. It is appetiser. BHIMAVAT AKA: The korakavataka prepared with campher is called Bhimavataka. The dry pieces of wild mango are added to it. It alleviates vata and aggravates pitta and thirst. It is strength promoting and constipative. It causes burning sensation. GHOLAVATAKA : Mix the paste of masa with rock salt, ginger root in small quantity, asafoetida, cumin seeds and black pepper. Prepare vataka. Drop them in gholda

It is cardiac tonic, strength-promoting, heavy and constipative. It promotes semen and causes burning sensation. KV ATHIT Atharvaveda ATAKA: Mix vesana with buttermilk and coriander seeds. Stir it round. Strain through a cloth. Cook with dry ginger, cumin seeds and asafoetida. Drop in ghola. It is appetiser, constipative and harmful to eyesight. It causes raktapitta. AMLAV AT AKA : Mix cumin seeds, asafoetida, ginger root, black pepper and rock salt with the paste of masa. Form vatakas. Drop in ghola. After a few hours, there may be fermantation. Cook them in steam. It cures sprue and anorexia. Now-a-days a preparation called Dhokala in Gujarati is prepared with slight changes in this method. KANJIKAVATAKA : 104 Apply mustard oil to the inner surface of churning vessel. Fumigate it with the smoke of asafoetida. Pour buttermilk in it Mix mustard, cumin seeds, salt, dry ginger and as afoetida. Add pindika. Drops vatakas. Keep it for three days. The vatakas come up after three days. It is also called Rajikavataka.

It is cardiac tonic, appetiser, hot and harmful to eyesight. It alleviates vata and causes raktapitta. ASCARY AVAT AKA : Tie the refined wheat flour in a thin cloth and soak in fragrant water for two days. The particles becomes as white as salt. Keep it for a fort-night. Form vatakas. 1 It is refreshing and appetiser. It alleviates vata. As caryavataka made of barely aggravates pitta and causes oedema. CINCAVATAKA : Make vatakas from the paste of mudga or masa. Fry in oil. Drop in the juice of tamarind-fruits. The treacle and black pepper are added to it. It is appetiser, sweet in taste, cardiac tonic and laxative It aggravates pitta and causes oedema. DHVANSIVATI : t 1 Wash and dry the dala (halves) of masa pulse. Grind it. Make vatis and fry in oil. Drop in buttermilk. Add asafoetida, wet ginger, cumin seeds and black pepper. It is also called "Puspavati". It is cardiac tonic, appetiser, nourishing, digestive and alleviater of vata. It promotes strength and semen.

FENIKA : h Mix ghee in small quantity with refined wheat flour. Add curd and knead. Make rolls. Apply the paste of powdered rice, butter and water to the rolls. Wrap the rolls. Cut them into pieces carefully. Fry in ghee and drop into the syrup of sugar It is also called Feni. It is round in shape, white, thick and small in size. The experienced and expert cook can prepare it well. The pastes of masa pulse, mava ( a milk product), srgataka and s salzka alika are also used to prepare fenika. It alleviates vata and pitta and aggravates kapha. It is strength-promoting, laxative, cold, unctuous, appetiser, heavy and sweet in vipaka. NAVANITAFENIKA : 1 1 Boil the dala of mudga pulse in milk. Crush and mix it with rice flour. Mix butter and curd. Knead and form vataka. Fry in ghee. Sprinkle the powder of sugar. It is exceedingly nourishing, strength-promoting, unctuous and cold. It alleviates vata and kapha. MASAFENIKA : Crush the dala of masa pulse and make paste. Mix butter. Fill the paste in a leather bag having a hole at the bottom. qu I th

Pour in a stirring manner over hot ghee. Allow to fry. Pour sugar syrup over it. It is heavy, unctuous, hot, refreshing and laxative. It promotes strength and makes semen fluid thick. It alleviates vata exceedingly. Now-a-days the Fenikas are prepared in many ways. It is known as Sata, khaja or khajali in Gujarati. Theyare prepared eighter with sugar or without sugar. } LADDUKA : Ladduka is also called Modaka. It is a very famous item in Indian cookery. There are many types of modaka. x +1 There is a common method of preparing all types of modaka. Eventhough slight variations are found in each type of them. They are because of the varieties of ingredients to be used to prepare modaka. The common method is as follows: Prepare soft dough of the mixture of ingredients. Make the roundish pieces. Cook, fry or boil them. Break the roundish pieces and mix sugar, sugar syrup or treacle and ghee. Add cardamum and other sweet smelling spices. Form rounds. These rounds are also fried in ghee to prepare some types of modaka.

The Kshemakutuhala describes the following types of ladduka with their specific properties and methods of cooking. 1. Dadhiladduka 2. Kanikannaladduka 3. Godhumacurnaladduka 4. Dirghaladduka 5. Cittamodaka 6. Masaladduka 7. Parpatal adduka made of pulses and cereals 8. Mams aladduka 9. Matsyaladduka 10. Saluka ladduka 11. Suranamodaka 12. Adrakamodaka 13. Kusmandamodak a 14. Bijamodaka made of puls of coconut, kusmanda etc. 15. Ksiraladduka 16. Sv aduladduka MILK AND MILK PRODUCTS : "The first quality of milk, viz. its being an animal pro- 105" duct makes it a very important human food. Unqualified term 'milk' implies cow's milk 106 All other NAE N

milk bears a description such as human milk, goat's milk, camel's milk etc. Milk contains most of the substances known to be essential to good nutrition. It is used as a daily bererage by all age groups and is also used as the liquid igredient of many prepared dishes. Nutritionally it is an excellent buy. 1 According to the Ayurveda, milk is invigorating. It contains the essence of many drags. It is life giver, heavy, sweet, slimy unctuous, cold, substle and laxative. The Kshemakutuhala recommends to drink milk of cow, buffalo or goat. It is taken with the dinner or after the dinner. The specific attributes of various types of milk are as under : (1) Cow's milk : Cow's milk is cold, unctuous, heavy, rejuvenating and slightly abhisyandi. It alleviates vata and cures raktapitta. According to the Caraka Samhita, cow's milk has ten properties. These are also the properties of ojasa. So milk having identical properties is conductive to the promotion of ojasa. Thus milk is 107 an elexir per excellence Buffalo's milk: It is sweet in taste, unctuous, cold and heavy. It promotes 1

tissue elements. It is harmful to intellect. It induces sleeps and stimulates digestion slightly. According to the Sushruta-samhita, it suppresses the power of digestion. Goat's Milk : 108 It is exceedingly light. It cures kasa and asthama. It is digestive stimulant. It is wholesome for the patient of ksaya. TIMES OF TAKING MILK : 1 (1) The milk taken in the forenoon is aphrodisiac, nourishing and promoter of digestion. (2) The milk taken during noon-time promotes strength and stimulates digestion. It alleviates vata and pitta. (3) The milk taken at night is wholesome and it alleviates all the three dosas. One should not sleep immediately after taking 109 milk at night. It reduces longevity. (4) The milk taken during childhood nourishes thebody. It produces plumpness. (5) It is beneficial for the emaciated person in old age. It is interesting to note the following views of the Ayurvedic scholars regarding the use of milk 110 }

(1) All types of milk is cold, but themilk of the mare is hot. Likewise milk is heavy, but the goat's milk and 1 camel's milk are light. 1 (2) The properties of cow's milk vary according to the colour of the cow whose milk is derived. i) Black cow Alleviater of vata and superior in quality. ii) Yellow Cow Alleviater of pitta and vata yong iii) White cow Aggravater of kapha iv) Red cow Aggravater of vata (3) The milk of the cow having a very young calf or without a calf aggravates all the three dosas. The milk of the cow long after her delivery alleviates all the three dosas. It is refreshing and strength-promoting. (4) The milk of the cow which eats straw grass and cotton seeds is useful for patients. (5) The heaviness and unctuousness of the milk progressively increases depending upon the arid, marshy and hilly areas in which the animal grazes. (6) The milk immediately after milking should be used. The woman's milk is an exception to this rule, inasmuch as it is useful only when it is cold.

(7) Buffalo's milk is useful when it becomes cold after (8) milking. Sheep's milk is useful when it is warm after boiling. Goat's milk is used when it is cold after boiling. Boiled and hot milk alleviates kapha and vata. The milk' which is cooled after boiling alleviates pitta. ma (9) The milk which is boiled with half of water till the original quality of milk remains, is lighter and useful. (10) The milk which is excessively boiled by which it beco- - mes free from its water content, depending upon the time of boiling becomes prograssively more and more heavy, unctuous, aphrodisiac and promoter of strength. (11) The layer of cream which is formed on the surface when the milk is boiled on low heat promotes strength and +c viyility. It alleviates pitta and vata. i (12) When used in combination with candied sugar, milk produces semen and alleviates dosas. If taken in combi- zhuo nation with treacle, milk cures dysuria and aggravates pitta and kapha. (13) Some scholars hold the view that milk alone can be taken at night. (14) Generally human beings take food and drinks during the day time which cause burning sensation. To alleviate this burning sensation, milk is useful at night. 12

(15) Milk whose colour and taste are changed, which has become sour, which produces a putrid smell and which is of knotted appearance should not be used. (16) Milk should not be used when it is mixed with sour things and salt. It produces diseases like kustha. (17) Milk is useful for the persons whose digestive power is strong, who are emaciated, infant or old and for those who indulge in sex. (18) Milk should not be given without food by a physician. (19) Buffalow's milk should be used in summer. The milk of Goat or sheep is useful in Hemant. Cow's milk is like ambrosia for human beings during rainy season.