Pan-tastic Potato Supper!

 

     As discussed in the last post (see :  What is "Ayurveda" Anyway?) the goal of Ayurveda is to live a healthy and happy life that is in line with an individual's unique constitution. This is done through diet. As the old saying goes, "You are what you eat." Ayurveda takes this one step further. The teachings decree that not only is the physical body affected by what is consumed, but so are the dispositions of the mind, emotions and spirit.
     When referring to food from an Ayurvedic stand-point, the first thing that is considered is the taste experienced on the toungue, or "rasa." There are six tastes : sweet, sour, pungent, salty, bitter and astringent. The doshas have certain tastes dominant to each nature. All six tastes should be incorporated into each meal, as it assists to balance the whole. All three doshas are found in all constitutions. It is the proportions of each taste that must be adjusted for the dominance of doshas in each person.
    Another thing considered in the Ayurvedic diet is the heating or cooling qualities of food, or "virya." This consideration is not only important to balance the doshas themselves, but also important when considering the season in which food is being eaten. Consumption of more cooling foods during the heated days of summer, and warming foods during the cold nights of winter just makes sense.
     One more quality considered for food by Ayurveda are the sensory or tactile qualities of food, or "guna". Whether a food is calming or stimulating, light or heavy, dry or moist, (among many others) can determine whether that food is going to have a positive or negative effect on the constitution. (Tiwari, pages 57-63) All things considered, there still are some foods that are generally considered to be Tri-doshic when eaten upon occasion by anyone. This generally means imbalance is less likely to occur for any of the doshas if certain things are eaten. It is this tri-doshic stand-point I am providing the following recipe for.  Hope you like it as much as all the different doshas did in this house!

                                                    "Pan-tastic Potato Supper!"
                                                       
                                                 - for a chilly fall or winter day-

                                                       Yield :  about 4 servings


Ingredients:

2 Cups Fresh Green Beans - Snapped into bite-size pieces.
                                            Steam-cook lightly, but still maintain firmness and bright green color.

4 medium red or white potatoes - Boil these until soft enough to pierce, but still firm.
                                                    Drain but set 1/3 cup of the potato water aside.
                                                    Cut potatoes into bite-sized cubes.

1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 Tablespoon sunflower kernels
2 Tablespoon canola or sunflower oil
2 pinches sea salt
1/2 Tablespoon lemon zest pepper
1 Tablespoon ground sumac
1 Tablespoon ghee


Instructions:

In a large, tall-sided pan, (a wok works great!) heat 1 Tablespoon oil, salt, parsley and sunflower kernels and saute for a couple minutes.

Add in the beans, lemon zest pepper and potato water. Stir well. Allow to simmer for another couple of minutes.

Add the cubed potatoes, remaining 1 Tablespoon oil left and the ghee. Mix everything together coating the potatoes well. After 5 to 7 minutes, potatoes should be cooked through, but still firm.

Sprinkle sumac all over and mix once more.

Serve warm and enjoy! :)

Stacey Adams is a Body-worker, Healer, Herbal formulator, Perpetual student and Mom. She also is the owner and operator of "The Woman of the Woods Health Portal" on Myblogspot.com

Sources used for research :  Tiwari, Maya. "Ayurveda A Life of Balance". 1995.