When we’re stressed, sweets are the first thing we reach out for. But never without consequences.The quest for the healthiest sweet remains as elusive as our unabated desire for it! I am personally known for my sweet tooth. My mother used to wake up in the middle of the night to make milk rice pudding to satisfy my craving! While I have not been able to get my wife to commit to making fresh rice pudding at midnight, she does make sure there is always an assortment of home-made sweets sitting on our kitchen isle. For the past year, our favorite has been the traditional, simple yet delicious, “chikki.” As my wife kept eating one after another, she asked me about their properties and how much “damage” she was incurring by ingesting so many of them. As I was explaining their health benefits to her, I remember what a healthy sweet chikkies are, specially when made with sesame seeds.

Chikki is a popular Indian confection, but you can find many variations in different traditions of the world. The idea of chikkis is simple: nuts and/or seeds combined with sugar. Almonds, cashews, even peanuts, or a blend of nuts, or seeds, are traditionally used to make chikkis.  One other variation involves using only sesame seeds. That is my favorite, and also happens to be the healthtiest as you will see why.  In India, consuming sesame chikkis is primarily associated with  and consumed at New Year Festivities, in the month of January, when the Sun moves from the Southern     to the Northern hemisphere.

Traditionally, the nuts, or the sesame seeds, are combined with “jaggery” – cane sugar.  Jaggery, because of its traditional artisanal extraction and manufacturing methods, carries a higher content of minerals naturally occuring in the sugar cane plant, thus making it a healthier sugar for regular consumption. In India, we make chikkies by melting the jaggery, and then adding the nut(s) or sesame, and coat them thoroughly. The mixture is then either transferred to a mold, or rolled out, cooled, and cut into bite-size pieces.

In terms of SVA dietary protocols, I cannot think of a healthier sweet than chikkies. The minimal processing/cooking, the actual nutritional wealth of the ingredients, and the overall ayurvedic balance of the chikki recipe makes it a star amongst sweet recipes.

True, we should monitor our consumption of sweets, specially as we age. However, did you know that eating sweets does play a central role for our mental and emotional health? You may have experienced how your craving for sweets increases in stressful situations, or when you’re tired, but did you know that there is a science behind this?

Stress and Sugar Cravings

According to modern science whenever we experience mental stress the brain uses up more serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter; some researchers recognize its chemical ability for maintaining mood balance.  A deficit of serotonin can lead to depression.  Science also tells us that consuming sweets or sugar increase serotonin levels in the brain.  However, modern science also recognizes – as we already know in SVA – that processed sugar crystals penetrate the blood stream at such high speed that they tend to give an immediate high followed by a greater crash in serotonin levels, resulting in feeling low and even sinking into depression. The molecules of processed sugar, white sugar, cannot provide a steady sustained effect of serotonin and thus mood elevation. Processed sugar has been stripped of most of the naturally-occuring minerals and its balancing properties. So when you eat processed sugar, it penetrates your body at high speed, gives you a sugar high, and then lets you crash, making you crave more and more of it so you can maintain your high. Moreover, white sugar is highly estrogenic.  In women, it will increase estrogen levels, but the resulting crash or ‘rebound’ effect offsets any short term elevation in mood or energy level. Higher levels of estrogen have been associated with:  weight gain; bloating, swelling, tenderness in breasts; bloating; decreased sex drive; irregular menstrual periods; headaches; mood swings.; fibrocystic developments in the breast; and even cancer.

A Sutra-to-Science Explanation of Stress vs Sugar-Cravings

In ayurvedic terms, and as I’ve explained elsewhere in the context of SVA teachings, when we are stressed, our vata sub-dosha called “prana vata” goes out of balance – it goes high.  Prana Vata resides in the head region and governs the overall reception and flow of Prana for the entire body.  Whenever this sub-dosha goes out of balance, when it goes high, the body’s own support system kicks in to compensate by an increase of Tarpaka Kapha. This is because an increase in Prana Vata will tend to dry out the body overall, and particularly the brain channels.  Tarpaka is the kapha sub-dosha that provides nourishment, lubrication, and overall support for the physical brain and spinal cord. Tarpaka Kapha, you can say in SVA terms, is the brain’s own lubricating and cooling system.  Mental stress and fatigue, identified as prana vata imbalances, can deplete tarpaka. When tarpaka goes low, then pitta dosha can also  go high – heating up the cooling and lubricating system of the brain as well. And here is our key:  in situations where stress is imbalancing prana vata, the body’s automatic response is to increase additional intake of Soma to keep prana vata in check. This will automatically also keep tarpaka kapha in balance, as well as maintain good levels of Ojas – neurotransmitters and hormones in the brain.

Serotonin is a specific type of Ojas – a specific type of neurotransmitter.  High vata and high pitta deplete tarpaka kapha and serotonin.  In a nutshell, this is why we crave sweets when we are mentally stressed out.  We crave for anything with the madhura rasa (sweet taste), because the madhura rasa is made of liquid and earthy soma, which can support tarpaka and ojas (serotonin).  Note however, that it is actually soma that we are craving and that we need.  But the tongue doesn’t necessarily distinguish between healthy sweets (those full of natural Soma) and those that simply taste sweet and promise Soma without actually delivering it – processed sugar confections.

Mental stress and fatigue is one reason we reach for sweets.  The other reason is emotional challenges. Emotional challenges directly hit Sadhak Pitta.  Sadhak – centered in the heart area – cooks or transforms our emotional experiences and thoughts. When sadhak pitta is balanced it provides joy, enthusiasm, and overall emotional well-being.  When we get emotional challenges sadhak starts to use up more tarpaka kapha and thus deplete it. How so?  When sadhak pitta is combust with heat due to emotional stress, when it has an imbalance of agni, it will also call on the reservoir of tarpaka kapha and ojas to cool itself off and restore balance.  So now you will understand why whenever you are experiencing emotional challenges you will tend to reach out for that extra-large ice-cream tub!

So you see, in this sense, sweets and sweet treats are actually part of a healthy SVA diet. We understand why we should not automatically discard sweets as unhealthy. The real question of course is what kind of sweets we should consume and why.  Most of you know that in the SVA diet I encourage the regular consumption of  seasonal juicy fruits to replace sugary treats.  Pears in particular give a very well balanced and sustained release of sugar molecules to the brain.  This is why after eating a pear you feel blissful for a long time.  Pears however are very somagenic – sometimes too somagenic to eat when raw, specially in the cold months of winter.  Uncooked and eaten without proper spicing, pears might be only partially digested by your body, and their high soma content may create shleshma, mucus substances, and clog the srotas (physical channels) with a mixture of shleshaka kapha and ama.   You can still eat pears in the wintertime, but only if you cook them with a stick of cinnamon and a couple of cloves perhaps, to counterbalance their high soma content,

Sweets play an important role in almost all celebrations and festivals of the world. In India particularly, we carry laddoos, sweet dumplings, to feed loved ones when joyous.  Chikki is the celebratory sweet of choice that people for celebrating Makar Sankranti – the sun’s voyage from the southern to the northern hemisphere.  This festival happens on January 14 and goes by different names according to different regions.  In South India the festival is called Pongal.  Ayurvedically, you will understand that this makes a lot of sense – in the wintertime they srotas or physical channels of our body shrink to the cooler temperatures, trapping agni in our body, and making us hungry for heavy and sweet things. Chikkies pacify agni through their sugar content, but also keep the soma in check, because sesame seeds are heating!

 

Sesame Crunch:  Packed with Nutrients and Sweet Goodness

Nutritionally speaking, sesame seeds are a wonderful addition to your daily diet. They carry many health benefits according to Ayurveda, and modern science has discovered that they are a rich source of vitamins, minerals, natural oils, and organic compounds which consist of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, manganese, copper, zinc, fiber, thiamin, vitamin B6, folate, protein, and tryptophan. A quarter cup of sesame seeds will give you approximately 35% of the daily values of calcium needed. Best part is

sesame seeds have a very low glycemic index.  In addition to these properties however, sesame seeds also contain two unique substances – sesamin and sesamolin.  Both of

these substances belong to a group of special beneficial fibers called lignans, and have been shown to have a cholesterol-lowering effect in humans, and to prevent

high blood pressure and increase vitamin E supplies in animals. Sesamin, in particular, is a great anti-oxidant and natural preservative that has been found to protect the liver from

oxidative damage.

Sesame Seeds in Ayurveda

How does Ayurveda like sesame seeds? It loves them! Here’s what the sutras have to say about sesame seeds, called “tila:”

 

So, according to the Carak Sutras, sesame is:

Snigdhoṣṇo: unctuous and warm

madhurastiktaḥ kaṣāyaḥ kaṭukastilaḥ: the rasas (taste) are madhura, bitter, astringent, pungent.

tvacyaḥ: good for the skin, whether used externally or internally

keśyaśca: good for the hair, whether used externally or internally

balyaśca: gives stamina

vātaghnaḥ: pacifies vata

kaphapittakṛt: can increase kapha and pitta.  However this effect is counter-balanced by the samyog (combination) of black pepper and jaggery, respectively, in the variants.

Sushruta gives his opinion that the vipak is sweet.  (This means that sesame is pitta and vata pacifying after digestion.)  He also says that these sesame seeds are good for the teeth and that they increase medha agni –the ‘flame’ between dhi, dhritti, smriti.  In other terms,  sesame seeds make you literally smarter!

Bhav Prakash says in his Dhānyavarga that sesame seeds are grahi, that is they enhance absorption; also that they increase asthi agni, the metabolism of the bone tissue; and also that they increase or enrich sukra dhatu, the reproductive tissue.

PV Sharma says in his Dravyaguna Part II that sesame has the unique characteristic of adopting the prabhavas or properties of other ingredients through proper samyog (combination) and sanskar (processing). This is a highly desirable and unique property because it means that sesame can be mixed with cool things to give a cooling soothing effect, or mixed with hot or metabolism enhancing items to support greater metabolic activity.

But what about the other ingredient? The cane sugar, or jaggery, that’s part of the recipe?

Jaggery, also known as gur in colloquial Hindi – is a traditional non-centrifugal cane sugar commonly consumed in India.  Gur’s primary property is that it is made without the separation of the molasses from the sugar crystals. In color, it can vary from golden brown to dark brown.  Let us see what the verses say.

 

guḍo: Gur –the jaggery

vṛṣyo: enhances sukra  – the reproductive tissue

guruḥ: heavy

snigdho: unctuous

vātaghno: pacifies vata

mūtraśodhanaḥ: purifies the urine

nātipittaharo: not that much pacifying to pitta. In higher quantities may increase pitta due to the agni content of certain minerals.

medaḥkaphakrimibalapradaḥ: can increase fat and kapha and stamina; can increase krimi (pathogenic organisms) and decrease immunity.  But, sesame seeds balance kapha and fat increase and act against krimi as an immuno-modulator.

So all in all, my newest SVA product, the organic Sesame Crunch, is a beautiful recipe where the 2 ingredients literally correct eachother’s properties out, and we are left with a delicious healthy sweet snack with a mouthful of nutrients and minerals and calcium.

My bite-size Sesame Crunch will not only help you balance prana vata and nurture tarpaka kapha, nourishing your levels of neurotransmitter serotonin, but it is also perfect all year round, not just the winter season, because I have added some SVA flavors to keep the Sesame Crunch balanced and balancing for all times of the year.

Traditionally, the sesame chikkis come in one flavor – just sesame and raw sugar. Now you have 6 SVA flavors or varieties. Each flavor uses a specific additional ingredient not just for flavor, but to help further balance a dosha or satisfy your sugar craving.

With my SVA Sesame Crunches you will satisfy your sweet tooth without feeling guilty, and also nourish your brain, feed your body calcium, and so many other essential nutrients. It can’t get better than that!

Six Varieties for Your Doshas and Taste – Ingredient-wise:

1.   Traditional Flavor: Organic Sesame Seeds and Organic raw sugar

2.  Spicy Sesame Crunch: Great for kapha body types, or if you’re agni is a little on the low side. It helps open the channels and pacify tarpaka kapha & shleshaka kapha.  Kapha body types can really benefit from a little Black

Pepper in the cold season, or anytime of the year. Did you know that modern science also shows that Black Pepper carries  benefits for the functions of the brain? Studies showed that Piperine, an active compound in black pepper, inhibits an enzyme that breaks down the calming neurotransmitter serotonin; yet another study published in the December 2012 issue of “Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters” found that black pepper might help prevent and treat Parkinson’s disease. Researchers noted that piperine inhibits a type of enzyme that degrades the neurotransmitter dopamine, which is deficient in

Parkinson’s disease patients; Black pepper might forestall brain aging and help prevent Alzheimer’s disease, according to a study published in a 2012 “Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease;” Anti-seizure effects of black pepper were demonstrated in a study published in a 2010 issue of “Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin;” and finally Black pepper improved swallowing ability in stroke patients in a study published in the September 2006 “Journal of the American Geriatric Society.” Participants inhaled an infusion of black pepper oil for a minute per day for a month. Results showed increased

activation of the area of the brain that controls the swallowing reflex.

What does Bhav Prakash say about the rasa (taste) and gunas (qualities) of Black Pepper (Marich)?

Maricam katukam tiksnam dipanam kaphavatajit

Usnam pittakaram ruksam svasasulakrmin haret

Maricam katukam:  Black Pepper is pungent.  Tiksnam: Sharp. Dipana:  It enhances agni, enhances the flame.  Kaphavataji:  Pacifies kapha and vata.  Usnam:  The virya is hot.  Pittakaram:  Increases pitta.  Ruksam: Dry and gives drying effect.

3.   Fennel Sesame Crunch: ideal for pitta body types – particularly women in their pre or post-menopausal stage of life – can benefit a lot from the addition of fennel. Fennel is pro-estrogenic and will give them more bliss by raising estrogen levels just enough.  This hormone plus the increase in serotonin will give more bliss and reduce emotional and mental stress.

4.   Cardamom Sesame Crunch: This variation is very good to pacify vata and pitta.  It opens the brain channels, supports bliss, and aids in protein absorption.  Anyone who loves cardamom will find this crunch magical.  I use the hard to find long variety of cardamom.  This variety has an amazing aroma. Special care was taken to protect this aroma (and all the other aromas) used in making all the flavors of the Sesame Crunch.

5.   Rose Sesame Crunch: This crunch gives all the benefits of rose particularly useful for high pitta types whether facing emotional challenges or not.  I made this variety especially for them.  In this age of Kali Yuga it’s hard to keep Sadhak Pitta in balance for anyone, so this flavor is actually great for all. Eat just one crunch and for at least one hour your bliss will be restored – some have reported a rosy breath too!  Special organic Rosa Centifolia petals were imported from India just for this Sesame Crunch. Find out more about the amazing properties of eating rose petals in my blog article –  Top 11 Ayurvedic Properties of Rose: The Queen of Flowers.

6.   Cacao Sesame Crunch:

Cocoa Sesame Crunch: And here is the black sheep of the bunch!  I personally do not care at all for chocolate. I did not grow up eating it, and having tried it later in life, I do not understand the fascination with it. According to my SVA findings, chocolate can clog your channels and sandhis (gaps) especially the five bhutagnis (liver burners). However, many of my lady clients repeatedly request it, so if you must have it, make sure you are choosing cacao instead of cocoa. As I said, in SVA, the cacao bean is not on my top list of edible items, even though when minimally-processed, or raw, cacao beans are confirmed superfoods. Here’s an impressive list of the raw cacao bean’s health benefits: Antioxidant effects. Cacao beans are absolutely packed with phenolic phytochemicals and flavonoids, which protect your cells against damage from free radicals. Oxidative damage can result in premature aging and many of the modern chronic health conditions. Boosts your mood and cognitive performance. Epicatechin, the main flavonoid in cacao was shown to improve various aspects of cognition, preserve cognitive abilities during aging, and improve overall mood. Lowers blood pressure. Recent studies found that flavanols lower blood pressure and increase blood vessel flexibility. Protects the heart. Researchers found that flavanols and procyanidins from cacao increased antioxidant capacity in the blood plasma and reduced platelet reactivity, resulting in a healthier heart. Regulates insulin levels. Epicatechin, a flavanol in cacao, activates key proteins and help regulate glucose production, even among diabetics. Cacao beans are also rich in nutrients like magnesium, iron, potassium, calcium, zinc, copper, and manganese. They’re actually thought to be one of the richest food sources of magnesium around. Keep in mind, cacao is NOT cocoa! If you must have chocolate, go for the unprocessed raw or least processed cacao powder, or nibs, or chunks. Cocoa starts the same way cacao does: harvested from the cacao plant’s seed pods. The processing makes all the difference, however. Cocoa is heated at much higher temperatures resulting in a less bitter and somewhat sweeter flavor, but also different health effects.There are actually two types of cocoa available: 1) Dark cocoa, undergoes processing with an alkalized chemical solution. This processing further depletes and degrades the cacao’s healhty antioxidant and nutrient content. 2) Natural cocoa powder tastes a little more acidic and bitter than the dark version, but it’s still not as nutritionally dense as cacao powder. Bottom-line: you want to go with cacao rather than cocoa because cocoa powder “mixes” often contain added sugar and/or other sweeteners. Of course, this is one of the reasons why cocoa tends to be cheaper than cacao and easier to find. Look for high-quality cocoa without added sugars, dairy products, artificial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup, or emulsifiers. This is the kind I use in my Sesame Crunch, and the only kind you should be going after if you are seeking  the health benefits along with the bitter and sweet chocolate taste you are craving!  You can also find other recipes on my Youtube channel: such as my chocolate laddoo recipe that uses spices to counterbalance the clogging effect of the chocolate – https://www.svayurveda.com/?s=chocolate. But I think adding organic cocoa powder to the Sesame Crunch is even better, as sesame’s heating and channel-opening properties are perfect to counteract the clogging effects of the cocoa bean. This crunch, like all the rest, is also vega, which is also desirable. Even my wife loved and approved it!

This is, then, my gift to you, this holiday season – guilt-free nutrition-packed sweets that you can enjoy with your morning cup of tea, after your meals, or as a stand-alone snack. Anytime of the day or the year is the right time to bite into a sesame crunch! Happy Holidays!

 

Disclaimer

This product and statements have not been evaluated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and are not intended to be used to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. All of the information above is intended to be used for educational purposes only and may not be used to replace or compliment medical advice.

Tridoshic Single-Serve Pre-assembled Rice, Lentils, and Spice Pouches

Can you eat comfort food and still be healthy? Try it with one of my 5 ayurvedic kichdi-s: variations on a the classical original blend of rice, lentils, and spices. When the samyog (combination) and samskar (preparation) are done right, kichdi is a full meal, creamy in texture, light, yet nourishing and sustaining. Highly popular in South Asia with innumerable varations, Khichdi (Khicṛī) is derived from Sanskrit खिच्चा khiccā, a dish of rice and legumes. In India, it is not only the first solid food that we give to our babies, but it is also used when cleansing and detoxifying the body of seasonal residual impurities. Kichdi is ideal when trying to reset the overall digestive system and can be used anytime of the year or day – depending on preparation and ingredients. The concept is simple and allows itself to be easily tailored to address different conditions. Anyone who has ever had a seasonal ayurvedic cleansing treatment – PK (panchakarma) – will surely have tasted a kichdi.  But now you can add kichdi to your seasonal or weekly menu for an easy and delicious way of staying on top of your health.

The basic recipe of kichdi is discussed at length  in the ayurvedic shastras. The idea is to mix rice and lentils with a healthy fat and some spice, and cook it down either to a creamy texture or as a blend of rice and legumes. There are no limits to the variations and flavors of kichdi you can make. To meet the needs of everyone for nutrition and detoxification at the same time, and to address all Ayurvedic body type variations, I have put together five fast cooking pre-mixed kichdi pouches.  Each pouch has everything you need for one serving: rice, lentils, spices, ghee, and Soma Salt.  You don’t need to add anything!  All you have to do is cut your pouch open, add it to boiling water, and let it cook for a few minutes.

Why have I made these mixes available? Food is our utmost concern on a daily basis, and no matter how great our intentions, the rhythm of modern life will disrupt our routine at one point or another, leading us to reach out for a not-so-healthy snack from time to time. I’ve made these pre-packaged kichdi pouches to give you the convenience of a quick and healthy meal when you run out of ideas, or are too tired to make an elaborate meal yet are very hungry after a long day at large in the world!

Another reason I wanted to make these mixes available for you are the fact that they contain a very special breed of rice, one that I personally grew up eating in my village in north-east India, and one that is rare to find. I have now, afer a long search, been able to source it, and thus wanted to make it available for you.

•    Tridoshic Kichdi^TM

•    Vata Kichdi with Garcinia and Kulthi^TM

•    Pitta Kichdi with Garcinia and Kulthi ^TM

•    Kapha Kichdi with Garcinia and Kulthi ^TM

•    High Pitta Kichdi ^TM 

All five SVA Kichdi Mixes are made with Kali Jeeri Rice and Organic Mung dhal.  The three tridoshic detox mixes include these, plus Kulthi lentils and Organic Quinoa.  All mixes also contain one of my SVA masalas (spice blends), in addition to Soma Salt^TM.  Each mix has been gently toasted in Mom’s Ghee^TM and then vacuum packed into convenient 4 ounce sealed single-use pouches.

All you have to do is cut the pouch open and add the ingredients into 16 ounces of boiling water. Cover and cook.  The Tridoshic Kichdi Mix^TM   and the High Pitta Kichdi ^TM will be ready to eat in just ten minutes.  The three dosha-specific detox mixes each have Kulthi and will take a little longer to cook, but will still be ready in about 20 minutes.

You can make your kichdi with extra water to get a creamy texture, or you can add the exact amount of water to have it like a mixture of dry rice and lentils. You can also add double the amoun of water to have a soupy thick texture, and you can throw in some diced zucchini, or daikon radish. No matter how much water you add, make sure you boil the water before adding your mixture, to prevent clumping of the ingredients. Your kichdi will also cook faster that way. Don’t forget to cover your pot to retain the aromatic properties of the ingredients.

Traditionally, in India, kichdi is consumed during recovery from an ailment. But you don’t have to be sick or convalescing to enjoy kichdi.  You may have kichdi anytime. Under certain conditions or situations, however, kichdi can be even more beneficial.  For example, instead of fasting or doing a juice diet, or some other hard detox program, you can feed yourself kichdi to help ease out toxins. If you are even a little familiar with SVA, you will know that I always warn against harsh detox programs.  A kichdi diet is a safe balanced gradual approach to detoxification, even as you maintain adequate amounts of required complex carbohydrates and protein in the diet, and thus proceed without causing nutritional deficiencies.  Kichdi is one of my recommended foods in my Do-it-yourself-SVA-PK: 7-Tissue 7 Week Detox Plan for SVA Home PK.   Now that my fast cooking pre-mixed kichdi blends are here, the 7 week detox program is even easier for you to follow.

Besides using kichdi for PK or convalescing during illness, eating kichdi can give us adequate nutrition while simultaneously letting our digestive system rest and reset itself, which is especially important if you lead a stressful life or cannot stay on top of your SVA meals and routine most of the time.

This is exactly why I made these mixes, because life is busy and having these pouches gives us an easy choice to eat healthy instead of reaching for high calorie, low nutrition snacks, fast foods, or left-overs.

You may notice, overtime, that the regular use of kichdi may improve your mental functions, making your thinking clearer and sharper, it may also help balance your emotions.  Most of us know the hyped feeling that comes from consuming (too much) sugar, the heavy, dull feeling from an excess of dairy, fats, red meat or the ungrounded , spaced and unfocussed effects from too much raw foods, vegetable and fruit juices.

Kichdi may well be the most perfect therapeutic recipe of all because it detoxifies the entire system, while kindling the body’s digestive fires called ‘agni.’

All this being said, I am not recommending that you eat only kichdi day in and day out – except in special cases of debilitating illness with low agni and loss of appetite.  Kichdi, alone, even though nutritious, will not supply every nutrient that the average, healthy working person needs.  Used wisely though, kichdi will complement your daily diet and support your SVA health regimen. Kichdi may look like a poor man’s meal but it will make you feel like a king!

 

Kichdi as defined in the Ayurvedic Sutra-s:

The classical name of kichdi in Sanskrit is krsara.  I always follow the vedic siddhantas (principles with proven results) of the classical recipes, and follow the guidelines for how to modify the recipes based on the needs of each person or their constitutione and/or condition – their vyadhi (disease) and imbalances.

First, let us talk about the Tridoshic Kichdi Mix^TM , which is based on the definition of kichdi given to us by Bhav Prakash.  This kichdi is the closest to the common kichdi used for many centuries in India.  I chose the name SVA Tridoshic Kichdi Mix^TM,  but I could have called it ‘Kichdi By Definition’! These convenient pouches contain Kali Jeeri Rice, Organic Mung Dhal (wild variety), Sunthi (Ayurvedic Ginger), Mom’s Super Spice^TM, Soma Salt^TM, and Mom’s Ghee^TM.

This blend is tri-doshic – good for all Ayurvedic body types, and perfect for anyone without any extreme imbalances of vata, pitta, or kapha.  This kichdi has the proper proportion of the special rice, or Kali Jeeri Rice, and organic mung dhal.  I grew up eating this rice but, for a long time, I was not able to find any sources that sold the rice that was free from pesticides.  However, my efforts finally paid off recently.  Whenever pesticides are used in growing rice, in addition to the toxic load, the aroma of the rice gets lost.  This rice is grown with no pesticides and is very aromatic and pleasing to smell.  Also Kali Jeeri rice has many wonderful qualities setting it apart from other varieties of rice:  It has a low glycemic index (important for optimum sugar levels), cooks faster than other rice, is lighter and easier to digest, and it has a very balanced interaction with the mung dhal.  The dhal in the blend is the wild smaller variety, and is certified organic.

The Tridoshic Kichdi Mix^TM  can be eaten any time of day, in any season.  Prepare and eat it as is, or throw in your favorite fast cooking vegetables, like summer squash, or baby Spinach leaves.  Please note that the whole blend has been carefully pre-toasted in just the right quantity of Mom’s Ghee.  So, there is no need to use extra ghee, but you have that option to, if you want to.

Now let’s see what the verses say:

Tandula: Rice

Dali: Dhal

Sammisra: Balanced mixture

Lavaṇārdrakahiṅgubhiḥ: Salt and dry ginger.  (I use Soma Salt^TM and Sunthi (Ayurvedic Ginger suitable for all body types – even pitta).

Hingubhi:  Hing or asafetida.  (The real hing is not easily available this day and age.  I replaced hing with Mom’s Super Spice^TM.)

Saṁyuktāḥ:  Mixing all together

Salile: Water

Siddhāḥ: Cooked

Kṛśarā: Kichdi

Kathitā: Named or called

Budhaiḥ: Wise person (called kṛśarā by the wise person)

As happy as I am to bring you these kichdi recipes with Kali Jeeri Rice, I am equally happy to give you organic mung dhal – but not just any mung dhal.  I use the smaller, wild variety which gives all the qualities mentioned in the verse below.  To prepare kichdi it was traditionally necessary to sort through the dhal to remove any unwanted debris, such as tiny rocks and twigs.  The mung dhal used in my pouches have been meticulously sifted to remove any debris. Let us see what the Bhava Prakash Dhanyavarga verse says about this light, highly nutritious lentil.

 

Rukso: Dry.  (I balance the dryness by lightly toasting all ingredients in Mom’s Ghee^TM.)

Laghu: Easy to digest

Grahi: Easy to absorb

Kaphapittaharo: Kapha & Pitta Pacifying:  (After toasting with Mom’s Ghee^TM the mix becomes tri-doshic.)

Hima: Cooling.  (Balanced by the pre-mixed spices not to be too cooling.)

Svadu: Tasty

Alpanilo:  A little vata aggravating.  (Balanced by the unctuousness of Mom’s Ghee^TM.)

Netryo:  Good for eyes

Jvaraghno: Good pathya.  (Pathya is a daily food supporting disease management or recovery.  Mung dhal is a good pathya during fever.)

Vanajastathā:  Wild variety, smaller variety.  (There are two varieties of mung dhal.  I use the smaller, wild variety.  The larger variety does not have all the qualities.)

Tridoshic Kichdi Mix^TM

Kali Jeeri Rice

Organic Mung Dhal (small variety)

Soma Salt^TM

Sunthi (Ayurvedic Ginger)

Mom’s Ghee^TM

Mom’s Super Spice^TM

Cooking Directions: Cut open the pouch, add the ingredients into 16 ounces of boiling water, and cook covered for approximately 8-10 minutes.  Pre-toasted in Mom’s Ghee^TM.   No need to add anything.Enjoy!

 

High Pitta Kichdi Mix ^TM

I made this mix especially for high pittas and pitta body types who simply cannot handle the spices typically used in kichdi – even the gentleness of Mom’s Super Spice.  Why? Pitta body-types receive more agni by nature. It’s just the way they’re born. A chili plant receives more agni than a zucchini plant by nature. That can’t be changed, but when pitta body-types get pitta aggravation, the joy of being pitta goes away.  The pitta body-type itself is very sensitive to manage. There is no buffer in the pitta physiology. If toxins must be removed, they can easily heat the body, or damage it when they come out. It takes real skill to handle pitta body types. When you add a pitta aggravation to the mix, the challenge becomes that much more difficult. If the liver is toxic, and the blood is full of amavisha (toxicity), you have to take baby steps to get the body clean. It can take years to detox because each bit of toxin that gets removed must be neutralized immediately to prevent a reaction.  In this situation, we need extra special treatment.

This is why I made this extra cooling kichdi for pittas.  It has a gently sweet, soothing and cooling taste that cools and pacifies pitta with its aroma even before eating.  It has Pitta Masala, in addition to fennel and rose petals.

SVA Kichdi Mix for High Pitta^TM 

Kali Jeeri Rice

Organic Mung Dhal

Mom’s Ghee^TM

Pitta Masala

Organic Fennel

Organic Rose Petals

Soma Salt^TM

Cooking Directions: Tear the pouch, put the ingredients into 16 ounces of boiling water, and cook covered for approximately 8-10 minutes.  Pre-toasted in Mom’s Ghee^TM.   No need to add anything – enjoy!

 

SVA Detox Kichdi Mix: Three Types (Vata, Pitta, & Kapha)

Traditionally kichdi supports gentle, daily detox but I wanted to give you a blend that takes detox one step further with the inclusion of Kulthi and Quinoa.  Quinoa is native to South America and not known or used in traditional Indian culture.  However, I have found this small seed to be a powerhouse of fiber and protein, yet it’s light and easily digested.  Kulthi lentils offer deep detoxification of any crystallized, unused calcium, and support the asthi dhatu (bones) to metabolize calcium in a complete way.  Each detox blend varies by and contains one of my Garcinia Masalas – Vata, Pitta, or Kapha.

All variations contain Kali Jeeri Rice, Mung dhal, Quinoa, Kulthi, Soma Salt^TM, Mom’s Ghee^TM, Mom’s Super Spice^TM, and Garcinia Masala (by dosha)

Let us see some of the benefits of the ingredients –

•    Mung dhal – Excellent for cellular detoxification:  High source of nutrients including: manganese, potassium, magnesium, folate, copper, zinc and various B vitamins.  A 100 gram serving provides approximately 24 grams of easy-to-digest protein.  Can aid in weight loss.

•    Quinoa – This tiny grain from the Andes is gluten-free and high in protein.  It’s one of the few plant foods that contain all nine essential amino acids!  Read ‘11 Proven Health Benefits of Quinoa.’

•    Kulthi:   Sometimes the toxins in the body (especially garvisha, the xenobiotics, and amavisha, the hot reactive toxins) are bound with unused excess calcium.  These crystallized toxins need something to break them down.  In my SVA lineage, we address calcification with Kulthi.  Kulthi is a lentil that grows on hard rocky soil in the Himalayan Mountains. Many of us, especially as we age, can benefit greatly by consuming this lentil.  Besides de-calcification, Kulthi is quite nourishing. It has a very low glycemic index and very few calories. It enhances the digestive fire or pachak agni and the dhatu agnis, making sure that no ama or semi-digested material is formed.  It also provides a good source of vegetarian protein.  On top of that, Kulthi can assist with weight loss or the maintenance of optimal weight, especially when cooked with one of my Garcinia Masalas.  Kulthi owns an excellent nutritional profile, especially high in easily assimilated protein.  We might as well call it an undiscovered Superfood!  Read more about kulthi here: Daily Decalcification and Detox With Instant Kulthi Protein Powder 

•    Garcinia Masala:  Garcinia cambogia is a small, sweet, exotic fruit native to South India and Southeast Asia that has garnered a lot of attention as a popular natural weight loss aid.  Indeed it does help weight loss, but it can also support weight gain if that is what the body needs. In Sanskrit, Garcinia cambogia is called “vrikshamla.” It is mentioned in the ayurvedic “nighantu”-s (or glossaries) as a vata and kapha dosha pacifying dravya or food ingredient. Regardless of your body type, adding garcinia to your diet will help you enhance absorption of your nutrients – this is due to its unique thermogenic potency. Garcinia will sharpen your taste buds, clearing away ama or toxic build-up in your oral cavity, and reset proper metabolism in your blood, muscle, and fat.  I have added Garcinia Masala to these three detox kichdis for flavor and for additional detox and balancing power on these tissues.

The spice ingredients in the Garcinia Masalas vary from one to the other, but let me describe some of these spices in detail.

Cumin:  Cumin seeds enhance the absorption of nutrients from the food, pacifying and nurturing vata dosha

Coriander:  Coriander seeds eliminate toxins from the body easing things up for vata metabolism and cooling off pitta and amavisha (reactive toxins).

Fennel: Fennel gently stimulates agni without overheating and coordinates the effects of all the other herbs.

Fenugreek: Fenugreek seeds enhance fat and protein metabolism to pacify kapha dosha and facilitate weight management.

Green and black cardamom: These spices enhance protein metabolism

Cinnamon:  Cinnamon enhances sugar and carbohydrate metabolism preventing them from being stored as fat and leading to weight gain.

Ajwain: Unclouds Pachaka Agni (flame of digestion in stomach) and pacifies vata in the stomach – samana vata –to support digestion

Learn more about Garcinia – the ‘Holy Grail’ of weight loss – in my blog: Garcinia – One for All

SVA Detox Kichdi Mix for Vata^TM

Kali Jeeri Rice

Organic Quinoa

Organic Mung Dhal

Kulthi Lentils

Mom’s Ghee^TM

Garcinia Masala for Vata^TM

Soma Salt^TM

Mom’s Super Spice^TM

Cooking Directions: Cut the pouch open and the ingredients into 16 ounces of boiling water, cook covered for approximately 18-20 minutes.  The Kulthi lentils (no matter how much cooked) will still be slightly crunchy on the inside.  This is normal.  Pre-toasted in Mom’s Ghee^TM.   No need to add anything –  enjoy!

SVA Detox Kichdi Mix for Pitta^TM

Kali Jeeri Rice

Organic Quinoa

Organic Mung Dhal

Kulthi Lentils

Mom’s Ghee^TM

Garcinia Masala for Pitta^TM

Soma Salt ^TM

Mom’s Super Spice^TM

Cooking Directions: Cut the pouch open and add the ingredients into 16 ounces of boiling water, cook covered for approximately 18-20 minutes.  The Kulthi lentils (no matter how much cooked) will still be slightly crunchy on the inside.  This is normal.  Pre-toasted in Mom’s Ghee^TM.   No need to add anything – enjoy!

SVA Detox Kichdi Mix for Kapha^TM

Kali Jeeri Rice

Organic Quinoa

Organic Mung Dhal

Kulthi Lentils

Mom’s Ghee^TM

Garcinia Masala for Kapha^TM

Soma Salt^TM

Mom’s Super Spice^TM

Cooking Directions: Cut the pouch open, add the ingredients into 16 ounces of boiling water, cook covered for approximately 20 minutes.  The Kulthi lentils (no matter how much cooked) will still be slightly crunchy on the inside.  This is normal.  Pre-toasted in Mom’s Ghee^TM.   No need to add anything – enjoy!

 

Disclaimer

This product and statements have not been evaluated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and are not intended to be used to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. All of the information above is intended to be used for educational purposes only and may not be used to replace or compliment medical advice.