Ayurvedic Cooking for Self Healing

by Usha Lad, Vasant Dattatray Lad

Here is an authentic guide of the Ayurvedic approach to food and tasty vegetarian cooking. The recipes are formulated using herbs and spices to help balance the constitution of every individual. The chapters in this book are strictly based on all the principles of Ayurveda.

Genres: Cookbooks, Health, Cooking, Food, India, Medicine, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published June 1, 1994

Reviews

[xDEAD ENDx]

This is a basic introduction to Ayurveda and how it relates to food. I am a little beyond the 101 level, so felt like it was repeating things I already knew. One of the things it doesn't mention at all, which definitely relates to food, is the effect of food on the gunas and how different foods cultivate these tendencies in various manners.

I am also a little put off by the recipes. Though I haven't tried to make many of them, I am less interested in single-food based recipes than dishes that incorporate variety (ie. a dish based upon a variety of vegetables rather than just a recipe for spiced tomatoes). These can still be balanced without requiring the individual to make 5 dishes per meal.

[Sher]

An excellent primer to begin your journey into Ayurvedic cooking. Covers the basics of the Ayurveda nutrition system based on constitutional types and helps you discover your type - vita, pitta, or alpha. Each recipe is rated for constitutional type for example does the food aggravate pitta or calm pitta. Soups, chutneys, rice dishes, beverages-- all included. Most ingredients and spices easily found. Vegetarian. Food combining and particular healing foods covered. Should note - these are Indian dishes and not western food dishes. I'll be on the outlook for cookbooks covering Ayurvedic Nutrition with western type recipes since I don't eat Indian food very often. Though I am using tumeric and curry now several times at least per week.

[Firoz Kathrada]

Excellent book about how our body works and how to feed the right food in order to avoid doctors. I have put into practice what the authors recommended. It works. I wished I have had all this knowledge beforehand. Highly recommend this book.

[Frediem]

Very interesting book. I will definitely use it often.

[Luana]

Amazing book. It tells you everything you need to know about starting with an Ayurvedic cooking, how to heal your body and mind. It has a lot of easy and good recipes.
I highly recommend it!

[Kristin]

I live by this book. I have determined it to be the most authoritative tome on the subject. The remedies for cold symptoms turn sickness recovery into a breeze. My only issue is I don't have access to many of the ingredients that are in more advanced recipes and remedies, and so can't make them. It's possible they could be obtained at an Indian grocery, but there isn't one close enough to me to try it out. Also, on the flip side, it offers no commentary on the properties of many things that are pervasive in what I eat, being pretty common in America. In other words, it's largely specific to Indian foods, but not entirely. I still get by great with it. It would be cool if it was possible for the authors to give some introduction to how the doshic properties of foods are determined so that it can be figured out if the food isn't listed in the book's tables. That may be unrealistic to wish for, though, or might be found in a different book.

[Brenden Steltz]

I have used this cookbook quite a bit. I've made less than 20 of the recipes, but some I have used quite frequently. I think I've used the Mung Dal Kitchari recipes at least 50 times! The book is nicely laid out, with hand drawn illustrations. The recipes are clear and easy to follow and the lay-flat binding makes the book easy to manage when you're running all over the kitchen.

[Susan]

Now that I am beginning to understand this cookbook, the recipes are delicious and I feel incredible after eating the food I prepare according to these guidelines. This has not been an easy cookbook to understand but is well worth the experiments to get to the final product.

[Diane]

This one is a constant reference.

[Rosamore]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13485267

[Hannah Na]

Not comprehensive by any means but it's a good intro book to Ayurvedic cooking

[Shivani Loka-Laksmi]

Easy and delicious Ayurvedic recipes

[Said Assouik]

The food and cooking is a glory and the most fascinating things on ayurveda!

[Christopher Prosser]

cookbooks

[Ambika Devi]

This is a nice addition to my Ayurvedic cookbooks. Lots of yummy recipes and great information.

[Victor Cirone]

Excellent recipes, highly recommended introduction to Ayurvedic cooking.