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Ayurvedic Recipes for Spring
I’ve put together some of my favorites for you. These recipes will help balance Kapha Dosha, or the elements of water and earth that tend to be predominant in the spring in the western hemisphere. They include bitter and astringent tastes which have a lightening invigorating nature. During Kapha season, add more warm, light and dry foods to your diet.
Kitchari
- ½ cup mung dal
- ½ cup masoori rice
- 2 teaspoons ghee
- 2 cardamom pods
- 3 whole black peppercorns
- 2 whole cloves
- 1/4 tsp coriander seed
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro including stems
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/4 tsp cumin powder
- 1/4 tsp fennel
- a pinch of hing (asafoetida)
- 1 ¾ cup water
Soak the rice and mung beans overnight. Rinse well and set aside. Add the ghee to a pan and once melted, add the cardamom, peppercorns, cloves, ginger, and coriander seed. Sautée for 30 seconds. Then add the turmeric, cumin, and fennel along with a pinch of hing until it becomes aromatic. Add the mung beans, rice, and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 25-30 minutes. Add salt to taste.
Carrot Ginger Soup
- 4 teaspoons ghee
- 5 cinnamon sticks
- 2-pound bag of carrots chopped
- 1 sweet potato chopped
- 2 heaping teaspoons freshly grated or minced ginger
- 2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons coriander
- 1½ teaspoons cumin powder
- 4 teaspoons of your favorite curry powder
- 32 ounces vegetable stock
- 1 can coconut milk
- In a large pot heat the ghee. Break the cinnamon sticks and sauté until fragrant. Add the ginger then the carrots and sweet potato. Cover until the veggies are soft, stirring occasionally. When you can break the carrots with a wooden spoon, add in the rest of the spices. Mix well and pour in the stock. Close the lid, lower the heat, and simmer for approximately 30–40 minutes. Add coconut milk for a creamy texture and blend until smooth.
Sautéed Veggies
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- a variety of vegetables, cut into 1-inch cubes: butternut squash, zucchini, asparagus, sweet potato
- 1 ½ cups cold water
- Soma salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ⅛ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon grated ginger
- ¼ teaspoon coriander seed
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Sautée the spices in ghee. Add the firm vegetables and sautée until soft. Then add the softer vegetables and stir until tender. Add salt and adjust the spices to taste.
Cilantro Chutney
- a handful of fresh cilantro
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon grated ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- Juice of 1/2 lime
- Shredded coconut
- Water as needed
Blend all ingredients together. Add water as necessary and adjust the amount of ingredients according to taste.
Warming Chai
- 5 black peppercorns
- 5 cardamom pods
- 5 cloves
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 4 cups of water
- 1 cup of nondairy milk
- 2 tbsp of honey or another natural sweetener
Bring the water to a boil. Then add the spices and stir well. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover for 30 minutes. Let cool, add the milk and honey to taste. Do not add the honey to hot liquids as it becomes toxic over 140 degrees.
Apple Bake
- 3 organic apples
- 3 tsp cinnamon powder
- 3 tsp cardamom powder
- 1 tbsp walnuts
- 1 tbsp almonds
- 1 tbsp chopped dates
- 1 tbsp melted ghee
- 3-star anise
Preheat the oven to 325°. Wash and core the apples. Chop the almonds and walnuts into small chunks. Melt the ghee and brush the apples. Divide the cinnamon, cardamom, star anise and sprinkle equally on all the apples. Fill the apple centers with the nuts and dates. Cook for 20-25 minutes. Enjoy!
Here are two of my favorite Ayurvedic cooking suppliers:
Divya’s Kitchen use code: JEANETTE15 for a 15% discount
Banyan Botanicals has amazing products as well. I am an affiliate with them so I do receive a small percentage if you use this link.
If you want to know more, check out our Ayurveda Certification Program and 21 Day Cleanse.
