Ayurveda Global Tour 2006 & 2007 (Itinerary)

Ama Questionnaire 

IDEAL nutrition not only depends on a balanced wholesome & nutritious diet but also on the strength & efficiency of the processes of digestion & metabolism through which the body extracts & utilizes the nutrients contained in the food.

Shruti Ayurveda knowledge programme provides both the approaches. 

About diet
It will provide unique recepies which are very easy to prepare. The effects of food items used in the recipes are discussed so one can learn more & get an idea about constitution & about suitability of that particular recipe.

About Digestion 
It will provide with complete understanding of how to ensure that digestive fire (digestive & metabolic processes) operate with optimal efficiency.
Variations in the need for different food items & ability to digest them are into account, including the age of an individual, digestive capacity, constitutional type, state of health & the influence of time, season & environment.

About Nutrition
Encompassing the knowledge of 

1. The fundamental constituents of human physiology – Vat, Pitta & kapha dosha.

2. The food items which we eat, their nature & activities & their effect on the fundamental constituents of human physiology.

3. Agni (Digestive fire)

4. The result of digestion & metabolism in terms of nourishments of tissues.
   About the fundamental constituents of human physiology (Basic governing principles).  

1. Vat dosha – the dosha responsible for all movements in the physiology.
   All kinds of communications & transportations are under control of Vat.

2. Pitta dosha – the dosha responsible for digestion & metablism in the physiology. All kinds of transformations in the form of digestive & metabolic processes are under control of Pitta.

3. Kapha – the dosha responsible for body structure, cohesion & lubrication of the tissues.

Qualities of Vat ,Pitta ,Kapha

Vat - Dryness, roughness, coldness, coolness, light, subtle, movement, non sticky, coarse / brittle 

Pitta - Slightly oleated ,heat, sharp, liquid, sour, movement, pungent 

Kapha – Heavy, cold, soft, unctuous, sweetness, stability, sticky

By giving proper attention to this point while preparing meals one is able to know the effect of that food on the body & mind. 

Agni (digestive fire) - One should maintain the agni by proper intake of wholesome food & drink because on maintenance of agni depends the maintaince of life span & strength (it is important to have good digestive capacity than nutritious food).

Ama- if this agni is deranged ,it is unable to digest even light food & the food being undigested becomes acidified & toxic. This uncooked food is ama which becomes spoiled & gets accumulated in the channels of circulation. 

One may detect the accumulation of ama in the physiology with the help of  questionnaire

Asparagus 1 pound Ghee(clarified butter) Or organic olive oil  1 teaspoon Cumin seeds ¼ teaspoon Salt ½ teaspoon Mustard Seeds   ¼ teaspoon Hing(Asafoetida) 1 pinch Turmeric Powder ¼ teaspoon Fresh grated ginger 1/2teaspoon Dry roasted coconut flakes ½ teaspoon  Dry roasted sesame seeds ½ teaspoon Fresh lemon juice ½ teaspoon

Method of preparation -
Step 1: 
Steaming Asparagus : Snap off the whitish end part of the asparagus stalks and peel the lower inch of the remaining stalks. Tie all the asparagus stalks into a bundle. Take a deep pot filled with 3 cm of boiling water. Add salt into it. Keep the asparagus bundle standing upright into it. Invert another pot over the top as a lid. Reduce the heat and simmer until bright green about 5 minutes. In this special steaming method, the stalks get cooked by the boiling water below and the tips get cooked by the steam and remain crisp tender.

Step 2 :  
Heat the ghee or organic olive oil in a 10 inch lidded skillet. Add cumin seeds & mustard seeds over medium heat until they pop. Add a pinch of Hing, turmeric powder and fresh grated ginger. Saute over low heat for few seconds and quickly add water drained asparagus stalks into it. Saute for 1-2 minutes stirring it constantly. If you think that stalks are not steamed enough, you can cover the skillet with the lid and sauté until they are tender for 2-4 minutes. 

Step 3: 
Add lemon juice. Sprinkle it with lightly roasted dry coconut flakes and sesame seeds before serving. 

For Vat dosha predominant constitutions it is preferred to eat raw vegetable salads in smaller amounts. Use cucumber, cooked beets and asparagus. Serve with plenty of unctuous salad dressing. Sweet, sour and salty taste and unctuous ingredients such as oil, avocado, sour cream is helpful to balance Vat. Some grain salads can also be used. 

For Pitta dosha predominant constitutions salad’s cooler temperature is helpful. In the dressing, use less salt and sour ingredients and less oil. Pasta and pitta balancing grains can be used. For kapha dosha predominant constitutions, vegetables and beans are used in salads. Reduce the sweet, sour and salty tastes in the dressing and use small amount of sunflower or corn oil. Kapha balancing grains can be used.

Cucumber Salad (Raita)

Ingredients-

Coarsely grated cucumber  1 cup Yogurt 1 cup Fresh cilantro  1 tablespoon Black pepper powder ¼ teaspoon Dry roasted & ground     Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon Salt ¼ teaspoon Organic Oil  1 teaspoon Whole Cumin Seeds ½ teaspoon Hing 1 pinch Sugar  1 pinch

Method of preparation -

Mix dry roasted cumin powder into the yogurt and whisk until it is soft. Mix the grated cucumber, black pepper powder, salt and sugar into it.
Heat the oil in a skillet. Add cumin seeds until it pops. Add hing and pour the mixture over it.  Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.

Variations-
1) With cucumber 1 chopped tomato can be added.
2) Replace the cucumber with 1 cup of cubed, baked potatoes.
3) Replace cucumber with avocados and chopped tomato. 

Tips for good Soup making:
1) Always use fresh ingredients.
2) Use pees and greens in small amounts.
3) Pureed tomatoes add excellent flavor.
4) Broccoli, cauliflower & Brussels sprouts tend to overwhelm soups with their sharp flavors. So it is better to avoid using them in soups.
5) Stir fresh herbs into soups just before serving.
6) Saute the dried herbs in ghee or organic oil before adding to stalk.
7) Homemade stalks are greater fresh tasting than instant flavors. 
8) Grains can be added at the beginning of cooking. Try adding in small amounts. 
9) For added richness, replace part of stalk with coconut milk.
10)Add Pasta or rice noodles after sautéing slowly in little ghee or organic oil.

Mixed Vegetable Soup

Ingredients-
 

Sliced mixed vegetables  2- 2 ½ cups Chopped tomatos ¼ cup Dried basil ¼ tsp Dried rosemary  1/8 tsp Hing (Asfoetida)  1 pinch Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley 2 tablespoon Stalk 3 cups Black pepper ¼ teaspoon

Method of Preparation-
Heat ghee or organic oil in a soup pot. Add Hing, bayleaf and dried herbs and sauté over low heat for 2 minutes. Add tomato and sliced mixed vegetables. Saute over low heat for 10 minutes. Add the stalk or water to the vegetables. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 45-60 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the bayleaf before serving.