Ayurveda Cooking Class with Jodi Adams

Food is medicine. Combinations of herbs and spices with seasonal vegetables can help one to find balance and ease digestion. Reacquaint yourself with many of the herbs and spices you may already be familiar with in a new way. Join Jodi Adams, Certified Yoga Instructor and Ayurveda Yoga Specialist, in this virtual cooking class as she guides you through the foundations of Ayurvedic cooking traditions, spice blending, and mindful, seasonal recipes. The class menu includes:

  • Kitchari - a complete meal intended to nourish and rejuvenate that combines basmati rice with split yellow mung beans, ginger, and a balanced blend of spices.
  • Vata Churna - an assortment of culinary spices that will be blended to flavor the food and traditionally used to ease stress, promote good digestion, and create harmony in the body and mind.
  • Roasted Japanese Sweet Potatoes - seasoned with Vata Churna and served alongside seasonal greens
  • Cumin Coriander Fennel Tea - commonly used to support healthy digestion, soothe common digestive discomforts, and stoke digestive fire.

 

What You'll Need:
  • Knife
  • Cutting board
  • Peeler
  • Baking Sheet
  • Strainer
  • Sauce pot
  • Sauce pan
  • Blender or food processor
Ingredients
Vata Churna
Ground turmeric
1 tablespoon
Ground ginger
1 tablespoon
Ground fenugreek
1 tablespoon
Ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon
Hing
1/16 teaspoon
Licorice powder
1/16 teaspoon
Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Japanese sweet potatoes
2
Ghee, melted
To taste
Kitchari
Ghee
1-2 tablespoons
Yellow split mung beans
1 cup
White basmati rice
1/2 cup
Yellow mustard seed
1/2 teaspoon
Cumin seed
1/2 teaspoon
Himalayan pink salt
1 teaspoon
Vata Churna
2 teaspoons
Ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1.5 inches
Water
4-6 cups
Spinach
1 bunch
Cilantro
For garnish
Avocado
For garnish
Bragg's amino acids
For garnish
Cilantro Chutney
Cilantro
1 bunch
Lemon juice
1/4 cup
Ginger, grated
2 tablespoons
Raw honey
To taste
Sea salt
To taste
Cumin Coriander Fennel Tea
Cumin seed
1 teaspoon
Coriander seed
1 teaspoon
Fennel Seed
1 teaspoon
Vata Churna
  1. Combine all spices in a small bowl or container.

*Churnas can be thought of as a first line of medicine.

*They can balance out the dosha without causing other doshas to come out of balance.

*Use them with your Kitchari, on veggies, sprinkled over rice and beans, on eggs, etc.

 

Roasted Sweet Potatoes
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Wash potatoes, then peel them (optional). 
  3. Slice potatoes into 1/2-inch rounds. Toss with melted ghee and coat with the churna.
  4. Place potatoes on a cookie sheet or roasting pan. Cook for 10 minutes. Check for tenderness, then turn potatoes over and cook for another 10 minutes or until they reach your preferred tenderness.

 

Kitchari
  1. Rinse and drain the yellow mung beans and the white basmati rice 3 times.
  2. Heat ghee in the bottom of a heavy-bottomed saucepan.
  3. Saute the mustard and cumin seeds until you hear them pop.
  4. Stir in the mung dal and salt. Then stir in the rice, churna, and ginger.
  5. Add the water and bring to a boil over high heat, cooking for 3 minutes.
  6. Turn down the heat to a simmer for 20-30 minutes until the moisture is absorbed and the rice is fully cooked.
  7. During the last 5 minutes, add the spinach and cook until it wilts.
  8. Serve warm with optional garnishes such as chutney, cilantro, Bragg's Amino acids, and avocado.

 

Cilantro Chutney
  1. Blend the cilantro stems, leaves, water, and lemon juice until chopped fine.
  2. Add the grated ginger, raw honey, and sea salt and blend into a paste.
 
Cumin Coriander Fennel Tea
  1. Add all ingredients to 2 cups of water and boil 5-7 minutes until fragrant. 
  2. Strain and allow to cool to a comfortable drinking temperature.

*This tea is used to support healthy digestion, which is key to great health. It soothes common digestive discomforts, is naturally caffeine-free, and stokes the digestive fire.

*In colder months, you can add 1 teaspoon grated ginger for more heat.