Introduction to the Recipes
IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT SOUTH INDIAN MONASTERIES SERVE SOME OF THE BEST MEALS ENJOYED ANYWHERE. Kauai Aadheenam, the secluded ashram of Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami on Hawaii’s Garden Island is no exception. Here the cooks daily prepare delicious, nourishing meals for their Satguru, 20 of his monastic disciples and the many guests who pilgrimage to this sacred sanctuary. Through the last four decades these Saivite Hindu monks have assembled and developed a rare array of recipes. In the Monks’ Cookbook we are happy to share these nutritious vegetarian delights for you to enjoy in your own kitchen. Remember, from the point of view of both nutrition and health, South Indian cooking is perfectly balanced—low in both fats and cholesterol. Oil is used sparingly and a variety of protein-rich dals form an important part of the daily menu. These are a key to the ability of the body to assimilate, and should not be neglected. A meal is always finished with a wholesome and soothing home-made yogurt. These combinations are the result of 8,000 years of heritage, and represent one of humanity’s most perfectly balanced diets.§
Most of the recipes in the Monks’ Cookbook labeled “Jaffna style” will provide rather large servings for four people. Most other recipes are for at least 10 to 15 people, so take note of the amounts if you are cooking for just a few people. In Jaffna, large amounts of rice (about 40-50% of a meal’s volumn) are usually eaten, with smaller portions of curries. Increase the amounts in the curry recipes if you wish to serve larger portions of vegetables. §
Chili powder in a recipe means cayenne curry powder, and in Jaffna it is usually a mixture of ground roasted coriander and roasted cayenne. Other spices are added separately. This is the curry powder referred to in these recipes. It is ideal, though time-consuming, to roast your own spices every month or so. Commercial curry powder bears no resemblance to the subtle flavors thus achieved.§
Dal or lentils are available in Indian groceries in many types: urad dal, mung, tural, channa and masur (also spelled Mysore) are the most common. If a recipe calls for a small amount of unspecified dal, urad dal is usually used. The fastest cooking dal (easiest to digest and best to serve Gurudeva) is the masur of the orange color.§
Jaggery is a brown sugar made like maple sugar, from the flower nectar exuded from the palmyra tree. If unavailable, use the organic whole food sweetener called “Sucanat,” a raw sugar made from evaporated cane juice. If this is not available, dark brown sugar or honey may be used. If using honey, never cook or boil it as this will change the chemistry and render it indigestible. Best to add honey to the dish after you have turned off the stove. In this way you avoid the honey from boiling.§
Mustard seeds are often called for in these recipes. They should always be tempered—popped first in a little ghee (be sure to cover the pan when frying them or they’ll pop all over the stove).§
A word on the very important practice of tempering is due. Tempering is cooking spices (which may be whole, ground or roasted previously) in hot ghee or butter. In the monastery we don’t use any other oils, though you may be less strict about that. It is tempering which gives Indian dishes a crunchy, nutty flavor. Tempering is typical of all Sri Lankan and South Indian cooking, and a key to mastering these recipes (even when the recipe does not call for it specifically, very often you will want to imploy this style, and the best results depend on it!) At first glance, it may seem as if tempering is nothing more than a few mustard seeds spluttering away in a pan or a couple of dals turning to a golden color. However, it is this delicate blending of spices that imparts the distinctive charm and aroma to each dish. Mastering this spicing system can make all the difference between a dish that lights up the family’s eyes and one that is forgettable. §
To temper any curry do the following: heat ghee, saute ½ tsp mustard seeds, 1 sprig curry leaves, 1 tsp cayenne, ½ onion (chopped small), 1 tbsp urad dal and later stir this sauteed mixture into finished curry, mixing it well with the cooked vegetables. Most spices should be fried on low or medium heat as this is sufficient to obtain the correct flavor. With some spices the flavor becomes mellow or more subtle, other spices like cayenne become even more pungent and hot. It is important that the ghee or butter should never be brought to the smoking point as this renders it and anything it coats undigestable. Also when ghee or oil smokes, it begins to decompose, creating free radicals as well as a noxious compound that can inflame your respiratory system. Ghee and various oils smoke at different temperatures. For example, olive oil at 375 degrees F, ghee smokes at 410, sesame oil at 420, peanut oil at 440, and corn oil at 474. You can use a candy thermometer to test the oil.§
Coconut milk gives Jaffna curries their distinctive richness and sweetness, but if it is not possible to obtain, cow’s milk may be substituted. Most of the recipes simply call for milk—either type may be used. If using cow’s milk, try to obtain unhomogenized raw milk and bring it to a boil before using. Coconut milk is obtained by soaking coconut flour in warm water, then squeezing it very hard so the rich milk is extracted. The process may be repeated two or three times to yield first a very rich cream, then a thinner milk, then “skim milk.” Frozen or canned coconut milk is also available in some grocery stores, but should be avoided.§
Coconut flour refers to coconut grated very finely on the Indian style coconut grater. Coconut paste is the flour ground to a paste. In Jaffna, heavy stone grinders are used. In the West, a blender will work, if a large enough amount of coconut flour is put in.§
Curry leaves are the leaves of a small shrub that grows in Asia. They are used fresh there, but the dried leaf may be purchased in Indian groceries here and used in these recipes. Amounts are not given. A small handful is usually used in a recipe for four. Often a recipe will call for a grain or legume to be roasted. This can be done in a heavy skillet or in the oven on a tray. Keep the temperature fairly low, and stir often. Watch carefully to see that the grain doesn’t burn. Some recipes call for tamarind paste. This can be purchased at Indian stores; a small amount is dissolved in water as directed in the recipes.§
Here are a few additions to any curry that needs a special something (known in our kitchen as recipe-savers): lime juice, coconut chutney, sodi, Braggs Liquid Amino (soy sauce).§
Amounts for salt and other ingredients are not always given. This means that there is no set amount for the recipe. Simply add to taste. Similarly, “finish with lime juice” means to add lime juice to taste or as directed to the finished curry.§
If deep-frying (a method we use infrequently, for fancy festival feasts), it is important to keep the oil hot enough or the food will absorb too much of the frying medium and become greasy and heavy—a most unappetizing combination. Also be sure to use enough oil to completely cover the food while it fries. The pot should be big enough to provide ample room for the currents of hot ghee or oil to circulate freely. Before adding a new batch of food, allow the ghee or oil to return to its optimal temperature.§
Liquids: Beverages are an integral part of an Ayurvedic meal. It is not advised to separate beverages and solid foods, but to sip in moderation. This will enhance agni and aid the saliva in moistening the food. Some liquids will enhance agni, while others can suppress it. This depends on the makeup of the beverage and the amount drunk. A plain glass of room temperature water or some warm tea are fine beverages to drink with a meal; a slice of lime or lemon in them will enhance their ability to support agni. It is washing foods down with excessive amounts of icy drinks that is discouraged in ayurveda, and rightfully so. In both Eastern and Western research, this has been shown to suppress gastric acid secretion and subsequent digestion.§
Several types of savory liquids are served with rice and curry. Kulambu is spicy hot and thick like a gravy. Sodi is milder, rich with coconut milk and usually served with stringhoppers. Rasam is a peppery water flavored with other spices and is drunk with the meal or poured over the rice. Another thick gravy—actually more like a stew in some cases—is sambar, not to be confused with sambal. Sambar is made with dal and vegetables, often with a tomato base. It can be served with rice, dosai or idli. §