Tag: healthy living

Posted on

Divine Keralan Prawn Curry

Divine Kerala prawn curry:

This very easy to make dish will take you about 15 min to prepare and approx 10 min to cook.

You will need:

  • 2 red chillies split, seeded and cut into quarters length
  • 1 small red onion
  • 5 cm root ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp black mustard seeds
  • 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
  • 14 curry leafs (fresh or dried)
  • 1/2 tsp tumeric
  • 1/2 tsp cracked back pepper
  • 150 ml coconut milk
  • a squeeze of lime and fresh coriander to serve

And then comes the cookery bit!

  • Blitz the red chillies, red onion and ginger to a paste.
  • Heat oil in pan, toss mustard and fenugreek seeds with the curry leaves. They will crackle and pop. Fry for 10 seconds.Add the paste, cook for 5 min (add water if needed)
  • Add turmeric and cracked black peppercorns. Stir well before adding the prawns. Pour than the coconut milk and simmer for another couple of minutes.
  • Add some lime juice and fresh coriander to serve. Lovely with basmati rice!

Delicious! Bon appetite

 

Advertisement
Posted on

Sweet Keralan veggie curry

Amazing vegetarian dish!

You will need:
1/2 cauliflower
2 tbsp coconut oil or rapeseed oil
1 big tsp black mustard seeds
1 big tsp fenugreek seeds
1 big tsp turmeric
About 12-14 curry leaves
1 thumb size piece of ginger
2 garlic cloves
6 spring onions
1 fresh red chilli
1 large bunch of coriander
2 ripe tomatoes
1 can of coconut milk
1 can of chickpeas
1/2 a juicy pineapple or a small tin of pineapple chunks and juice
1 lemon

Now for the cooking:

In a dry pan roast the cauliflower. Put to side when slightly charred.
Than put oil in pan and add mustard and fenugreek seeds, turmeric and curry leaves.
Blender ginger, garlic, spring onions, chilli and coriander and then add to the pan. (Should give a lovely smell!)
Chop tomatoes and add to pan, pour coconut milk and drained chickpeas, pineapple chunks and their juices. Add the cauliflower and bring to boil. Once cauliflower is cooked add a squeeze of lemon juice and serve with fresh coriander.

Yum yum….

Posted on

Savasana

Savasana comes from the Sanskrit words Shava (शव, Śava) meaning “corpse”, and Asana (आसन, Āsana) meaning “posture”.

After the exertions of a yoga practice, savasana allows the body a chance to regroup and reset itself. After a balanced practice, the entire body will have been stretched, contracted, twisted and inverted. This means that even the deepest muscles will have the opportunity to let go and shed their regular habits, if only for a few minutes.

Lie down on your mat facing up, hands apart, with some distance of your body, palms facing up and relax your whole body.

It has some incredible benefits:

  • it helps you to lower blood pressure and heart rate,
  • it helps you to reduce with nervous and muscle tension,
  • it helps you to reduce metabolic rate and the consumption of oxygen,
  • it reduces headaches and relief from fatigue and insomnia
  • it reduces anxiety, and increases your energy levels and in general productivity,
  • it helps you with concentration and in memory,
  • an it helps you with confidence and focus,

Enjoy your savasana!

Posted on

Sula

Sula is wine from Western India, North-East from Mumbai. Surprisingly good quality for such a young winemaker, the estate has lovely Chenin Blanc, Cabenet Sauvignon, Malbec and other well known varieties.  Sula’s grapes come from their vineyards as well as from other contract farmers across the region.

I was surprised to find such a good wine in a country were Hinduism is the predominant religion as most Hindi don’t drink alcohol. It is interesting to understand a little more about that.

There is no Hindu religious ban on the use of alcohol as there is in Islam, for example. Yet Hinduism recognizes that alcohol is a powerful substance that has dangers that should not be taken lightly.

Hinduism is a spiritual tradition that is based upon an understanding of dharma, the natural laws behind the universe. So the question for Hindus is how does the use of alcohol fit in with its sense of dharma and how does it effect us karmically?
Many monastic orders from India, both Hindu and non-Hindu, take various vows like celibacy. Refraining from alcohol is one of such vows that most of these monks swear to. Some Hindu Tantric groups, on the other hand, use alcohol in a sacred way, either as an offering to the deity or as taken individually during certain special rituals. Hindu merchants and aristocrats have used and use alcohol today, just as they have not practiced celibacy.
Ayurveda, the medical branch of Hindu dharma, contains clearly defined views on the use alcohol. Ayurveda uses alcohol as a solvent for extracting the active ingredients of certain herbs. Tinctures are used in western herbalism in the same way. Ayurveda also prepares special herbal wines called asavas and arishtas. Herbal wines are regarded as particularly good medicines to take for a weak digestion and as relaxants for stress. Ayurveda recognizes that certain alcoholic beverages (like wine) can have health benefits, like improving digestion or circulation, but only taken in moderation. Ayurveda also recognizes that excessive alcohol consumption can cause or contribute to physical or psychological diseases.

Sante!

Posted on

Pranayama

Pranayama is “control of breath”. Prana is breath or  vital energy in the body. Prana represents the pranic energy responsible for life and ayama means control. There is different ways to control the breath, and each of these have a different way to bring energy into the body. Breathwork can deliver powerful mind and body benefits.

 

Posted on

Yummy stuff!

I love food. I love cooking. Fresh food, with lots of flavours. Inspired by my travels, I would like to share with you some of my favourites. Most recipes have been picked up from local families. I will be back soon with my secrecies. Stay tuned and check out my yummy stuff page for delicious recipes!

Posted on

Yoga

Yoga is sanskrit for, “listen”. It is a physical, mental, and spiritual practice which originated in India. There is a broad variety of schools, practices, and goals in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Among the most well-known types of yoga are Hatha yoga and Rāja yoga.

The origins of yoga have been speculated to date back to pre-Vedic Indian traditions, and most likely developed around the sixth and fifth centuries BC. Yoga gurus from India later introduced yoga to the west. In Indian traditions, yoga is more than physical exercise, it has a meditative and spiritual core around mindfulness.

Practising yoga in India is a special experience. The Backwaters in Kerala, in, ‘God’s own Country,’ provided an inspiring environment for a daily morning practise.

 

Posted on

Ayurvastra

The Sanskrit word ‘Ayur’ means life and Vastra means dress. Ayurvastra is a garment that ensures better health and a longer life.

“Ayurvastra” is based on the Ayurvedic principle that regular contact with a cloth made from the yarns infused with organic herbs and medicinal plant extracts will relieve metabolic disorders and threads a new line of healthy living.
It is made of 100 per cent pure cotton or silk handloom fabric made out of dyes using various ayurvedic herbs. It can be used as Ayurvedic treatment for diseases like diabetes, skin infections, hypertension, asthma, arthritis and also for boosting immunity. Who knew that clothes can have such a big influence on your health!