Saturday, December 27, 2008

AnnaVeda Ayurvedic Soup Recipe

AnnaVeda Soup

This soup has become a dish that I can whip up quickly to pacify my need for some warmth on these chilly New England winter days.

This dish is soothing, calms frazzled nerves and can be modified to suit your constitution depending upon the spices you add/omit.

Here is the basic recipe, which I made up this month in my kitchen:

6 Cups Low Sodium Vegetable Broth (Organic)
1/4 Cup Any Rice (I like Brown Basmati Rice)
1/2 Cup Chopped carrots (Organic)
1/2 Cup Tomato Sauce (Organic)
1 Tsp Fresh Chopped Parsley (Organic)
1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Celery (Organic)
1 Tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper (Omit for Pitta)
1 Tsp Ground Cumin
1 tsp Freshly Chopped Basil (Organic)
1 Pinch Sea Salt
Lemon Juice (1 tsp)

Wash the rice. (Really, wash it.)
Bring the rice to a boil in the veggie broth. Add a bit of water if needed. (This is soup so keep it soup-like)
Add the carrots, boil for another 20 minutes.
Add the celery and tomato sauce, reduce flame to medium and simmer 10 additional minutes.
Add remaining ingredients, simmer over low flame about 5 minutes.

If your constitution is Vata, add a bit of cayenne pepper. You may also add a handful of a veggie pasta as I did with this version during the last 9 minutes of boiling the carrots. (Kapha constitution - omit the pasta).

Leave out the black pepper if your constitution is Pitta or cut it down to half. Squirt a bit of lemon juice into each bowl and serve hot. I topped this off with a few fresh pea shoots I purchased at my local health food store, Puritan & Genesta in Mystic, CT. They gave the soup a little crunch and a splash of cheery green. Enjoy!

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