Using Ayurvedic principles in cooking techniques brings balance back to your body
Chef Shubhendu Kadam of Hilton Shillim Retreat and Spa, places a trio of cereal basket with fresh fruit and nut milk in front of us. While we struggle to think of how this little cereal basket will fill our tummies, the chef tells us that there are 45 different components on the plate in front of us! “The basket is made of dry fruits such as prunes, dates, walnuts, almonds and flaxseeds. We have used fresh seasonal fruits such as apples, mangoes and fresh fruit puree as toppings, and even yoghurt, if it feels too dry,” he tells us.
SCIENCE OF WELLNESS
The new wellness cuisine menu at the Hilton Shillim has dishes that are recommended as per the Ayurvedic principles of dosha or body type and are made using fresh, seasonal produce with cooking techniques that stresses on preserving natural flavours and wellness properties of the ingredients.
Ayurveda suggests that each of us has a certain dominant dosha, which can be deduced from our personality, the way we look and how our bodies are affected by different types of foods. So, we can belong to vata (wind), kapha (water) or pitta (fire), a combination of two or even all three. While one trait is dominant, a deviation from it can cause an imbalance, leading to a whole host of disorders and health problems. Eating foods according to your dosha can help in bringing the balance back to the system and the healing properties of the Ayurveda principles for the body and mind is also being recognised by the hospitality industry.
CONSUME THE FAVOURABLE
As we munch on the spinach stuffed amaranth and walnut idlis, that not only look beautiful on the plate but also are full on nutritious properties, Dr Arun Pillai, Director of Spa and Wellness at Hilton Shillim tells us it’s important to identify your prakruti (nature) to understand what is favourable or unfavourable for you to consume. “Prakruti determination is based on your physical, physiological and psychological attributes. When a derailment happens, it’s vikruti. To bring it back, one requires lifestyle changes as well as changes in the dietary requirements,” he says. And while nutrition is important, Ayurveda is based on the shad rasas or six tastes, namely, sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent.
When it comes to Ayurveda and food, Harish Shetty, founder of Aharveda is fond of the saying ‘Your kitchen is your medicine shop’. “What we eat today is just for the pleasure of the tongue. We are not aware if the food is giving us any energy,” he says.
Applying veda (philosophy) to ahar (food), Shetty calls the food at his restaurant, peace food. At Aharveda, they do not use milk, sugar or oil in their dishes. The chaas made of coconut milk is creamy and frothy. Shetty informs us that the pizza served to us has a base made of rajgira flour, as wheat or maida contains gluten and is not favourable for the body. “There is no cheese, but I guarantee you will not miss it,” he says. True enough, the melted cashew dust on top is delicious. The thali is served with rajgira rotis, vari rice and different veggies. Since they do not use milk, the kheer (possibly the best we have tasted!), is made of coconut milk. “Food is meant to nurture and build the body and keep everything in balance and to ensure that we are receiving all the required nutrients, it is essential to follow a philosophy that honours this role of food,” he concludes.
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