Introduction
Super Simple Cooking
Very often people who would like to learn vegetarian cooking talk themselves out of it
by saying, "it's too time-consuming, too expensive, a lot of hard work," or
think, "I'm just not a cook. It's not my thing. I don't have the knack". But, I
will argue that, like every other learned skill, practice and experience are the means to
perfection. I guarantee that any person who persists in practicing the recipes in this
book will find satisfaction in being a vegetarian. While, in the beginning, cooking may
appear to be mechanical and a bit of a hassle, suddenly, one realizes that there are only
a few basic techniques being used again and again. Once this is understood, the field of
cooking becomes a laboratory where thousands of exciting meals can be conjured and
presented. Many of the recipes in this cook are so common sense, one might wonder why I
bothered to print them at all.
Super Simple Equipment
I have simplified the recipes so that minimum equipment is required to get started. All
you need is a two ring cooker, plus these simple tools:
a large pot, about five litre size
4 smaller sized pots, each one litre smaller than the other
a wooden spoon
a ladle
a slotted spoon
a knife
a pancake turner
a chopping board
a frying pan
a rolling pin
a grater
a sieve
some tongs
cotton cloth
* This is enough for everything except the baking. For that you will need a oven plus a
few bread and cake pans.
Quality
All the above items can be bought for a meagre price. They will last for years but will
pay for themselves in weeks when balanced against the cost of eating out. Buy everything
in stainless steel. Anything cheaper, like aluminium for instance, is not very healthy.
Anything more expensive is not really necessary.
Simple Measurements
I have not used any conventional measuring equipment, because most Asian and European
kitchen's (especially student's) do not have such items. Consequently, all of my recipes
are measured in the following way:
1 cup = a common 1 lb.(500gr or 1/2 Kg) glass honey or jam jar
1 Tablesp. = 1 common soup spoon
1 teasp. = 1 common tea spoon
None of the recipes in this book are so delicate that they will flop if an ounce of
ingredients is mismeasured. Cooking is an art as well as a science and the consciousness
of each cook largely determines the outcome of a preparation, no matter what the recipe.
Super Simple Ingredients
As I mentioned before, some of the ingredients are not available at your common corner
market. If you not live in a location where these things are easily obtainable, simplify
your recipe until you are able to locate what you need from your surrounding community.
Generally, every major city in the world, has at least one Asian or Health Food shop,
which can be easily located with the help of a telephone directory. Spices, flours and
dried beans store well in dry, air tight containers, and will keep for months, if that is
as often as you able to get to their suppliers.
Super Simple Sweeteners
I have used sugar in my recipes. Of course we are all concerned with the detrimental
effect of refined sugars on our health. Refined white sugar inhibits digestions, robs the
body of trace minerals and puts a strain on the pancreas and other bodily organs. Out of
that reason most recipes can be prepared using unrefined sugar, like gur, pure cane sugar,
honey or sukanat. If you use honey, don's cook it. Add it at the end when the
preparation has cooled to warm temperature. If it is a preparation that must be served
very hot, don't use honey. Natural sugars are mentioned in the Bhagavad-Gita
as food in the mode of goodness. Those who, for health reasons are accustomed to living
without sugar, should just omit it from the recipe altogether. However, there are many
preparations in the BAKING and SWEET sections which cannot be achieved without help of
sugar in some form or other. So, while "most of the time we eat for health,"
Srila Prabhupada said, "sometimes we eat for taste".
Super Simple Spices
In all of the salty preparations calling for various spice combinations, it is
perfectly sufficient and tasteful to use simply salt, black pepper and tumeric, if nothing
else is available.
The spice 'hing' is also known commonly as 'asafetida', so keep that in mind when
shopping for it.
Besides love and care, I found that the most important ingredient in cooking to be that
the preparations, especially the vegetables, are not overcooked and served as soon as they
are finished. There are unlimited varieties of vegetable combinations, and according to
country, season and taste, those who are reading these recipes are encouraged to
experiment on their own with local ingredients, using the spicing and cooking techniques
given in this book.
Super Simple Cooking Oils
Ghee, purified essence of butter, is 80% butterfat, 18% water and 2 protein solids. If
cooked on low heat for a prolonged period of time, water will boil off and protein solids
will separate from the butterfat, leaving a golden oil, excellent for deep-frying, and in
places where butter or vegetable oil is called for. Ghee does not turn rancid and will
keep forever unrefrigerated. (Old ghee even increases longevity.) It is possible to buy
ghee in most Indian, or middle-Eastern grocers, but might be cheaper to make yourself.
Although, cooking with ghee is preferred over oil of any type, sunflower is the best
choice of oil in it's absence. It is a light and delicate oil (containing a very low
percentage of saturated fats and suitable also for use in salad dressings. However, olive
oil is first choice for salads, but far more expensive.
Simple Eating, High Thinking
A professional Ayurvedic doctor once told me, "if you eat something technically
not healthy, but cooked in love, offered to God with love and relished with love, then the
food will love you back and not hurt you. But, if out of greed, you abuse food, then it
will cause harm."
The great Indian sage, Rupa Goswami wrote, "If one eats food prepared by wicked
people, his mind will also become wicked." His point is that if the cook has anxiety,
anger, envy, passion, lust, greed, etc. he will infuse the preparation with that emotion.
This is a very important principle, at home or away, that the consciousness of the cook is
hidden in the food.
Cleanliness
Cleanliness, beginning with the hearts of all concerned is a must. One glance at the
habits of a cook and we can understand his whole consciousness. To insure a clean
consciousness, it is imperative to regularly purify the heart by glorifying God's holy
name. Personal hygiene can be kept in order by regular bathing, brushing teeth, washing
hair and wearing freshly washed clothes daily, especially when cooking. One's whole
environment must also be kept clean, and naturally, a person with a clean heart will find
filth and disorder intolerable in his surroundings. A person who has mastered the
discipline of personal cleanliness will find it second nature to organize and maintain a
clean kitchen, as it becomes an extension of his own body.
It is very important that all pots being used for cooking are immaculate. That means
all particles of food from the last meal must be removed from the cookware and thoroughly
rinsed away. Also, any remnants of leftovers from a previous meal must be stored in an
area other than where the actual cooking goes on. In association with food that has
already been offered, unoffered food becomes contaminated and therefore impure and
unofferable to the Lord. Krishna only accepts pure offerings.
While cooking is in process, if the cook's fingers absentmindedly touch his body, hair
or mouth, they should be washed before continuing any part of the cooking procedure. Also,
unless the item is raw and thoroughly washable, fallen food materials should not be
recovered from floor and used in preparing Krishna's offering. All fruits and vegetables
must be washed and all grains sorted for stones and insects before assembling a recipe.
The Offering
Organize a special plate for Krishna. This plate can be stored separately and used each
time you want to make an offering. No one should eat on Krishna's plate and it should be
religiously washed and put in it's place before serving the meal. When the meal is
completely cooked, a portion of each item is arranged very attractively on the plate and
placed in front of a picture of the Supreme Lord and His representative, the spiritual
master. (These pictures are available in most books distributed by the Hare Krishna
movement and obtainable at your local ISKCON temple).
Ringing a bell, bow down and pray to Krishna to kindly accept the offering. Leave the
plate on the holy table or altar you have made and chant the Hare Krishna mantra
for 5 to 15 minutes.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Clap your hands 3 times and remove the Lord's plate. In the kitchen transfer the
offered food either on a separate serving plate or back into original pots. Now you may
serve the prasadam.
Hare Krishna!
Rambhoru devi dasi
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