7 Simple Recipes to Balance Vata Imbalance

The tridosha system is a fundamental theory of Ayurveda, the traditional Indian system of medicine. It is based on the idea that the three doshas, or biological energies, vata, pitta, and kapha, govern all aspects of human physiology and psychology .

• Vata is the dosha of movement and air. It is responsible for all the activities of the mind and body, such as breathing, circulation, and digestion.
• Pitta is the dosha of fire and transformation. It is responsible for metabolism, digestion, and body temperature.
• Kapha is the dosha of water and earth. It is responsible for structure, lubrication, and immunity.

Everyone is born with a unique balance of the three doshas. This balance is known as one’s Prakriti. When the doshas are in balance, the person is in good health. However, when one or more of the doshas become imbalanced, it can lead to disease. The doshas can be balanced through the consumption of food that is rich in that particular dosha. Some of the recipes to balance vata imbalance and help balance the tridoshas are:

1. MIX VEGGIE SALAD

Ingredients:

• Sweet potato
• Carrot
• Coconut
• Salt to taste
• Oil

How to prepare:

• Steam or boil the sweet potato
• Blanch (boil, and then, cool) the carrots
• Mix the vegetables
• Sprinkle some grated coconut over it
• Add salt to taste
• Drizzle some oil on the mixture
• Toss and serve

Suggestions:

In general, it will be best to cook the vegetables. You can also pick from this choice of vegetables for the salad – beets, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, green beans, lettuce, mustard greens, okra, peas, potatoes, sweet pumpkin, radish, spinach, berries, cherries, fresh dates and figs. It will add color and flavor to your Vata recipe. As part of the salad dressing, you may choose from among these – lemon juice, chili powder, hing (asafetida) powder, rock salt, sugar/jaggery, and til (sesame seed) oil.

2. BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Ingredients:

• 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup red pumpkin peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, washed and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon (tsp.) cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. clove
• 1 tsp. cumin
• ½ tsp. turmeric
• 3 cups water and 1 cup coconut milk or 1 cup of each, half-and-half
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Nutmeg for garnish
• 2 tbsp. ghee

How to prepare:

• Boil or steam the butternut squash and pumpkin.
• Now, add the water or coconut milk and mix. Keep aside.
• Warm the ghee. Add the cumin, ginger, turmeric powder, clove, and cinnamon it, till an enticing aroma fills the room.
• Add the spices to the original mix.
• Mash the mixture with a masher.
• Garnish with nutmeg.
• Serve hot.

3. KHICHDI (RICE AND LENTILS MIX)

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup unpolished red rice/brown rice
• ½ cup split moong dal (green gram lentils)
• For sauté and garnish
• 1 tsp. cumins
• ¼ tsp. turmeric
• 2 tbsp. coriander
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• A few curry leaves
• Black pepper
• Rock salt
• ½ tbsp. ghee

How to prepare:

• For one portion of rice and moong, add 3-4 times as much water and cook on low heat.
• If required, add more water while cooking. Turn off the heat.
• Add the sauté mix and salt to taste.
• Add ghee.

Suggestions:

Khichadi, prepared with old rice and split moong dal, is beneficial for fevers or stomach ailments.

It is advisable to eat it with ghee or butter throughout pregnancy.

A variation can be done with basmati rice if you have a very low digestive fire. Red rice contains iron and zinc in the husk. Black and purple rice contain high protein, fat, and basic fiber. These are beneficial in tissue weakness, caused by vata imbalance. So, ensure that you include these nourishing and building foods in your vata-balancing recipes.

4. CORN FLOUR FLATBREAD

Ingredients:

• 2 cups yellow corn flour
• Salt to taste
• Ghee
• Warm water

How to prepare:

• Knead the corn flour with a little salt and warm water.
• Make balls of dough.
• Pat the balls with water with the palm of your hand to make rotis (flat bread). Use a butter paper as your platform.
• Make the roti slightly thicker than the normal roti.
• Transfer the roti to a hot pan and cook on low heat; flip to the other side till both sides are roasted.
• Apply some ghee to enhance the taste.
• Serve with mustard greens and spices dish

5. MUSTARD GREENS AND SPICES DISH

Ingredients:

• 1 kg mustard greens, chopped finely
• ¼  kg spinach, chopped finely
• A small piece of ginger, minced
• 2 green chilies, minced
• 2 red chilies
• 2 tbsp. corn flour, sieved
• Ghee
• Salt to taste

How to prepare:

• Boil the mustard greens and spinach till it becomes soft.
• Add a pinch of salt and chopped green chilies while boiling.
• Remove the excess water and mash the leafy vegetables well. Keep aside.
• Warm the ghee and add ginger, green chilies, and broken red chilies till they become slightly brown.
• Add it to the mashed greens with a little salt, and stir.
• Mix the corn flour in a little water and add to the mixture.
• Allow it to simmer for about 30 minutes.

6. CARROT HALWA (CARROT PUDDING)

Ingredients:

• 4 carrots
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp. ghee
• 4 cups milk
• ¼ cup brown sugar, dates, or jaggery
• A few raisins
• 1 pinch of saffron

How to prepare:

• Peel and grate the carrots and cook.
• Add milk to the pan and boil the mixture, until the milk is absorbed by the carrot.
• Add brown sugar, raisins, and saffron.
• Fry for about 15 minutes.
• Fry the crushed cinnamon seeds in ghee in a pan for about 30 seconds.
• Serve hot.

7. VATA BALANCING TEA

The simplicity and sattvic quality of the tea will ease vata imbalances such as low digestion and bloating, as well as bring cleansing and replenishing qualities to tea time.

Ingredients

• 1/2 Lemon
• 1-inch Cinnamon bark
• 1/2 tsp Fennel seed
• 1/2 tsp Cumin seed
• 1/2 tsp Coriander seed
• 1 cup boiling water

How to prepare:

• Add seeds to water and heat till they boil.
• Turn the flame off and steep for 10 mins.
• Drink and enjoy this soothing brew throughout the day.

Following these recipes and including them in the diet can help maintain the balance between the tridoshas. But it is also important to consult an Ayurvedic  doctor if the imbalance still  exists and find a tailored Ayurvedic treatment to balance the doshas.

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