Ayurvedic Healing Cuisine [Paperback]

Harish Johari (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2000

Ayurvedic Healing Cuisine explains the healing qualities of various foods and spices and recommends combinations appropriate for specific conditions of body and mind.

• Provides a complete introduction to the Ayurvedic science of healthy eating.

• Includes 200 vegetarian recipes to improve health and longevity.

• By Harish Johari, the bestselling author of Chakras, Tools for Tantra, and Numerology.

One of the oldest systems of medicine in the world, the Indian science of Ayurveda views the human being as intimately connected with the environment and all other life forms. It prescribes various methods of synchronizing ourselves with the world around us, placing great emphasis on diet and the specific attributes of different foods. Following these ancient guidelines, Harish Johari offers a clear and concise introduction to the principles of Ayurvedic eating and explains the healing qualities that foods and spices impart according to their subtle energies. He suggests special combinations to heal and balance both body and mind and includes 200 vegetarian recipes.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Unlike the recipes in many other Indian cookbooks, the simplicity of Johari's dishes makes it possible to prepare an Indian meal without spending an entire day at the task."
(Vegetarian Times )

"A fine introduction both to the science of Ayurveda and to its cuisine."
(Hinduism Today )

"Harish Johari is Ayurveda's renaissance man."

(Yoga Journal )

"A delightfully healthy way to broaden your palate to include the delicacies of India."

(NAPRA Review )

"Readers interested in applying the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda healing to contemporary lifestyles will find both an excellent reference and delicious recipes in Ayurvedic Healing Cuisine."
(Sandra I. Smith, The Midwest Book Review )

"Exceptional."
(Today's Books, March 6, 2001 )

"This book offers much for readers to digest, and it is an invitation to new and healthy experiences with food."
(Catholic Women's NETWORK, March/April/May 2001 )

"With 200 recipes to improve well-being and longevity, the book exalts the healing qualities of various foods and spices."
(PJ Birosik, Nexus, July/August 2002 )

About the Author

Artist, musician, and scholar of Tantra and Ayurveda, Harish Johari (1934-1999) was the author of many books, including Tools for Tantra; Breath, Mind, and Consciousness; Numerology; and The Healing Power of Gemstones.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Healing Arts Press; 6th Printing edition (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0892819383
• ISBN-13: 978-0892819386
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #192,097 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

58 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ayurvedic Healing Cuisine, May 18, 2002

By 

Cassandra Barnes "Cassandra" (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ayurvedic Healing Cuisine (Paperback)

Ayurveda is an ancient system of medicine from India that emphasizes the healing properties of food. As Harish Johari says, "food is something very personal and it should never be eaten for taste alone; its purpose is to provide nutrients and satisfaction to the body, without introducing toxins." Johari, a Tantric and Ayurvedic scholar, wrote twelve books, as well as produced audiocassettes and CDs, before his death in 1999. Ayurvedic Healing Cuisine: 200 Vegetarian Recipes for Health, Balance, and Longevity, published posthumously, "explains the healing qualities of various foods and spices and recommends combinations appropriate for specific conditions of body and mind."
Johari first introduces the principles of Ayurveda, fully discussing the role of the five elements and describing the doshas--a way of classifying body types and temperments. He also explains that there are six tastes--sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent. Each of the tastes has a different effect on the body. Foods are further classified as to whether they are hot or cold and heavy or light. These attributes also affect the body in various ways.
Understanding how foods interact with one another and how they effect the body provides a foundation for healthy eating. Johari maintains that "most diseases are the result of wrong eating habits and/or of eating antagonist foods."
He also includes information on the nutrients in food, such as protein and vitamins. That's followed by a section describing the healing properties of specific foods. He suggests using milk as a source of protein, rather than meat or eggs.
The bulk of the book is devoted to recipes, including how to prepare various Indian spice mixtures. All of the recipes are Westernized versions of Indian foods and use ingredients that can be obtained in the West. Many are prepared using a wok. Johari presents recipes for snacks, dals, main dishes, salads, condiments, breads, desserts, and beverages.
Appendices include menu suggestions, and several special recipes for children and the elderly. He finishes with a list of spice and specialty food suppliers.
Readers interested in applying the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda healing to contemporary lifestyles will find both an excellent reference and delicious recipes in Ayurvedic Healing Cuisine.

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Round out your vegetarian cooking with some knowledge of the Ayurvedas, July 19, 2007

By 

Radhika (Denver, USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Ayurvedic Healing Cuisine (Paperback)

I am a vegetarian for ethical reasons and I enjoy cooking. There are a few cookbooks that I turn to from time to time for concepts and ideas. Recipes are how you learn to cook but as you get cooking, you learn what it is that makes your food taste good or feel good (we have all had meals, hopefully not at home, which left us feeling sick afterwards). I wanted to get some understanding of Ayurvedic principles underlying traditional Indian vegetarian cooking. I am not at all religious and some small parts of the book strike me as a bit unscientific in explaining why something might work or not. However, other parts of Ayurvedic theory of medicine make sense to me. What do I expect this book to do for me? I am already an experienced and good cook so I don't expect to learn new recipes. I bought this book because I wanted to know about Ayurvedic ingredient combinations that are optimal as well as to gain some knowledge of cooking for particular conditions (say stomach problems, chills...) which we are faced with in our daily lives with our families. And this I think is a unique contribution. The fantastic North Indian vegetarian recipes are just icing on the cake. I think any cook (vegetarian or otherwise) and those interested in holistic living should have this book in their collection.

Here are the contents of the book:

Editor's Note
Introduction

Part 1 An Introduction to Ayurveda
Ch 1 Principles of Ayurveda
Ch 2 Balanced Nutrition
Ch 3 Foods and Their Healing Properties
Ch 4 Guidelines for Preparing and Eating Foods
Ch 5 Food and the Cycles of Nature
Ch 6 Food and Consciousness

Part 2 The Recipes
Ch 1 Introduction to the Recipes
Ch 2 Snacks
Ch 3 Dals
Ch 4 Savory Rice Dishes
Ch 5 Vegetable Dishes
Ch 6 Paneer Dishes
Ch 7 Yogurt Dishes
Ch 8 Salads
Ch 9 Condiments
Ch 10 Breads
Ch 11 Desserts and Sweet Fruit Creams
Ch 12 Beverages

Appendices

App A Menu Combinations
App B Recipes for Children and the Elderly
App C About Milk

Glossary
Sources of Supply
Index

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars excellent Ayurvedic information, standard recipes, December 1, 2007

By 

Damara Shanmugan "Bri. Damara S." (La Mesa, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Ayurvedic Healing Cuisine (Paperback)

The front part of this book has really excellent information on Ayurveda in general. The recipe section, however, has no information or recommendations about which dosa should or should not eat the prepared food. This might be confusing for someone new to Ayurveda and daunting for someone just looking for recipes that are dosa specific. It is, however, a classic and will be a part of my Ayurvedic reference library.