Vegetarian Cuisine

BAKED RICE – This is a grain dish, easy to digest. Serves 4 to 6.

Ingredients:
3 tsps hijiki seaweed, soaked for 15 minutes in enough water to cover
100g raw cashew nuts, chopped
1 tbsp oil
2 carrots, cut into matchsticks
200g (7 oz) cabbage finely shredded
100g (4 oz) aubergine, cubed
250g (9oz) brown rice
100g (4oz) red lentils
750 ml water
100g (4oz) fresh peas, or green beans, sliced
1 tsp salt
 

Preparation:
Drain the hijiki.
Roast the cashew nuts in a hot dry frying pan until browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Heat oil in a frying pan. Sauté the carrots, cabbage and aubergine over a medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until lightly softened.
Stir in the rice and sauté for 1 minute. Add the hijiki and sauté lightly for a few moments.
Add the lentils and water. Bring to a boil, the lower the heat. Cover tightly and cook over low heat for about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the over to 180C/350F. Uncover the pan. If necessary add another 50-125ml (2-4fl oz) water along with the peas or beans, salt and cashews. Transfer to an oiled casserole dish. Cover.
Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes. Serve hot.

You can not get true and lasting freedom without self discipline. – Sri Swami Sivananda

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MARCH 2022
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13 Ekadasi
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Glossary

PRANAYAMA – Pranayama for Nadi-Suddhi

The Vayu cannot enter the Nadis if they are full of impurities. Therefore, first of all, they should be purified and then Pranayama should be practiced. The Nadis are purified by two processes, viz., Samanu and Nirmanu. The Samanu is done by a mental process with Bija Mantra. The Nirmanu is done by physical cleansing or the Shatkarmas.

1. Sit on Padmasana. Meditate on the Bijakshara of Vayu (Yam) which is of smoke colour. Inhale through the left nostril. Repeat the Bijakshara 16 times. This is Puraka. Retain the breath till you repeat the Bija 64 times. This is Kumbhaka. Then exhale through the right nostril very very slowly till you repeat the Bijakshara 32 times.

2. The navel is the seat of Agnitattva. Meditate on this Agnitattva. Then draw the breath through the right nostril repeating 16 times the Agni Bija (Ram). Retain the breath, till you count the Bija 64 times. Then exhale slowly through the left nostril till you repeat mentally the Bija letter 32 times.

3. Fix the gaze at the tip of the nose. Inhale through the left nostril repeating the Bija (Tham) 16 times. Retain the breath till you repeat the Bija (Tham) 64 times. Now imagine that the nectar that flows from the moon, runs through all the vessels of the body and purifies them. Then exhale slowly through right nostril till you repeat the Prithvi Bija (Lam) 32 times.

The Nadis are purified nicely by the practice of the above three kinds of Pranayama by sitting firmly in your usual posture.

The mind is responsible for the feelings of pleasure and pain. Control the mind. – Sri Swami Sivananda