Scope
The Hindu Compliance System gives direction on cooking science which is compiled from Bhaga Shastra. Bhaga Shastra classifies foods into rajasik, tamasik and satvik types. Rajasik food makes one feel agitated, aggressive, lustful and egoistic. Tamasik food makes a person lazy, sleepy and depressed. Satvik food gives clarity to the person and brings him peace of mind leading to bhakti (devotion), tripti (fulfilment) and ananda (bliss).
Six types of tastes are described in the Bhaga Shastra – salt, sweet, sour, hot, bitter and pungent. It states that every meal should include all these tastes so that the appetite is satisfied and the tongue is neutralized by all the tastes being together. As per the instructions in Bhaga Shastra, in order for all parts of the body, mind and brain to function properly, a balanced diet of all these tastes is a must.
Further, the purpose of having all six tastes is to balance the tridoshas in the body, namely vaata (acidic), pitta (alkaline) and Kapha (phlegm). Every ingredient used in Hindu cooking is classified as per its dosha properties.
For thousands of years, Hindus have been cooking food that is organic, nature friendly and with numerous benefits. This standard will help organizations, businesses like hotels, restaurants etc. to cook the food as mentioned in Hindu Scriptures.
Ingredient and Process of Cooking
The staple food of India is rice. Up until 1970, India was home to nearly 1,10,000 varieties of indegenous rice! Thanks, but no thanks to the Green Revolution, only 6,000 varieties now remain – a result of the green revolution’s emphasis on mono culture and hybrid cropping! Be that as it may, India is known for its sheer variety of rice dishes that are prepared and served, no matter what the occasion – sickness, health, family gathering, festivities, Hindu rituals, offering (naivedya or prasad), weddings, funerals, even as offerings to ancestors and departed souls.
Rice 4 is the seed of the grass species Oryza sativa (Asian rice) or Oryza glaberrima (African rice). As a cereal grain, it is the most widely consumed staple food for a large part of the world’s human population, especially in Asia. Rice is the most important grain with regard to human nutrition and caloric intake, providing more than one-fifth of the calories consumed worldwide by humans.
Rice cultivation is well-suited to countries and regions with low labor costs and high rainfall, as it is labor-intensive to cultivate and requires ample water. However, rice can be grown practically anywhere, even on a steep hill or mountain area with the use of water-controlling terrace systems.
Etymologically, the word ‘rice’ is derived from the Tamil word arisi. Indian rice cultivars include long- grained and aromatic Basmati (grown in the North), long and medium-grained Patna rice, and in South India (Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka) short-grained Sona Masuri (also called as Bangaru theegalu). In the state of Tamil Nadu, the most prized variety is the ponni which is primarily grown in the delta regions of the Kaveri River. In the Western Indian state of Maharashtra, a short grain variety called Ambemohar is very popular. This rice has a characteristic fragrance of the mango blossom.
Rice is typically rinsed before cooking to remove excess starch. Rice may be rinsed repeatedly until the rinse water is clear to improve the texture and taste. Rice may be soaked to decrease cooking time, conserve fuel, minimize exposure to high temperature, and reduce stickiness. Rice may be soaked for 30 minutes up to several hours. Rice is cooked by boiling or steaming, and absorbs water during cooking. Almost all rice recipes in the Bhaga Shastra indicate draining out starch after cooking, before further procedures of making a variety of tasty dishes is followed.
A basic preparation of rice is very simple and easy. However, the procedures to turn them into tasty dishes make it an elaborate affair, as the wide variety of rice dishes described in the recipes below will testify. When combined with milk, jaggery, and honey, it is used to make desserts.
Following ingredients are required for making Sesame Seed Powder Rice :
- For Making Rice:
- Rice – 1/2 padi
- Water – 1½ padi
- Melted Ghee – 1½ palam
- To Roast and Grind:
- De-skinned Sesame Seed – padi
- Red Chilly – ¼ palam
- Crystal Salt – ½ palam
- For Tempering:
- Ghee – 6 palam
- Red Chilly – ¼ palam
- Black Gram – ½ palam
- Mustard Seed – ¼ palam
- Curry Leaves – ¼ r.e
- Method:
- 1. Heat the water and mix the rice and boil till it gets cooked properly. Drain the excess water. Put the rice on a clean stone surface.When the rice is still hot add the ghee and keep mixing with your hands.
- 2. Soak the sesame seed in water for a few minutes and drain the water completely. Place it on a clean surface and rub it with your hands till all the skin is removed.
- 3. Roast the sesame seed till it gets browned and then add red chilly.
- 4. Now take a mortar and pestle. Add the roasted sesame seed, chilly and crystal salt and powder it.
- 5. Add the powder to the rice mixed with ghee. Gently mix with your hands.
- 6. Take a brass vessel and heat the ghee till it gets medium heated. Add red chilly, mustard seeds, black gram and curry leaves and temper the dish as oer the seasoning recipe.
- 7. Add the above tempered mixture to the rice and mix nicely and use.
- P.S: As said before consume this rice in a small quantity.
References
Hindu Bhaga Sasthiram: Click Here
Hindu Compliance Body
The Hindu compliance body was established under the executive order of The Supreme Pontiff of Hinduism, dated August 14, 2020, order number 10010, under the title Reviving the Hindu Compliance System and Body
to create, promote, spread and teach the standard procedures for all products and services that are in compliance Hindu Shastras.
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