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

Kozhukattai is a popular South Indian dumpling made from rice flour, with a filling of grated coconut, jaggery, etc. Sometimes, the stuffing can be a savory filling. Modak is a similar dish made in other parts of India such as Maharashtra and Gujarat.

In Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, the dish is traditionally associated with the Lord Ganesha and is prepared as an offering (naivedhya/prasad) on the occasion of Vinayaka Chathurthi.

Basic ingredient for making stuffed dumplings is rice flour. For the filling, jaggery, grated coconut, cardamom is used. Other ingredients such as black or dehusked sesame seeds (til), raisins, cashew nuts, etc. are used to enhance the taste.

The dish is prepared by mixing grated coconut with jaggery syrup, placing it inside dumplings of rice flour, and steaming the dumplings. Ghee, cardamom, finely ground roasted rice flour etc. may be added to enhance the taste and flavour of the filling. In Kerala, a variant of kozhukatta made with atta flour (instead of rice flour) and grated coconut is a staple breakfast among some groups.

A variation of the stuffed dumpling is to deep fry it in oil, for which wheat flour dough is used as the covering instead of rice flour.

Following ingredients are required for making Coconut Stuffed Oil Dumplings :

  • Rice flour – 750 gms (½ padi)
  • Wheat flour – 187.5 gms ( padi)
  • Powdered salt – 8.75 gms (¼ palam)
  • Water – 468.75 gms (5/16 padi)
  • Grated Coconut – 420 gms (12 palam)
  • Jaggery – 420 gms (12 palam)
  • Cardamom powder – 8.75 gms (¼ palam)
  • Clean the rice and dry it under shadow. Then grind it to flour. Then add the wheat flour and salt to the rice flour and mix it.
  • Take the water and boil it. Slowly add the above flour mixture and gently mix it with hands applying ghee. As with previous recipes, divide the mixture into small balls (lemon size) and keep it aside.
  • Grate the jaggery and mix it with coconut in a vessel. Fry this mixture for 5 minutes without getting burnt. Then add cardamom powder to the jaggery mixture. This is called stuffing.
  • Take each ball and dust it in the rice flour and make a bowl shape. Then keep the required stuffing and close the outer layer. Repeat the process for the rest.
  • Instead of cooking in an idli vessel we can cook it in oil or ghee till it becomes golden red.

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.

Copyright

HCS has the copyright of all its publications.  No part of these publications may be reproduced in any form without the prior permission in writing to HCS. This does not preclude the free use, in the course of implementing standard, of necessary details mentioned above. Enquiries related to copyrights to be addressed to KAILASA.