Ayurvedic Winter Wellness: Ginger Bliss, Golden Spread & Peppery Pineapple Soup Recipes
Ayurvedic Winter Recipes for Immunity & Warmth

Ayurvedic Winter Wellness Recipes for Holistic Health

As winter sets in, maintaining health and immunity becomes paramount. Drawing from the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda, these three recipes from Lakshmi Lakshmanan's book Eat According to your Body Type: 150 Ayurvedic Vegetarian Recipes to Restore Health offer natural ways to combat cold, boost immunity, and promote overall wellness. Each recipe is designed with specific dosha-balancing effects, making them suitable for various body types.

Ginger Bliss: A Warming Herbal Infusion

This simple yet effective drink is ideal for winter mornings to ward off cold, cough, aches, and pains. With a preparation time of just 10 minutes, it yields one cup and has a balancing effect on Vata and Kapha doshas.

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 cup hot water
  • 2 pinches dry ginger powder
  • 1 teaspoon honey (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)

Method:

  1. Coarsely grind the cumin seeds using a hand pounder or spice grinder.
  2. Heat the water in a pan and add the dry ginger and cumin. Cover with a lid and allow it to steep for 5–7 minutes.
  3. Filter with a fine mesh strainer and drink it hot or lukewarm.
  4. Optionally, add honey (only when the drink is lukewarm) and lemon juice as per taste.

Notes: For convenience, use a tea infuser to hold the cumin seeds and dry ginger, removing it easily after steeping. This recipe can be adapted with other spices or herbs for varied herbal infusions.

Golden Spread: A Sweet Immunity-Boosting Jam

This delightful spread serves as a sweet, immunity-boosting winter treat suitable for all ages. It makes half a cup, requires 45 minutes of cooking time, one day of drying time, and balances Vata and Pitta doshas.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup ash gourd, peeled, deseeded, and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 teaspoons ghee
  • 1/2 cup rock sugar powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon long pepper powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dry ginger powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 2 pinches coriander powder
  • 2 pinches bay leaf powder
  • 2 pinches cardamom powder
  • 2 pinches black pepper powder
  • 2 pinches cinnamon powder
  • 1 teaspoon honey

Method:

  1. Cook the ash gourd with water in a kadai, covered, for about 20 minutes.
  2. Squeeze the ash gourd in a muslin cloth to extract the juice.
  3. Dry the ash gourd pieces in sunlight for 5–6 hours, then cut or pierce them and fry in ghee for 5–7 minutes.
  4. Add the extracted juice and rock sugar, cooking while stirring continuously for about 20 minutes until semi-solid.
  5. Mix in all the spice powders while hot to form a homogeneous mass.
  6. When lukewarm, add honey and mix well. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Notes: The jam may have small pieces as the ash gourd is not ground. For variation, use yam instead of ash gourd to aid digestion, regulate bowel movement, and promote gut health, with a balancing effect on Kapha and Vata doshas.

Peppery Pineapple Soup: A Tangy Winter Delight

This sweet, spicy, and tangy soup combines pineapple, lentils, herbs, and spices, making it perfect for winter or monsoon. It offers a comforting and nutritious option for seasonal wellness.

Ingredients for Roasting and Grinding:

  • 1/4 teaspoon pigeon peas
  • 3/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon split chickpeas
  • 1 dry red chilli
  • 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

Ingredients for the Soup:

  • 1/2 cup pigeon peas
  • 1/4 cup pineapple, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
  • 2 cups water (divided)
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 pinches asafoetida
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped coriander leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon rock salt, or to taste

Method:

  1. Dry roast the ingredients for grinding on low heat for 15 minutes, then cool and grind into a fine powder.
  2. Soak pigeon peas for 30 minutes, discard water, and grind pineapple for juice. Crush garlic, cumin, and peppercorns together.
  3. Cook pigeon peas with 1 1/2 cups water in a pressure cooker for 2–3 whistles.
  4. Add crushed garlic mixture, turmeric, and 1/2 cup water, boiling for 7–10 minutes uncovered.
  5. Sauté asafoetida in oil for 2–3 minutes and add to the cooker.
  6. Remove from heat, mix in pineapple juice, salt, and coriander leaves before serving.

These recipes exemplify how Ayurvedic principles can be integrated into daily life for enhanced health during colder months. They not only provide warmth and nutrition but also align with body-specific needs, as emphasized in Lakshmi Lakshmanan's comprehensive guide to vegetarian Ayurvedic cooking.