Have you ever wondered why some dishes not only taste delicious but also leave you feeling good, while others are just heavy on the stomach? The answer often lies not only in the basic ingredients themselves, but in the spices that accompany them.
Ayurveda teaches us that spices not only add flavor, but also make food more digestible, for example.
In earlier times, spice blends were the secret of Ayurveda masters. They knew how to combine herbs and spices in such a way that they brought body and mind into balance. In this blog article, we will show you how you too can make use of this ancient knowledge and create your own Ayurvedic spice blend.
The power of spices and spice blends
What would a goulash be without the fruity and smoky note of paprika, a curry without turmeric or a cucumber salad with yoghurt dressing without the fresh note of dill? Spices give our dishes their unmistakable taste. However, they can take on many more functions in our food.
For example, the generous use of hot spices has always been used to make food more digestible. Dill in cucumber salad can also make cucumbers, which are difficult to digest, more digestible.
In Ayurvedic teachings, spices are far more than just flavoring agents. Individual spices and the spice mixtures (masala) made from them are seen as a natural support for our well-being.
Each spice is attributed an energetic quality and effect that can influence our inner warmth, our digestive power (agni) and our dosha balance. By mixing the individual spices, we can enhance this effect.
Ayurvedic spices to support digestion
Particularly if you want to regulate your weight without a one-sided diet or activate a sluggish digestion, certain spices are invaluable. These include:
- Black pepper: It is considered one of the most powerful digestive aids in Ayurveda. Black pepper is valued in Ayurveda for its stimulating properties and helps to burn “ama” (metabolic residues). It unfolds its essential oils best when freshly ground.
- Ginger (fresh or dried): From an Ayurvedic point of view, ginger has a warming and activating effect. It gets your digestive fire going.
- Cumin: Can also have a calming effect on your digestion, relieve the intestines and promote the absorption of nutrients.
- Turmeric: Turmeric is valued in Ayurveda for its many uses, including in connection with cleansing and inner balance. The root is particularly popular in combination with freshly ground black pepper.
- Cardamom, coriander and fennel: They are also said to have positive effects on digestion.
- Cinnamon: Cinnamon is traditionally associated with a harmonizing effect on the body.
By combining these spices intelligently, you can create a blend that not only enhances your food, but also restores your body to its natural balance.
Make your own Ayurvedic spice mix: guaranteed to work
All you need for your homemade digestive fire spice mix is:
- two teaspoons of black peppercorns,
- three teaspoons of cumin seeds,
- two teaspoons of ginger powder,
- two teaspoons of ground turmeric,
- one teaspoon of fennel seeds and
- half a teaspoon of cinnamon.
Put the spices in a non-stick pan and toast them briefly without fat! In addition to the spicy, smoky note, roasting ensures that the essential oils in the spices are released. A wonderful aroma will spread through your kitchen and increase your anticipation of the fragrant spice mix.
Finally, put the cooled spices in a mortar or food processor and grind them into a homogeneous spice mixture.
The Ayurvedic spice mixture will keep for several months if stored in an airtight screw-top jar.
Of course, you don’t just want to mix spices, you also want to use them. Simply refine your rice and vegetable dishes with the spice mix! Our spice mix also works very well in a simple olive oil and lemon dressing for salads.
Would you like to discover even more delicious and beneficial Ayurvedic recipes? In our restaurant at the Ayurveda Resort Mandira, a culinary variety awaits you, which will pamper your palate with authentic Ayurvedic dishes in the middle of the Styrian thermal spa region.
