During Mauli’s Diwali event last Wednesday at co-founder; Bittu and Anita’s home, we were honoured to have the wonderful and talented Mira Manek cook us all some beautiful food. The event was a perfect way to celebrate Diwali;  surrounded by close friends, a small puja, intentions were set with lit candles and we sung kirtans with the enchanting Radhika Dasa. It was an evening that reminded us the importance of surrounding yourself with inspiring people, mindfulness and eating well; nourishing yourself inside and out.

Mira has kindly shared one of her delicious recipes from the night, so we can all make nourishing and delicious Ayurvedic food from our very own kitchen.

What you eat is extremely important in balancing your elemental make up and balancing your dosha which ultimately can determine your energy levels, your complexion and your mood. Having a plate full of the different flavours and colours is helpful for a balanced diet. Additionally, Ayurveda recommends eating your largest meal at lunchtime when your digestive fire (agni) is most active. During this time of the day where Pitta is strongest, your internal fire will help aid digestion and allow for your body to absorb all the nutrients and energy from the food you eat. However, in modern society eating your largest meal at lunch isn’t always feasible, so having something nutritious and healthy at dinner time is another alternative and this recipe is perfect for easy digestion.  

“I wanted to share the recipe for the showstopper bhel salad… so simple, oozing with flavour and chutneys, and just delicious! I’ll be making this again for our family Diwali party on the weekend, alongside my mother’s outstanding pau bhaji, a table filled with snacks including the famous chakri and lots more… watch my instastories for updates” (@miramenek) .

Quinoa, kale & sweet potato bhel with watermelon

• 1 cup quinoa, boil in roughly double the quantity of water
• 3 medium sweet potatoes, chopped in small cubes, boiled until a little soft (around 10-15 minutes)
• handful kale leaves, finely chopped (or use spinach)
• 1-2 red onions, finely chopped
• 1 tin of chickpeas, drained
• few tablespoons roasted red pepper chutney
• few tablespoons coriander cashew chutney
• few tablespoon imli (date and tamarind) chutney
• juice of 1 lemon
• seeds of 1 pomegranate
• 1 bowl of mamra, puffed rice and/ or sev*
• ¼ watermelon, chopped or 2 apples, chopped in cubes

*if you don’t have this, use wholesome crushed nachos e.g. I quite like the Riceworks brand. Mamra, sev or nachos is to add the ever-important crunch to the bhel!

For the three chutneys, which are very important, as that’s where the flavour comes in, please check my latest blog post on my website.

When ready to serve and eat, mix together all the bhel ingredients with a few tablespoons of each of the chutneys, add salt to taste, add a little more chutney if needed, and serve with garnishings of coriander leaves or crunchy sev.

To follow more amazing recipes follow Mira on her blogs or you can buy her book here which is full of ayurvedic tips and recipes for a balanced lifestyle.

If you’re interested in eating for a dosha, but your not sure what dosha you are more dominant, you can take our test here