"Prana" means "life energy" in Sanskrit - a force that is closely connected to vitality and inner balance in Ayurveda. This very principle is at the heart of the new cookbook "Prana" (DK Verlag) by Ayurveda chef Simon Mayer, who shows how vegetarian cuisine can energetically support everyday life. Here are three recipes that combine classic Ayurveda teachings with practical, modern cuisine.
Mung Pancakes with Applesauce and Berry Compote
Ingredients for the pancakes (4 servings): 120 g mung dal (hulled yellow mung beans), 1 tsp salt
Filling: 2-4 apples (depending on size), 1 tbsp ghee (plus 1 tbsp for frying), 1 cinnamon stick, 200 g mixed berries (e.g. blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, currants), ½ tsp arrowroot starch, juice of ½ lemon
Topping: 8 tbsp hulled hemp seeds (or pumpkin seeds, sesame, sunflower seeds), toasted
Preparation: The evening before, grind the mung dal in a grain mill or pulverize it in a high-powered blender in two batches of about 30 seconds each to make fine flour. Mix with salt and 300 ml water in a bowl to make a smooth, thin batter. (The batter should be slightly thinner than conventional pancake batter.) Cover the batter and let it rest in the refrigerator until use (or for a maximum of 2 days).
Wash the apples, halve them, core them, and dice them coarsely with the skin on. Place the cubes with 1 tbsp ghee and the cinnamon stick in a pot and simmer covered over medium heat for about 5 minutes until soft. If the juice released is not enough to cook the apples, add another 50 ml of water. Remove the cinnamon stick and puree the apples in a blender until smooth.
Wash the berries, place them in a small pot, and simmer over medium heat for about 1 minute. Mix the starch and lemon juice until smooth. Stir into the simmering berries.
Heat a non-stick pan and lightly grease it with ghee. Depending on the desired size of the pancakes, add smaller or larger portions of batter to the pan and fry over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Then flip and continue frying for 2 minutes until both sides are lightly browned. Remove the finished pancakes from the pan and repeat with the remaining batter.
Place some applesauce and berry compote on one half of each pancake. Fold the other half over, sprinkle with the hemp seeds, and serve.
Creamy Celery with Carrots and Hemp Seeds
Ingredients for celery: 400 g celeriac, 1 tbsp ghee, 200 ml coconut milk, 1 pinch of nutmeg, salt, black pepper, ½ tsp arrowroot starch
Carrots: 400 g purple carrots (Purple Haze), 1 tbsp coconut oil, salt, 1 tbsp tamarind paste
Topping: 8 tbsp hulled hemp seeds, 1 handful of purple radish sprouts, coconut oil for frying, coriander chutney, 1 handful of coriander leaves
Preparation: Peel the celeriac and cut it into 1 × 3 cm diamond shapes. Heat the ghee in a wide pot and fry the diamonds in it over medium heat for 5 minutes, but do not brown them. Deglaze with the coconut milk and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Then cook the celeriac covered over low heat for 15 minutes until soft. At the end of the cooking time, mix the starch with 1-2 tbsp water until smooth and stir into the celeriac.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 175 degrees convection. Peel the carrots. Rub them with the coconut oil, salt them, and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes. Turn them halfway through the cooking time. Brush with the tamarind paste before serving.
Toast the hemp seeds in a pan over low heat until fragrant. Remove them. Then briefly fry the radish sprouts in a little coconut oil.
Distribute the celery cream in the center of plates and arrange the carrots on top. Drizzle some coriander chutney around each. Top with toasted hemp seeds and radish sprouts. Sprinkle with coriander leaves and serve.
Beluga Lentil Dal with Cauliflower and Tamarind
Ingredients for the dal: 120 g beluga lentils, 2 tbsp coconut oil (plus more for the cauliflower), 1 clove of garlic (finely chopped), 1 star anise, 1 tsp tamarind paste, 1 tbsp tahini, ½ green chili (optional, seeded and finely chopped),
Cauliflower: 400 g cauliflower, 1 tsp cumin seeds, ½ tsp arrowroot starch, 200 ml coconut milk, 1 tsp coriander seeds (finely ground), salt
Topping: 4 tbsp sesame (toasted), 1 handful of coriander leaves
Preparation: Wash the lentils and drain them in a sieve. In a wide pot, heat 2 tbsp coconut oil slightly and sauté the garlic in it until light. Add the lentils and star anise and barely cover with water. Bring the lentils to a boil and simmer covered over medium heat for 25 minutes.
Mix the tamarind paste and tahini, add to the lentils, and bring them to a boil again. If necessary, add a little more water so that the lentils have a creamy consistency. Season with salt and, if desired, with chili.
Wash the cauliflower, clean it, and divide it into walnut-sized florets. Heat some coconut oil in a pan and fry the florets in it until they are lightly browned all around. Add the cumin and roast for about 5 seconds. Mix the starch and coconut milk until smooth and deglaze the cauliflower with it. Add the coriander seeds, salt, and cook the cauliflower covered over medium heat for about 2 minutes until crisp-tender.
Arrange the dal and cauliflower on plates. Sprinkle with sesame and coriander leaves and serve.
