As summer comes to a close…….

We give thanks to the people who tend the land so we can attend to our own form of food sadhana. It is essential that we create our own connections with our food sources. For those of us lucky enough to enjoy cooking, we plan our daily meditations around food and caring for our loved ones.

When tending to our food needs, it’s easy to forget that food creates nourishment, and that foods unsuitable for our body types can create lasting imbalances. But all is not lost. If you’re just finding us, take time each day to learn about the foods that help you thrive.

Xo, Rasa Kitchen

Enjoy this Kapha-balancing green bean dish that can be enjoyed in many ways (click here). This week’s lesson is about creating a dish that is balanced in flavor while avoiding aggravation of your dosha (body type).

Ingredients:

1 lb Green beans, tips removed
2 Carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 TBSP ghee or avocado oil
4 Garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 TSP cumin seeds
1 Pinch yellow mustard seeds
1 TBSP Sesame seeds
1–2 TSP prepared horseradish
Salt and pepper to taste

In a pot or steamer basket, blanch beans for 5 minutes.

Drain and rinse with cold water or shock them with ice to keep their green color.

In a medium frying pan over medium heat, add ghee or oil, cumin seeds, sesame seeds and mustard seeds. Let them sizzle, but do not burn. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add a splash of water or vegetable bouillon to loosen the spices and garlic. (I like No Chicken Better Than Bouillon.) Add beans and cook until glistening and fully coated.

Next, add carrots, horseradish, salt, and pepper. Give everything a few good tosses, then cover and turn off the heat. Do not overcook. The beans should remain bright green, and the carrots should still have some bite.

If you want to make this more Vata-pacifying, omit the garlic and add ginger instead.

For Kapha and Pitta types, go light on the oil and lean into water or broth. This isn’t spicy, so try it on quinoa grain bowls or as a side to tofu makhani (Indian butter tofu).

Enjoy!