Taking the time to cook and nourish our digestive fire, agni, is a sacred and healing practice. In Ayurveda, food is viewed as the source of our life energy, prana, the vital nutrients that can be our medicine and connect us to the cycles of nature. We can look at what the Earth provides during the winter to balance the qualities of these cold, dry months.
Balancing Qualities of Winter (Vata-Kapha season)
As the winter season sets in, we can all feel the changes within our bodies. In the winter, our digestive fire is stronger than most other seasons, making this a good time for nourishing ourselves with often heavier foods as our body needs it.
During the beginning of winter, the cold, windy air brings out light and moving Vata qualities which also help us move through this season. Vata can easily move out of balance during this time, especially when aggravated by not getting enough grounding foods. Kapha qualities of endurance and resistance strengthen our immunity to help get us through the end of winter season. However, excess Kapha in the form of mucus is also seen in the presence of colds, coughs, and flus.
The seasonal foods of winter support our bodies needs with squash, beets, carrots, daikon, leeks, oranges and many leafy greens. To prepare for seasonal eating, we can follow simple and intentional practices for making dishes that are not only balancing to our constitution and the season, but also convenient to our lives. To balance the cold, dry, rough qualities of winter– warm, moist, soupy foods are favored for digestion. Knowing the basics to preparing Ayurvedic food can help us live with more clarity and honor our bodies, for a happy healthy gut makes a happy healthy mind.
Eating According to Your Constitution
According to Ayurveda, each person has a unique mind-body type, also referred to as their constitution. Eating food that is satiating to your unique constitution brings out the radiant natural qualities of each person. To learn more about your constitution you can take our Whats My Dosha Quiz and read our article “Understanding Your Dosha and Constitution.” Once you know your dosha, it is helpful to follow along cooking and eating habits based on your unique mind-body type.
Common Cooking Spices
These spices we cook with can be a source of great medicine, these are some common spices used in Ayurvedic cooking for optimum digestion and absorption of nutrients. Using these spices in vegetable sautés, curries, soups, grain/protein dishes does wonders for the flavor profile and our gut microbiome!
- Turmeric
- this bitter anti-inflammatory aids in destroying toxins in all doshas
- ideal for adding to protein dishes for complete digestion
- Cumin Seeds
- its pungency stimulates digestion and relieves Kapha
- a useful antidote for overeating
- Mustard Seeds
- the warming and pungent properties are useful for Vata and Kapha
- valued for improving digestion
- Coriander Seeds
- pungent yet cooling properties are great for calming Pitta
- Black Pepper
- pungency and warmth stimulates appetite
- Fresh Ginger
- pungent heating qualities decreases Vata and Kapha
- great for immunity, clearing the lungs of phlegm in colds and coughs
- Asafoetida (Hing)
- this pungent heating herb is great for dispelling gas and balancing Vata
- powerful digestive stimulant and onion/garlic replacement
- Fenugreek
- pungent, bitter, sweet herb good for rejuvenating
- Cinnamon
- warm, sweet and spicy qualities relieve Vata and Kapha
In the Kitchen
Making your kitchen a space of grounded intention and healing before cooking is a simple and easy way to improve the connection you have to your nourishment. Try lighting a candle before preparing your meal to honor your agni, digestive fire, and spark creativity for the cooking process. For those less experienced in the kitchen, start out simple and enjoy the process of learning, it doesn’t have to be perfect!
Once you have your ingredients ready, it’s time for start the alchemy of Ayurvedic cooking. Most recipes for curries, sautés, vegetables and often proteins or grain dishes follow the basic steps outlines below:
- Heat oil
- Add whole spices (seeds, often mustard seeds)
- Seeds start to pop
- Stir in next ingredients (powdered spices, vegetables, grains, protein)
- Add fluids, if needed
- Cover and cook
It’s particularly useful to add the whole seeds to the oil first because it will activate the oils in the seeds, allowing the nutrients and healing properties to be extracted. This will be apparent when you can smell the delicious aroma of your spices brightening up the kitchen. Once the mustard seeds begin to pop, you will want to quickly add the next ingredients, since they can easily burn in under two minutes on high heat. It can be useful to make pre-prepared spice mixes for your dishes, to save yourself time in the kitchen. Here are a few suggestions:
Seed spice mix (for sautés and curries): makes 1/4 cup
- 1 tbsp cumin seed
- 1 tbsp mustard seed
- 1 tbsp coriander seed
- 1 tbsp fenugreek.
Everyday spice mix (for soups, curries, sautés): makes 1/4 cup
- 2 tbsp turmeric
- 2 tbsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp asafoetida
Sweet and spice mix (for oatmeal, desserts, and chai flavor): makes 1/4 cup
- 2 tbsp cinnamon
- 1.5 tbsp ginger
- 1/2 tbsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp cloves
- 1 tsp cardamom.
These mixes can serve as a nice base to start or change up your cooking journey. Whether you feel most inclined to following new recipes by the book, creative cooking, or finding a few staples that are your go-to dishes, cooking at home brings more vitality into our food, and thereby into our being. As much as you can, enjoy the the benefits of a home-cooked meal, your mind, body and soul deserves it.
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References
Morningstar, Amadea. The Ayurvedic Cookbook. Lotus Press. 5th Ed, 1995.
Photo by Shantanu Pal
Published 2/5/2025
Article by Kaylee
