Krishna food: rich, spicy, sweet, tasty

This article, "Krishna food: rich, spicy, sweet, tasty," was published in The Miami News, February 7, 1974, in Miami, ‎Florida.

"Spiritual food," blessed by Krishna, for Miami devotees.

By EUNICE MARTIN 
Miami News Food Editor

The devotees of Krishna have recipes 5,000 years old that "are so good that they can carry one a step beyond ordinary sense pleasure into the realm of supreme enjoyment." 

So claim those in the Hare Krishna movement here - about 70 disciples and a handful of their children who live in a series of houses rented to them near their Temple at 4001 Kumquat Avenue in Coconut Grove. 

The Krishna food is rich and spicy, sweet and tasty, savory and filling. 

Spices determine the taste of the preparations and they are the jewels of cooking for Krishna. Common spices used in "Prasadam" (food for the body, food for the soul and food for God) include ground allspice, asafoetida, ground black pepper, whole cloves, saffron, ground ginger, ground cumin seeds, dried mango powder, and ground tumeric. 

Most of the spices gre readily available from regular grocery stores. Other spices would be more likely found in Chinese food stores or Indian specialty stores. 

The main source of protein in the daily Krishna consciousness diet is dahl, which is made from different types of dried beans. Chic peas (garbanzo beans) are also a favorite and a good source of energy. 

They eat no meat, or fish, or eggs. 

The potato is called the "king" of vegetables because it can he prepared in many delicious ways. Eggplant and cauliflower, being other great favorites, are also an integral part of the diet, as are okra, string beans and peas. Onions, garlic and mushrooms are considered unclean vegetables and therefore never offered to Krishna. 

Chutneys and raitas are accompaniments or side dishes served with rice, vegetables, bread and savories. Generally, chutneys are made with fruits and are hot and sweet, raitas usually consist of a vegetable prepared with yogurt and salt; they are similar to salads and are simple to prepare. 

Here are some special Krishna recipes. 

MAHA BRINGAL 
2 large eggplants chopped 
4 large tomatoes chopped 
1 pound finely chopped spinach 
1/4 cup ghee or melted butter 
1 1/2. cumin seed 
1 1/2 t. crushed red pepper 
1/2 t. salt 
1/2 t. tumeric 

Over high flame heat ghee (clarified butter) or butter in large skillet till smoking. Add cumin seed and red pepper. Cook for two minutes. Stir in eggplants. Cover and cook until eggplants are soft and tender as butter stir in salt and tumeric. Add tomatoes and cook with no cover for 10 minutes, maintaining original high flame all the while. Add spinach. Cover and steam for 10 minutes. Remove cover, reduce flame to medium low and cook stirring frequently till consistency is that of a thick paste. Serves 3 to 4. 

POTATOES, CAULIFLOWER AND PEAS 
4 potatoes
1 t. tumeric
1 cup green peas 
1 cauliflower 
ghee (clarified butter) 
2 t. salt 
1/4 t. cayenne 
1/2 t. cumin powder 

Boil all vegetables. Mash into a paste. Add spices and make into patties. Fry in pan in butter until crust is formed. Turn often and add more ghee as necessary. 

A variation of this dish is: 

POTATOES, CAULIFLOWER IN YOGHURT 
1 small cauliflower 
4 potatoes 
ghee (clarified butter) 
1 cup of yoghurt 
1 T. tumeric 
1/2 t. ginger 
1 1/2 t. salt 

Break washed cauliflower into flowerettes. Wash and slice potatoes. Deep-fry both in ghee until golden. Drain. Toss into spiced yoghurt.