8 NO. OF CONSTITUENCIES NO. OF VOTERS 9

Centre Splash
Samabrita Sen
According to ayurveda and yoga, a
sattvik diet, also referred to as
yoga diet is not only healthy but
beneficial to the body and mind.
Sattvik food with its non-garlic, non-onion
and less spicy spread is equally delicious at
the same time.
Every region in India is known for its
special sattvik spread which changes
according to taste and preference of the
region, influenced by tradition and culture
of the place.
From soulful read to music and now food,
Sattvik food is supposed to be clean and
wholesome. It provides more nutrition than
a proper mix of proteins, carbs, fats, etc.
Few restaurants around the country
have incorporated sattvik food in their
menu. For example, an Isckon run,
Bangalore-based restaurant, Higher Taste,
serves pure sattvik food platters. They
believe in food as a ‘philosophy’ and vegetarianism
as a way of life. The restaurant
endorses the idea that sattvik food is the
purest form of spread available. When
cooked in typical Vedic style, sattvik food
generates positive energy in us. The restaurant
serves special dishes catering to both
South Indian and North Indian palates
with items like iddiyappam, kothu parota,
ginger paniyaram, tomato dosa, rajshahi
naan and kesariya sheerma on the menu.
Back in Kolkata, Chef Sushanto Sengupta
of 6 Ballygunge Place says that they do not
serve sattvik food on a regular basis, but on
special request, they do. A lot of Hindus
and Jains are frequent customers. “We
serve sattvik food on special occasions.
There are a few dishes sans onion or garlic
like shukto and bati chochchori which are
categorically sattvik . The reason behind
this craze for sattvik food is more ‘religious’
than people becoming health conscious.
My favourite sattvik food will be a
Bengali mixed vegetable dish tempered
with panch phoron (five spices), a little bit
of turmeric along with a hint of green
chillies,” says the chef.
Again, Sattvik, a restaurant in Delhi
serves only Jain and sattvik food. Arpita
Nath, a working professional from Delhi,
says, “I was unaware of this concept before
but since my friend and I were on a vegetarian
diet for a week, we thought we
would give this place a try. I loved the
spread they had to offer. Sattva the drink I
tried was actually Virgin Mary (non-alcoholic
tomato juice) with an Indian name.
But what I loved most was poached jamun
with raspberry sauce. Sattvik food is definitely
delicious.”
The acceptance of sattvik food as mainstream
cuisine is on the rise. However, chef
Utpal Mondal of HHI, Kolkata, says the
penchant for sattvik food has been there
for quite a while, but the awareness is
growing among the youth only now. “We
have a separate counter for non-garlic and
non-onion food on all occasions for each
and every type of cuisines. Marwaris,
Gujaratis and Bengalis are our dominant
customers. They come and ask for sattvik
food on festivals, if they are breaking a fast
or if there is puja at home. It is easier for
them to come out and enjoy this kind of
food in restaurants. Chef Mondal challenged
that no one would be able to find
out any difference if he serves them a normal
dish with garlic and onion and the
same dish sans garlic and onion. HHI has
consciously incorporated innovative nongarlic
and non-onion dishes in their regular
menu. Chinese, Lebanese, Italian as well
as Indian dishes have a sattvik counterpart
at HHI. “My personal favourite would be
sattvik risotto but I would also recommend
the Indian black dal, chana (grams) and
paneer makhani kofta,” says chef Mondal.
APPETIZER
Rosemary and Potato Scones
Ingredients:
1 pound potatoes
1 cup flour, sifted
2 tablespoon olive oil
oil or butter for greasing
2 tablespoon powdered rosemary
salt and pepper
Directions:
Boil potatoes in salted water for 20 minutes
until tender. Drain and return to a
clean pan and mash.
Add flour, olive oil, rosemary and a little
salt and pepper and mix into a soft dough.
Roll out dough on a floured surface to a
thickness of 1/4 inch and stamp out rounds
with a 2-inch round cookie cutter.
Lightly grease the pan with oil or butter.
Cook in batches on hot pan for 10 minutes
turning once till golden on both sides.
Serve hot to enjoy the wonderful taste.
MAIN DISH
Ratatouille
p5 Weekender May 07, 2011
Ingredients:
Olive oil
Hing (optional)
1-2 bell peppers cut into strips
3-4 tomatoes cut into chunks
Herbes de Provence (basil, thyme, parsley)
Tomato paste
1 zucchini, sliced
1 medium eggplant, sliced or cut into
chunks
Salt and pepper
Directions:
In a large cooking pot, heat plenty of oil.
Briefly fry hing, if using.
Add bell peppers, tomatoes, and herbs. For
a stronger tomato taste, add tomato paste
or tomato puree.
Add zucchini and eggplant. Season with
salt and pepper.
Cook slowly for up to two hours, depending
on how chunky you want your ratatouille
and how hungry you are.
Serve with a crusty baguette.
DRINK
Almond milk
Ingredients:
1 cup almonds, or any other nut
2 1/4 - 4 cups water
1/2 tablespoon maple syrup or honey
(optional)
Directions:
Soak almonds overnight. If desired, remove
skins. Discard water.
Blend nuts with water and sweetener.
If using as a drink, strain first.
Serve chilled to enjoy this drink
DESSERT
Carob Cake
Ingredients:
3 cups all purpose flour
2 cups turbinado sugar
6 tablespoons roasted carob powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups cold water
10 tablespoons cooking oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mix dry ingredients.
Add wet ingredients and mix until smooth.
Pour evenly into two nine-inch cake pans
and bake for 30 minutes, or until an
inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Cover each cake in frosting or thin slices of
kiwi or strawberry and stack.
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Treat your mom
Spicing it up