Hare Krsna devotees don’t eat meat, fish, or eggs, they don’t have to worry about cholesterol in fried foods. A tablespoon of ghee contains only 31 milliliters of cholesterol—nothing compared to the 274 milliliters in just one egg.
Advaita Acarya offered to the Deity of Lord Krsna the feast his wife had prepared. Pleased to see the gorgeous arrangement for Krsna’s pleasure, Lord Caitanya expressed His great satisfaction. Then He humbly sat down to one side, expecting to take a small portion of the offering.
The art of making these sweets has been preserved through generations of specialized sweet-makers in India. There the sweet repertoire is extensive and elaborate, and although preparing such sweets may appear simple, to do it masterfully requires great skill.
There are sweet spices, like cinnamon and cardamom, pungent ones like cayenne, and mixed tastes like cumin and coriander. Spices influence not only the taste of food, but also the appearance, texture, and aroma.
Whether you look at Lord Krsna’s cuisine from the viewpoint of taste, health, economics, morality, or spiritual benefit, it’s our firm conviction that it’s the best in the world.
This month, I’d like to discuss three-basic ways of cooking vegetables. As you become thoroughly conversant with these three basic methods and as you observe how each method affects the ingredients you will learn how to vary the final taste, texture, and appearance of the dish.
On the anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s appearance his followers celebrate by preparing one of his favorite dishes—kachoris—spicy vegetable savories.
The family meal has hardly survived in our suburban lives. Dad now leaves home early to the office, a communal breakfast is out of the question. As for dinner . . . well, the kids aren’t hungry anyway.
What we have been calling “Lord Krsna’s Cuisine” on these pages actually includes five cuisines: western Indian (Maharashtrian and Marwari), eastern Indian (Bengali), southern (Madras;), northwest central (Gujarati), and northern (Punjabi).
Paste masala refers to spices and herbs that have been ground to a moist, smooth consistency. When slowly simmered, paste masalas impart a full-bodied flavor that is distinctive yet subtle—an ideal spicing for dry bean dishes, dals, gravies, and moist vegetables.
We’re featuring dishes that are quick and easy. Puffed rice is a light meal. Not exactly “instant,” but almost.When it comes to food, we want it effortlessly and fast.
Even the classiest restaurants aren’t prepared for the vegetarian. A vegetarian friend who was obliged to go to a famous Italian restaurant for a business lunch told me of her plight.
For the unexpected guest here are some nibblers you can prepare and keep on hand to serve between meals. They have a diverse range of textures and flavors. You can store them and eat them at room temperature, or warm them in the oven.
Cooking for Krsna, offering the prepared foods to Him with devotion, and tasting this offered food—the prasadam—stimulates our dormant love for Krsna.
Chickpeas are a good source of protein and iron, as well as fiber, vitamins A and b6, riboflavin, thiamin, niacin, calcium, phosphorous, sodium, and potassium. But the best thing about the chickpea is that we can offer it to Krsna.
The first thing you’ll notice is its wonderfully tender, thin pastry crust, golden-brown from deep-frying. Inside are peas, potatoes, or small chunks of cauliflower, seasoned not too little so that the samosa’s bland, and not too much so that it’s hot, but just enough to delight the palate.
You can make substantial beverages by combining fruits, spices, nuts, and essences with milk, buttermilk, or yogurt. Milk, also the basis for cold shakes, makes a soothing nightcap when served hot.
Krsna would steal yogurt and butter from the gopis. Then He would run off to enjoy His booty and share it with the monkeys from the nearby forest. When the gopis caught Krsna, He’d feign innocence and say, “Why do you call Me a thief? Do you think butter is scarce in My house?”
Preparing and eating these foods for our own pleasure is not the same as preparing and offering them to Lord Krsna for His pleasure, because food that’s material when unconnected with the Lord becomes transcendental when offered to Him.
ISKCON Cinema has just released a documentary on the life of Srila Prabhupada. Titled Your Ever Well-Wisher, the film traces Srila Prabhupada’s life from his birth in Calcutta in 1896 to his passing away in Vrndavana in 1977.