The Modern Ayurvedic Cookbook. Amrita Sondhi

for potluck dinners where it is always a hit. Serve with tortilla chips, pita bread, or your favorite crackers.

      2 cups avocados, mashed

      1 tbsp lemon juice

      ½ tsp salt

      ¼ tsp freshly ground pepper

      1 cup sour cream

      • To reduce Kapha: use a light version

      ½ cup mayonnaise

      ½ cup green onions, chopped (about 1 bunch)

      2 cups tomatoes, chopped

      • To reduce Pitta: omit

      ½ cup black olives, pitted and chopped

      2 cups cheddar cheese, grated

      • To reduce Pitta and Kapha: use Mozzarella

      1½ cups refried beans (use canned, if desired)

      In a bowl, combine avocados, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and mix well, then set aside. In another bowl, combine sour cream and mayonnaise and mix well, then set aside. In a third bowl, combine green onions, tomatoes, olives, and cheese. Stir together, then set aside. In a 9-inch pie pan, spread beans evenly over the bottom. Then spread avocado mixture over beans, and follow with sour cream mixture, and cheese mixture.

      Makes 8 cups.

       Indian-Style Hummus

      Adding a few spices creates an Indian variation on traditional hummus. To reduce Kapha, serve with veggies and baked tortilla chips.

To make your own ground cumin from whole cumin seeds, lightly toast them for a few minutes in a dry skillet before grinding them in a coffee grinder (not one regularly used for coffee beans).

      3 cloves garlic

      • To reduce Pitta: only use 2 cloves

      ¼ green Serrano chili pepper, or more to taste (or your choice of chili sauce)

      • To reduce Pitta: omit

      1 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves

      2 cups chickpeas (garbanzo beans), cooked or canned (see Cooking Beans)

      2 tbsp tahini

      Juice of 1 lemon

      1 tbsp olive oil

      ¼ tsp ground cumin (see note)

      1 tsp salt, or to taste

      In a blender or food processor, pulse garlic until chopped. Add the green chili and cilantro and pulse. Add all remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.

      Makes 2 cups.

      Eggplant Dip

      The secret to this recipe is ensuring that the eggplant is well cooked before you mash and blend it with the other ingredients. It is hard to believe how simple and delicious this dish is!

       To reduce Kapha and Vata, add ½ tsp green chutney (Cilantro Mint Chutney or Cilantro Garlic Chutney); to reduce PItta, add 1 tbsp freshly chopped mint leaves.

      2 large eggplants

      1 tbsp olive oil

      • To reduce Vata: add extra tbsp oil

      1 clove garlic

      4 tbsp lemon juice

      ¾ tsp salt, or to taste

      1 tbsp tahini

      Set oven to broil.

      Rub both eggplants with olive oil until they are shiny. With a fork, pierce holes all over eggplants. Broil for at least 40 minutes, turning each once, until eggplants are soft and wrinkled. Remove from oven and let cool. Peel off skin and discard. In a medium bowl, mash eggplant flesh until it is pulpy. In a blender or food processor, pulse garlic until minced. Add eggplant and all remaining ingredients, pulsing until smooth.

      Makes 6 servings.

      Sun-dried Tomatoes & Pine Nut Cream Cheese Dip

      Serve as a dip for veggies or as a spread for your favorite whole grain crackers. It also makes a great addition to sandwiches or wraps. For variety, try substituting fresh dill for mint leaves.

Non-vegetarians can omit the pine nuts and add 1 cup cooked tuna or salmon.

      ¼ cup onions, roughly chopped

      ¼ cup fresh mint leaves

      2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes in oil

      • To reduce Kapha: use dry and reconstitute in hot water

      Salt to taste

      1 cup cream cheese

      • To reduce Kapha: use a light version

      ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted (see notes)

       Persian or Middle Eastern grocery stores usually carry the freshest mint and nuts, as these are staples in their dishes.

      In a blender or food processor, mince onions. Add mint leaves and pulse until leaves are finely chopped. Add sun-dried tomatoes, salt, and cream cheese and blend until smooth. Add pine nuts and pulse until just mixed.

      Makes 1½ cups.

       Toasting pine nuts really brings out their flavor. While they are toasting, watch them carefully as they will not take more than a few minutes to brown. Here are 2 different methods for toasting:

       In the oven: Set oven to broil. Spread one single layer of nuts over a baking sheet. Toast until golden brown.

       In a frying pan: In a dry frying pan on medium heat, place a single layer of nuts and toast until golden brown, stirring constantly.

      Spinach Dip

      This dip is a delectable way to get some of your daily intake of greens. I’ve always loved spinach dip, but I find many versions are too heavy. Serve with baked tortilla chips or fresh veggies, especially to reduce Kapha.

Spinach – which is healing for the lungs and liver – is good for all doshas. It also helps to reduce Kapha.

      1 bunch spinach, roughly chopped (about 5 cups) (see note)

      2 cloves garlic

      2 tbsp green onions, chopped (about 2 stalks)

      ½ fresh green chili, or to taste

      • To reduce Pitta: omit

      ¼ cup fresh parsley

      ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves

      1 tbsp lemon juice

      Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

      2 cups light sour cream

      • To reduce Vata: use a full-fat version

      ¼ cup light mayonnaise

      • To reduce Vata: