Recipe: Spiced Summer Breakfast Rice

This yummy breakfast rice is great for Pitta! Coriander and cardamom are both spices that are safe for Pitta (unlike mustard or dry ginger) and benefit digestion. Coriander can help with: any burning sensation, fever, kidney stones, rashes & inflamed skin, nausea, coughing and general digestion.  And cardamom is so delicious! It's also known as the queen of the spices! Cardamom is only very mildly heating, and combined with the coriander is completely safe for pitta. Cardamom is a digestant, helps with any cough, breathlessness, halitosis, nausea and helps prevent cavities (as Dr Lad says in Ayurvedic Cooking for Self-Healing). Some of you might wonder why this is made with a white food (shock! horror!) when this is supposed to be a healthy blog. Well, in Ayurveda white basmati rice is highly revered because it is so easy to digest and is tri-doshic. Since good digestion, assimilation and elimination is key to good health, white basmati rice is used frequently. If you're wanting to substitute brown rice, know that the dish is no longer as friendly for pitta and kapha; Brown rice is heavy while white is "Light soft and wholesome" (Dr Lad). The coconut lends its healthy fats to make this dish very satisfying but still friendly to digest. I had mine with some fresh peach slices, but soaked raisins would be an excellent addition (especially if you wanted the extra stamina). Enjoy! 

Serves 1. 

1/4 c full fat organic coconut milk

1/4 c water

1/2 c cooked basmati rice

1/4 t ground coriander

1/8 t ground cardamom

1 T shredded coconut, toasted

1/4 t maple syrup

In a small pot, combine coconut milk and water and bring to boil. Add rice and spices and bring to just barely a simmer. Stir very frequently for 5 minutes or so. Add more water if needed. Rice should be warmed through and spice taste should be well distributed. Stir in half the toasted coconut and maple syrup. Serve and sprinkle with remaining coconut. Enjoy! 

• Vata: Excellent. Could add a pinch of fresh grated ginger when cooking. Add some soaked and peeled almonds for a heartier meal. 
• Pitta: Excellent!!
• Kapha: Good. Use raw honey rather than maple syrup. Use rice milk instead of water or coconut milk. Could add a pinch of dry ginger.