Shirodhara

Shirodhara is a shamana  treatment, often prescribed during the rasayana rejuvenation period after pancha karma (the traditional Ayurvedic five actions of detoxification), or any time calming and re-integrating the nervous system is a top priority.

In Sanskrit, shiro means “head;” dhara means “thread.” To undergo shirodhara is to receive an ever-flowing stream of warm, medicated oil onto one’s forehead, in alternating patterns which invite a brain state very similar to deep meditation.

To perform shirodhara, the therapists at Rasa Ayurveda fill an earthen kalam – a clay pot – with a warmed, herbalized oil, specially selected for the patient. This clay pot lends the bhumi qualities of the earth element to the treatment, and does not charge the oil even slightly with electromagnetic energy. The specific oil prepared for the patient will be prescribed by our doctor especially to address the needs of the patient. Commonly in use are Dhantantharam Tailam, Bala Taiilam, Chandanam Tailam, Bhringaamalagaadi Tailam and other oils, often made by hand on the grounds at Rasa Ayurveda from freshly-harvested ingredients.

The kalam rests in a sling of hand-twisted coconut rope which is hung from the ceiling, then held between a therapist’s two hands, rocked back and forth to gently stimulate marma points and match the mind’s travels, until the mind surrenders and a global body sense fills the patient’s awareness. A second therapist tends the oil temperature, and warms and replenishes fresh oil into the kalam as the oil flows down a cotton thread onto the forehead, and the therapy continues.

The sublime experience of shirodhara may lie beyond the grasp of language! But women love to try to describe the total and complete relaxation and effortless return to a sense of Self they. Some have compared shirodhara to being a small innocent baby once again, enjoying the soothing care and cradling of her mother. Therapists observe signs of deep relaxation, such as deepened, slower breathing, released muscle tension, sometimes accompanied by a few silent tears, sighs and gentle smiles.

Ayurvedic texts state that Shirodhara activates the hypothalamus and pituitary glands, opens the 6th and 7th chakras, heightens the senses and increases faith, intuition and overall spiritual awareness. Traditionally, Shirodhara has been applied to treat insomnia, memory loss, headaches, mental tension (anxiety, worry, stress), ADD, TMJ, exhaustion, emotional imbalance, various disorders of the head, neck, eyes, ears, nose and nervous system, and certain skin diseases.

Deeply stress-relieving, Shirodhara pacifies Vata while nourishing and calming the nervous system. Shirodhara cleanses the mind and senses of impressions, improving mental clarity and cognition. The herbal ingredients in the medicated oils are somewhat absorbed through the skin and enter the blood stream near the brain, emphasizing the neurological effect of shirodhara further.

In clinical studies, shirodhara has shown marked potential to alleviate insomnia, reduce anxiety, and diminish high blood pressure.

According to abstracts of a study published by K. Uebaba of Int. Res. Center for Traditional Medicine of Toyoma Prefecture, Toyama, Japan in Engineering in Medicine and Biology Magazine. “Physiological changes during shirodhara have been shown to  similar to those of meditation, including α-wave dominance in the frontal area and a decrease in heart rate and CO2 excretion. These findings indicated a change in the function of the frontal lobe, limbic system, brain stem, and autonomic nervous system.”

The nervous system is governed by the Vata dosha, and in Ayurveda, Vata is considered the leader of the doshas!  Nearly all imbalance begins with the involvement of the Vata dosha. Shirodhara can offer a profoundly healing effect on the nervous system, the disturbance of which is so often at the root of our imbalances and disease.

To be most effective, Shirodhara will be performed in a series of 3, 5 or 7 treatments over a series of days. Ayurveda is the “Mother of Medicine” and just like a mother’s tender care when a child is ill, time and repetition are a important aspect of the efficacy of Ayurvedic treatment.

Completed with grounding attention to the feet and some time to rest on the treatment table, a woman generally enjoys a natural peace, improved sleep and vision and a feeling of being refreshed overall after receiving a series of Shirodhara with oils selected just for her.

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We invite you to experience the benefits of Shirodhara here at Rasa Ayurveda Traditional Healing Centre for Women. Inquire today…!

We look forward to welcoming you soon.

With warm regards,

Niika Quistgard, CAS
Founder & Director

Gwen Dever at Rasa Ayurveda

I’ve had the good fortune to be lovingly looked after by the very capable staff at Rasa Ayurveda Traditional Healing Centre for Women twice now, and I’m eagerly awaiting visit number three!

My first time to Rasa Ayurveda was for a women’s retreat offered through Ayurveda Trip in 2008, mainly to learn more about Ayurveda and take a taste of South India. This was a wonderful, soulful and eye-opening experience. I left with a new-found understanding of what Ayurvedic treatment can accomplish,, and I knew  – at some point – I’d be back.

With a New Friend on my first trip to Rasa Ayurveda

Last summer, I came back to Rasa Ayurveda purely as a patient, to address my ongoing digestive issues with traditional Ayurvedic treatment. (In my case, “PK” or pancha karma.) I’d felt my chronic digestive problems were a sign of overall imbalance, and my discomfort had really been clouding my enjoyment of day-to-day life.

During my treatment at Rasa Ayurveda, I felt so incredibly supported and cared for. My daily Ayurvedic treatment(s), began from when my therapist appeared at my door of my room to escort me to my therapy session where I received an amazing treatment. Then I was escorted back to my room to the simple hot water bath/shower set up. Three lovingly-prepared luscious, authentic meals were served family style around the dining table and I enjoyed the chance then to catch up with others who were sharing the clinic with me. I really enjoyed my daily strolls through the welcoming traditional community, the temple visits and the smiles, waves and interest from the neighbours and their beautiful children, and a little yoga, Ayurvedic cooking and  introduction to Ayurveda basics classes, too.

I  still enjoy remembering waking with the sounds of the temples and going to sleep when my body was tired. Not to mention soaking up the time spent in the garden enjoying the hammocks, the sounds of nature and the smells of the tropical Kerala flora that is all around. Really, what’s not to love!?! In the quiet time that I yearned for and enjoyed while at Rasa Ayurveda,  I was able to meditate, read and escape the thoughts of my usual busy life.  What a joy!  I remember the tropical breezes keeping me cool and the smell of the Ayurvedic oil on my skin. I’m remembering the woody sandalwood and sweet coconut and other exotic (to me, anyway) herbs that make up the handmade oils used in the massage treatments.  (Those same oils have come in very handy this winter to keep my skin supple instead of it drying out as it tends to do in the low humidity atmosphere of a blowing furnace. I’m a convert! I love Ayurveda!)

As a  patient on this last visit, I learned more about myself both from Doctor and from the treatments.  Even though you may think from reading about PK (pancha karma) that it could be a harsh experience, it is simply not that way in the loving hands of the Rasa Ayurveda staff.  I truly felt very supported and happy and loved then, and I am still feeling the benefits of those 21 days in Kerala.

It’s been 7 months since my treatment. I’ve just completed a stressful cross-Atlantic move from the UK back to the states (OMG!), while facing a series of unexpected family situations. In spite of this super-high stress which in the past would almost certainly have brought some digestive issues to forefront of my days, I’m so happy to share that my system has been steady, and just keeps motoring on without complaint.

My time at Rasa Ayurveda also resulted in my losing weight, which I’d hardly dared to hope for. I don’t lose weight easily and seem to gain it back quickly – but the weight has stayed off all these months!

Gwen Soaks up South India

I’m also able to incorporate some of the Ayurvedic practices, foods and cooking methods that I learned at Rasa Ayurveda into my western life now, which brings me a lot of joy and balance.

Dr. Geetha recommended that I return for a maintenance treatment in two years. I cherish knowing that another session at Rasa Ayurveda is on my schedule. With Rasa Ayurveda in my world, I really feel I am “making life juicy!”
Gwen Dever
Chicago, IL, USA

I hoped to create an image that portrayed a woman - a Goddess in us all, standing surrounded, nourished and delighted by all the elements of Nature, while positively enjoying her potential to protect and revere Life.

Dear Friends,

How does a dream become manifest? Usually, the path is filled with mysterious challenges and Grace. We wouldn’t call it a journey if we traveled to our destination in a “straight line…!”

It was just a little more than 4 years ago that we opened the doors of Rasa Ayurveda Traditional Healing Centre for Women to her first patients and retreatants. It’s often said that most small businesses close within the first 5 years. While we haven’t quite made it through this nascent, tender time, we have every confidence that Rasa Ayurveda will arrive at year’s end, steady and strong!

So far, Rasa Ayurveda has been a place of healing to women from more than 20 countries around the world, and to local Malayalee women, too. Traditional healing practices have been sustained, and women young and old–from East and West–have discovered and developed their relationship with the power of Ayurveda to bring every woman healing, happiness and a well-lived life. And Rasa Ayurveda has been a “home-base” for many local families, and for The Muthashi Project, our outreach program helping keep the knowledge of native plants and traditional kitchen medicines alive for coming generations.

In sorting out computer files recently, I came across a collection of graphics showing the evolution of our MayaShakti Ayurveda Pvt. Ltd company emblem. (MayaShakti Ayurveda Pvt. Ltd. is the Indian company operating Rasa Ayurveda.) The images illustrate a process similar to the creation of Rasa Ayurveda: Start with a vision and some determination. Ask for involvement and participation. See what comes…! Refine. Reapproach. Be willing to wait. Go forward again with faith, and the vision will come into reality.

How does a dream become manifest? Usually, the path is filled with mysterious challenges and Grace. The journey is not a “straight line…!”

I loved this Win Ng image as a young girl. The simple naturalness of the female subject, her relatedness to the natural environment and Nature’s creatures, her innocence, and her divine wings–and the whole circle embracing all–never left my memory. This was the main inspiration for our MayaShakti Ayurveda emblem.

I also loved the image I’d used for years in my Ayurveda work with women in the West: a woman’s hands, holding the world,  offering the world to all, while also caring for our Mother in warm, loving hands.

I began to communicate my vision to graphic artists, first, Val Sivilli, who came recommended by a friend. Val drew for hours, and came up with this image…

I felt the drawing had potential, but didn’t fully embody the qualities I knew I needed to see.

Next, Dawn Stevens jumped in to move the drawing toward my vision. First, she took the image a big step back. Faceless Devi!

Dawn created this rendition:

And after more discussion, a softer Goddess Woman:

Clearly, the image was incubating, taking it’s own time. I wanted it to be finished, but could see that “she” was truly NOT ready to be born! Other demands forced the project to a halt repeatedly. While balancing so many aspects of establishing Rasa Ayurveda, there were many times the emblem had to wait for an infusion of money, or the time to pay attention.

At last, Sean Schexnayder – owner of Blu Design and the husband of a wonderful woman who’d been a student for an AyurvedaTrip.com training – offered to help. First, he worked on making the hands more natural. (Drawing the human form in perspective is no easy feat!)

And he listened to what I wanted to see, and did some drawings to move the project along…

With a little correction from my brother Sanju, I wrote out the Malayam words for the 5 Great Elements of Ayurveda – Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space – to include in the circle.

And at last, graphic artist Phyllis Glanville, gave of her time and energy to create the final emblem you see at the top of this post – a true fulfillment of the vision I had hoped to see realized. I’d never asked for a crown, actually. But there’s been no letting go of the crown, and I’ve come to love the leaves that turn our Devi into an Earth Goddess, and every woman who comes to Rasa Ayurveda, a natural queen. And if you look carefully at our emblem above, you can find each of the Five Great Elements – in the landscape of Nature in which we all are born, live –and one day– give our body back to.

We’re grateful to everyone who participated in the development of our company emblem!

This process so closely mirrors the creation of Rasa Ayurveda. It’s two steps forward–and sometimes, one step back. But wherever we find ourselves at any given moment, and whether it seems our journey has us moving forward or back, fast or slow– there is always healing happening, and so much creativity and generosity flowing. Always we are surrounded by the goodness of Nature’s Great Elements, and by the chance to heal. And to make life juicy, right now!

Wherever you are in manifesting your dreams, we wish you well. And we look forward to welcoming you soon, to Rasa Ayurveda…

Niika Quistgard, CAS (Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist)
Founder & Director, Rasa Ayurveda Traditional Healing Centre for Women
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India

I really enjoyed talking with David Crow, who interviewed me on his educational site – MedicineCrow.com. David invited me to “tell all” about Rasa Ayurveda and the Muthashi Project.

To hear the interview, click here.

Don’t hesitate to download the pdf slide show found on the page, also, so you can enjoy the lush images of Kerala and Rasa Ayurveda, coordinated with the interview.

When you’re ready to listen, I hope you’ll brew a cup of tea, sit back and enjoy! Please allow plenty of time for the interview to fully download and begin playing as it is close to 90 minutes long.

Let me know what you think~

We look forward to welcoming you to Rasa Ayurveda Traditional Healing Centre for Women.

With warmest regards~

Niika Quistgard, CAS (Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist)
Women’s Health & Happiness Advocate
Founder & Director, Rasa Ayurveda Traditional Healing Centre for Women
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India

Isn’t it amazing how much more powerfully and beautifully we create when we work together?

Women are great at inspiring and supporting each other, as “the beauty we love, becomes what we do.”

As this year’s Onam festival comes to a close, and the abundant array of Atta Pookalam  flower mandalas fill our vision, we are looking forward to a joyous season  bringing healing and happiness to women – East and West -  here at Rasa Ayurveda.

Over the years, women from all over the world have asked to come to Rasa Ayurveda to make a contribution of service. We are delighted to announce that we are ready to receive the participation of those women who are practicing and studying Ayurveda, who are  yoga therapists with an interest in Ayurveda, who are botanists, herbalists or researchers, as well as those who have other special knowledge or skills related to our work.

An Ayurveda Seva Residency at Rasa Ayurveda is designed to be an affordable work-study retreat–an opportunity to serve local and foreign patients, women and girls, and a chance to help preserve the traditional knowledge and practice of Ayurveda through The Muthashi Project — all while immersed in the ancient culture of Kerala and the living of Ayurveda.

If you desire to offer your time and skills towards our mission, we look forward to learning more about you and your desire to serve through your completion of the application below.

With respect and love,

Niika Quistgard
Founder & Director, Rasa Ayurveda Traditional Healing Centre for Women

Sambar served over steamed idli, with a side of fresh coconut chutney. Delicious!

When patients are asked what they’d like to learn in the next Monday night cooking class at Rasa Ayurveda, the answer is often, “Sambar!”

Sambar is the most popular soup in India. A mix of daal – small split peas – and a tasty melange of vegetables, sambar is served as a main dish or accompaniment for breakfast, lunch, dinner –  for snacks in between and as a dependable feature in most feasts…!  Hardy, spicy, nutritious and easy to digest, sambar will awaken your appetite, warm your belly, nourish your tissues, and maybe even soothe your soul.

Depending on locale and who’s cooking, the ingredients in sambar can vary a little. But one ingredient that you’re guaranteed to taste – and smell! – in sambar is kayam – also known as hing, or asafoetida. This is a tree resin with a very distinctive “Indian kitchen” smell. Before it’s cooked, kayam is quite pungent and should not be stored near other spices or dry beans or grains as the smell of raw kayam can permeate beyond what one may expect. Excellent for warming up the digestion, kayam gives lends that “sambar aroma to sambar. For some it’s an acquired taste. For most Indians, it’s a required taste!

Sambar calms the Vata and Kapha doshas,  and if you don’t add too much chili, it’s fine in moderation for Pitta, especially when the climate is cool.

Collecting ingredients is probably the most challenging step in making sambar. Once you have everything you need, it takes just about 30 minutes from garden to table. Here’s how we make sambar at Rasa Ayurveda…

~ Ingredients ~

For the Pressure Cooker
snake gourd
eggplant
okra
2 roma tomatoes
1 red onion
a big cucumber
curry leaf
100 grams sambar daal
2 tablespoons coriander powder

For the Varutha
3 teaspoons coconut oil
tumeric powder
red chilli powder
curry leaf
black mustard seeds

For the Finish
Fresh (green) coriander
tamarind pulp
salt – use a good, unprocessed salt, such as Induppu, Himalayan or sea salt
kayam (hing, asafoetida)

~ Preparation ~

Prepare Vegetables
Halve and remove seeds from cucumber and snake gourd. Peel well. Remove skin from onion. Cut stems from eggplant and tomatoes.
Place all vegetables together in a steel bowl. Fill with water and rinse several times. Drain. Shake water off the vegetables. Cut stems from okra once dry. Cut all vegetables into 1 1/2-2″ chunks and place all cut veggies in pressure cooker.

Wash, dry and rough-chop a half-bunch of green coriander/cilantro into 2-3″ lengths, removing any roots, but including the flavorful stems. Set aside.

Prepare Tamarind
Place a 1/2 gold-ball size ball of tamarind paste in a small bowl, and add a few ounces of water. If using paste of the whole tamarind pod, massage the delicate pulp away from the seeds and fibres, removing these with your fingers. Set aside the resulting liquid.

Pressure Cook
Add the sambar daal and 1-1/2 liters water into your pressure cooker with the vegetables. Add the coriander powder. Stir ingredients together, and afix the pot lid.

Place cooker on burner, and set heat to medium high. Once pressure is attained, turn down a little bit to remain on medium setting. If you use a first generation cooker, like we do at Rasa Ayurveda, allow the sambar to cook for 2-3 “fizzles.” After the last fizzle, remove cooker from heat and allow the pressure to come down naturally over time, as the ingredients continue to cook. If you are using a second generation pressure cooker, cook for about 20 minutes at medium-high heat, until daal has softened completely, yielding it’s form.

Roast the Spices
While the cooker is cooling and pressure is coming down (about 10 minutes),  place a “cheena chatti” (a small steel wok) on the burner, to make the varutha, or “magic”. Heat coconut oil until almost smoking, and add the whole black mustard seeds. The seeds will pop open like popcorn. When they do, add a dry red chili which has been torn into a few pieces. The drop 10 – 15 fresh curry leaves (yes, more curry leaves!) into the pan, followed by 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder. Stir for about 3 minutes, being careful not to burn!

Finishing
When the pressure cooker can be opened safely, add the “magic” into the cooker. Pour some of the soupy sambar back into the pan in which you roasted the pieces and swish it about, adding this back into the pressure cooker, scraping out any ingredients that remain in the cheena chatti.
Next, add the strong-smelling kayam. If using paste, add a small ball the size of a large green pea. If using pure powder, add 2 small pinches – about 1/8 teaspoon.)
Add salt to taste.
Add the green coriander, also called cilantro.
Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve
Serve sambar hot with idlis, dosha or a bowl of steaming-hot rice…
Delicious!

We look forward to welcoming you to Rasa Ayurveda Traditional Healing Centre for Women.

With warmest regards~

Niika Quistgard, CAS
Founder & Director, Rasa Ayurveda Traditional Healing Centre for Women
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India

Niika with Document Writers on Registration Day

Dear Friends ~

Great news! With the help of so many from all over the world who encouraged, donated, made advance purchases of treatment time and offered heart-felt prayers, we are thrilled to announce the  purchase of River House for Rasa Ayurveda!

Besides just being, pretty much nothing comes easily in India. To get anything done, you’d better have plenty of patience, the willingness to try repeated approaches, various kinds of assistance, extra cash,  more extra cash, and mainly Divine Grace! These are the essential ingredients that make moments of accomplishment (finally!) possible in the land of Sacred Chaos.

All the necessary elements came together at last, after many kinds of challenges were met. And so, we’re happy to share with you this celebratory moment!

Official Documents, Stitched and Stamped

You can see that in the first photo, I’m feeling proud and happy. It had been quite a lot of effort to complete all the financial, logistical and legal requirements to arrive at this day, and here I was, standing next to our document writers, who were about to hand over the final paperwork.  Next, we’d carry this to the government real estate registration office where we’d meet the sellers, pay the registration tax and get everyone’s signatures on the done deal. The government office would then record the transfer of ownership and issue an official deed.

Sanju – my adopted brother and a director of our Indian company MayaShakti Ayurveda, Pvt. Ltd. – took the photo at my request. I wanted to document a moment of accomplishment, something to share with all of you…!

Ah, but alas, our work was far from over! We’d expected to complete registration by lunchtime, but – the sellers went to meet us in the wrong location. We waited for them for a long while. They finally found us, and we raced to the Registrar’s office. We arrived and waited for our turn to approach the Registrar. When we reached the front of the line, the Treasurer accepted the registration tax, in cash. The Registrar looked over all the papers, and all of us and said, “Foreigners can’t buy real estate.”

Well, that’s true, but it is our Indian company buying the building, not me personally, which is perfectly legal. I’m not even the sole shareholder! But I am the Managing Director and therefore the one to sign the documents.

Back office talk. Phone calls in loud questioning Malayalam. Uncertain glances. We’d paid the (enormous) registration fee, but it was returned to us in stacks and stacks of rupee notes. In the final analysis, the registrar wanted more corporate identifying information on the documents. The documents had to be redone. The office was closing for lunch. We’d have to return with the sellers, copies of other official papers and a whole new set of sales documents.

OK – Yes – I do yoga, I breathe, and I meditate, and have been through plenty in life. I’m not a stranger to anticipation and complication. But poor Sanju aniyan had all he could do to keep me in my skin that day! The look on the sub-registrar’s face made me wonder if he’d actually document the sale even if we produced all he asked for. And honestly? I was a little nervous to let our sellers wander off during the lunch hour, while we drove back to the clinic to collect more papers, dropped by our bank for more documentation and prevailed upon the document writer’s once again for a whole new set of papers. The sellers now had their money, after all, and had no further need of us. But we needed their presence again in the afternoon, and final signatures on the re-drafted documents!

It took the rest of the day to come to a happy landing point. We struggled through two sets of papers with the document writers to produce error-free documents, and made our way back in front of the Sub-Registrar. The sellers did reappear and did the needful. At 4:50pm, just minutes before closing, the government officials once again accepted our registration fee, and stamped all the papers with seals of approval. Reticent congratulatory smiles were offered in all directions and we left the office.

Outside, the seller and I removed our shoes. I faced the East, put my hands together in prayer, then placed a thousand rupee note in the seller’s hand. She said a prayer and handed me the house key.

We did it! We purchased the River House for Rasa Ayurveda!

Sanju listens to C. Thanu Pillai as he consults Vastu notes on River House

A few days later, we called C. Thanu Pillai a vastu specialist to come to the house and advise us. Before we move a stick of furniture inside, we want to ensure that the energy of the house is very clear and perfect for healing, educating and strengthening women – our purpose for Rasa Ayurveda. Vastu shastra is an ancient Vedic art of placement, and also involves studying the astrologically-influenced relationship between a building and its owner(s). Mr. Pillai spent several hours assessing the characteristics of the building site,  measuring various aspects of the house, counting the number of corners the building has, and consulting texts.

The bottom line? A little remodeling is in order to improve the location of the front door and a few other details for greater harmony. But in 10 points out of the 12 traditionally assessed, River House rates the highest for good fortune under our ownership and for the purpose it will serve – to provide a supportive place for women to heal, learn and become strong in themselves, ready to be powerful in life!

The Cleaning Brigade

River House is a beautiful building, but it had been neglected for some time, and sorely needed a good scrubbing! Here Vino, Prakash, Suma and Rema take a break from cleaning, delighted with Rasa Ayurveda’s new home.

But the story isn’t over… ! Each success seems to beget the next project! With the sale behind us, it’s time to raise funds for the renovation, complete the new yoga hall and bathroom on the roof, make the vastu adjustments, and build a sundeck at the river’s edge. And on January 1st, a gardener will begin plant medicinal plants and vegetables. A dream come true for so many of us!

We’re looking forward to making River House a truly beautiful, functional site for groups of women and individual patients. The whole Rasa Ayurveda family is enthusiastic about having a building to call home!

We sincerely thank all who have joined us in creating this foundation for the future of Rasa Ayurveda.

May you enjoy this season in your own home, wherever you are. We hope to welcome you to Rasa Ayurveda’s River House, very soon!

With warmest regards~

Niika Quistgard, CAS
Managing Director, Rasa Ayurveda Traditional Healing Centre for Women
MayaShakti Ayurveda Pvt. Ltd.
Trivandrum, Kerala

Enjoy this brief YouTube clip, recorded at Rasa Ayurveda:
Marie Paule talks about her experience at Rasa Ayurveda

Rasa Ayurveda Therapists Give Ayurvedic Medicines to Take Home

This week, local women and children were especially invited to come to Rasa Ayurveda for complimentary Ayurvedic consultations, medicines and treatment. As Ayurveda’s popularity increases worldwide, it’s important to make sure Malayalee continue to benefit from the traditional medicine that arose from their own homeland, Kerala.

Invitation distributed to Women & Children around Rasa Ayurveda

In the United States this week, Thanksgiving is celebrated as a time to remember what we are most grateful for.

Here at Rasa Ayurveda, we are all –patients, students and the Rasa Ayurveda family–feeling grateful for the native plant medicines and the knowledge of traditional Ayurveda. We’re grateful we are able to share the power of this traditional medicine with women from all over the world, and with women in our own village here.

Niika Quistgard with Local Patient

With more gratitude, we thank all those who have contributed to The Muthashi Project in this last year, from the bottom of our hearts. We hope to do much more to protect the native medicinal plants and the unbroken stream of Ayurvedic knowledge. May the benefits of Ayurveda be enjoyed into the next many generations!

We look forward to welcoming you to Rasa Ayurveda Traditional Healing Centre for Women.

With warmest regards~

Niika Quistgard, CAS (Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist)
Women’s Health & Happiness Advocate
Founder & Director, Rasa Ayurveda Traditional Healing Centre for Women
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India

A dosa is a thin, crepe-like pancake. Most commonly made from urad daal (a tiny white bean) and rice, dosa is a ubiquitous item on the breakfast menu in every Malayalee home and hotel. My brother Sanju – our manager at Rasa Ayurveda – says dosa originated with the Tamil Brahmins, who are strict vegetarians.

As with almost all things India, the spectrum of dosa possibilities is wide!  You can find raava dosa, green gram dosa, coconut dosa, enormous, crispy ghee roast dosa and many more variations.

Dosas make good picnic fare, wrapped in a banana leaf for transport. And dosa for dinner is a common repast. Whether served at dawn or after dusk, a dosa is a delicious comfort food throughout South India.

But in most in Kerala homes, it’s the simplest, soft dosa made of urad daal and rice that’s offered to hungry family members. That’s lucky for women taking treatment at Rasa Ayurveda, because this kind of dosa fits nicely into a delicious menu that supports the goals of Ayurvedic treatment. Wheat and gluten-free, the saada dosa is super-tasty, provides a complete protein, and is very easy to digest.

Saada dosa is great served hot off the griddle, perhaps accompanied by a companion puddle of sambar (a spicy daal and vegetable soup fragrantly flavored with asafoetida), and a dollop of tasty coconut chutney.

Sometimes this saada dosa is stuffed with one of countless filling options, including the famous golden potato masala, the intriquing and radiant beetroot masala, or my personal favorite – lightly-grilled translucent onion.

Dosa Stuffed with Drumstick Leaves

Here at Rasa Ayurveda, we might stuff dosa with fresh medicinal and tasty! leaves, like those of the fertility-promoting Drumstick Tree (botanical name: Moringa oleifera).

To make dosa in your own kitchen, try  this recipe for the soft urad and rice saada dosas, as served at Rasa Ayurveda.

Utensils:
dosa kallu – (literally, dosa stone)  or tava – a round, cast iron griddle about 10″ across used  in modern times (Please avoid using non-stick cookware. The coating material can release toxic particles into food.)
a stainless seel ladle (flat bottomed is helpful)
grinder – a proper dosa grinder rotates a stone pestle again a stone mortar, but you can also use a mixie (blender) or food processor
bowl for holding batter
dosa chatugam (flat, stainless steel “spatula” or pancake turner)

Urad daal and small, short grain rice

Ingredients:
2/3 cup short grain white rice
2/3 cup whole (or split) skinless urad daal
pure water
salt
sesame oil

Batter Preparation:
Place the rice and daal in a bowl and rinse it well.  (Three times is usual.) Pour water over the rice and daal, to more than cover. Cover the bowl and allow it to soak for about 3 hours.

Pour out almost all the water after soaking. Grind the rice and daal in a blender or food processor, adding just enough water to create a batter that will flow a little when poured.

Transfer to a bowl. Let the mixture sit, covered, overnight to ferment. Fermentation occurs more readily in some climates and seasons than in others. (As San Francisco is famous for it’s sourdough bread – which also requires fermentation, South India is famous for dosa, idli and a variety of other fermented, easy-to-digest ground rice preparations. If you are preparing dosa batter in a cool, dry environment, be certain to set the bowl in a warm place, and cover the batter bowl with a damp towel.)

You can tell the batter is ready to cook when you see signs of fermentation: bubbles in the batter, a little foam on the top. Stir in a teaspoon of salt to the batter and mix well, just before cooking.

Cook the Dosa:
Place the tava on the burner, over medium heat. Soak a piece of cotton cloth in sesame oil, and apply a thin coat to the tava, covering the surface in a circular motion.

Take up a ladleful of dosa batter. Pour it into the center of the hot tava and immediately spread the batter out from the center by spiraling the bottom of the ladle out from the center, carefully in a clockwise direction.

Dosa Batter spread on the Tava

Don’t worry if your first few doshas have an odd shape. During cooking classes here at Rasa Ayurveda, we like to joke around as students make their first attempt.  That’s a nice shape… What continent are you making? Africa? India? South America?  You’ll get the hand of spiraling the batter out from the center, and before you know it, all your dosa will be round like the entire world!

After 2-3 minutes, loosen all ’round the outer edge of the dosa with the dosa chatugam.

Once the top of the dosa has bubbled and appears dry, loosen around edges once again and slide under the center of the dosa, pick it up and turn it over. Once turned, smooth the dosa with the dosa chatugam and let brown a little bit for 1-2  minutes. Check out this super-short video of Jalaja, who cooks at Rasa Ayurveda, showing her dosa-flipping skill:
How to flip a dosa!

When it’s done. take the dosa off the tava and set aside on a plate. Repeat the process until you have a nice stack of hot dosas!

Tip:
If the tava gets too hot and the surface appears dry instead of slightly glossy, sprinkle some water to cool it a bit. Then apply sesame oil again, and pour the next ladleful of dosa batter.

Making Dosa in the Rasa Ayurveda Kitchen

If you like, you can study the fine points of dosa-making in a Taste is Healing cooking class. We look forward to welcoming you to Rasa Ayurveda, where while you regain your health and happiness, you’ll be served your fill of saada dosas!

With warmest regards~

Niika Quistgard, CAS (Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist)
Women’s Health & Happiness Advocate
Founder & Director, Rasa Ayurveda Traditional Healing Centre for Women
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India