Stewed apple recipe for an Ayurvedic morning
Stewed spiced warm comforting apples, this is now my new breakfast ritual. And I love it. You might have seen some of my stewed apples on Instagram and been inspired to make your own. But if you need a bit more inspiration here is a recipe you can use.
Stewed Apples – an ayurvedic breakfast
(for one person, multiply if needed)
1 apple. I like organic and local cox apples but use any variety (cored and chopped. You may want the skin on or off)
4 cloves
1/4 tsp of cinnamon
a small bit of fresh peeled ginger or 1/4 tsp of dried ginger
Water, enough to cover the bottom of the pan but no need to cover the apples completely
>>> Extras
sesame seed, sun flower seeds, pumpkin seeds
1 juicy date
a sprinkle of cacao nibs
This is your recipe for your taste so please adjust and modify spices as you like. Same with the extra bits. I have added blueberries. You can also soak goji berries or raisins overnight and add them (soak them to avoid their otherwise drying tendencies). I love cardamon and have used that too.
How to cook your stewed apples
Add water to your pot. Add your spices. Adjust to how your own individual taste.
Heat up the spiced water as you core and chop your apples. Apples may be easier to digest when peeled and if they are waxed or not organic/wild-grown you may also want to peel them. Add them to your spiced water.
If you have soaked raisins or goji berries add them at the end of your cooking.
Let them simmer for 5-10 minutes until they are soft with a bit of bite.
In the meantime use a dry pan to toast your seeds.
Chop a date.
Once your apples are ready you can discard the water, or keep it as a spiced drink or simply enjoy as part of the stewed apple dish. Arrange your apples on your plate.
Add your chopped date. Sprinkle your seeds and cacao nibs.
If you use fresh ginger make sure to avoid any bits. The same goes for the cloves. Take them out or avoid.
Enjoy your breakfast
Why stewed apples are more ayurvedic than raw apples
In Ayurveda there is the concept of Agni, a digestive fire. This fire is in every cell but let’s focus on Jathara Agni, the digestive fire. For us to digest we need our fire to burn with ease. Not erratic, not to slow down, not to get too smoky, and not to burn out or become a wildfire. If there is no fire we can’t digest properly, we may not feel our hunger at all, maybe we become sluggish or constipated. If it’s erratic our hunger is all over the place – as is our digestion. Maybe constipated, maybe windy maybe diarrhoea. Or if there is a bit of a wildfire we have heartburn or even ulcers. It’s about balance.
It’s easier for the digestive fire to process what we put on to it (or in our stomach) when it’s already warm and the process of fire/digestion has already started. That means the food is warm and cooked. And not too complicated.
Put ice on fire and it will go out. If something is cold, heavy, astringent or drying it may be difficult for the digestive fire to process. This is why Ayurveda, generally, likes food that is cooked. (But it all depends on one’s unique constitution and where one’s digestion and health is at the present moment).
Cooked apples are soft, nourishing, warming and soft. Along with the spices, they kindle the digestive fire. They are easy to digest and support our digestive processes. The perfect thing to break a fast which is what we do during sleep – fasting. The raw apples are cold and astringent, drying and harder to digest from an ayurvedic perspecitve.
I like the addition of dates. Not just because of taste and texture but dates support our Ojas (our immunity) and are highly nourishing and comforting. They can also stimulate our digestion but are not laxatives in small doses.
See how you feel. It’s definitely excellent during winter when it’s colder and our digestion may be suffering where raw apples may be easier to digest in the summer if you have a good Agni!
February 11, 2021 by anjayoga