A Food for All

-By Yogesh Sharma, Bhuj

Going round Bhuj, the district headquarters of Kutch in Gujarat one comes across Navneet Bhojanalaya.

Though it is run by a Jain organization Kutchi Veesha Oshwal Trust it is open for all. This is what has made it a popular eating house in this town of Kutch.

The Bhojanalaya is like any other Bhojanshala run by a Jain trust. It has Jain food but what makes it different is the fact that here anyone can eat food irrespective of caste and creed. Like any other Bhojanalaya one is charged for food but the quality and quantity of food makes it quite popular among people.

One can see even Muslims enjoying food here. Initially this had raised quite a opposition from among the members of the trust but president of trust Tarachand Chheda won over all critics through his disarming logic. He said that this was to serve the basic principle of Jain religion of non violence.

The day non vegetarian ear in this Bhojanalaya the cause of non violence is served. Live and let live. Talking about this approach Tarachand said that Jains are mahajans which literally means peole are above average and naturally mahajan has to think about all. He himself is Jain and is associated with this organization for last 13 years.

Navneet Bhojanalaya offers Jain food which does not have onion and garlic. Tarachand claims that the quality of food is best. The organization buys food grains and oil of best quality. It charges Rs.35 for food for one person but it has everything from salad to a glass of buttermilk which is must for food of any Kutchi. It has a staff of 50 people.

The popularity of Navneet Bhojanalaya can be realized from fact that daily over 1,000 people come for lunch and dinner. Except Sunday evening it is always open. Recently the building of this Bhojanalaya was renovated and it started today.

But during this renovation period there was makeshift arrangement in tents in the compound of organization. Tarachand who has been member of Legislative Assembly from Bhuj saud on the day of earthquake on Jan.26, 2001 the Bhojanalaya was turned into a relief camp within one hour and for full four months people were offered free food.

Over 5 lakh people were provided food at a time when Bhuj was in ruins by the devastating earthquake.

Jain Food Habits: Some Facts

Jain Food Habits: Some Facts

Recently I have added some vegetarian recipes to my blog Jain Food Recipes , which include use of root vegetables. Few people have questioned that how the recipes are tagged as Jain Food recipes as Jain do not use root vegetables. The readers of my article ‘What is Jain Food?’ also have asked the same type of question.

Here is the clarification.

It is misconception that all Jains have banned the use of root vegetables. Not eating root vegetables is a vow, and only those people do not eat them who have taken the vow. So there is no question of banning root vegetables by all Jains. Moreover, the number of Jains taking this vow is very low, even in the period of Rainy Season (Chaaturmaas), when some people avoid eating root vegetables. Generally, senior members of Jain community, mostly women, take the vow.

Furthermore, banning root vegetables is a popular thing in the state of Gujaraat, where not only orthodox Jains but also Hindu Vaishnavites ban the use of root vegetables in their food. As for many people ‘Gujaraati’ is an alternative word for Jain’, food habits of Gujaraatis are being considered as food habits of all Jains. But the fact is that there are millions of Jains outside the Gujaraati world and their food habits are different from that of Gujaraati Jains. So while thinking about Jain food, you should not ignore the recipes popular in the non Gujaraati Jain communities.

The funny thing about the non-eater of root vegetables is that they have cleverly excluded some root vegetables from their rule. They eat carrots, sweet potatoes, turmeric powder, ginger powder, groundnuts, radish etc. Their sole opposition is to onions, garlic and potatoes. They never speak about the sugar they are eating which is made from beetroots.

According to the rules of orthodox Jains, they are not permitted to eat after sunset.
But the very funny thing is that the so-called Jain food is vastly available in Indian vegetarian restaurants even after sunset, and at late night.

Further, the rules do not allow eating green vegetables, vegetable leaves and even pickles etc. But have you ever heard them discussing about it? If the Jain food recipes include these things, why recipes including onion, garlic and potato are targeted?

Historical facts and literary referencesAachaaraang Sutra is the oldest sacred text of Jains. It was written exclusively for the Jain ascetics (monks). The text gives detailed guidelines on the conduct of the monks, and what they should eat and should not eat. Nowhere in this book, the consumption of root vegetables is banned.

Now, as usual the Digambar Jains will say that Achaaraang Sutra is a Shwetambar text, and Digambars do not believe in it. Well, then Mulaachaar is the textbook exclusively for Digambar Jain monks. It is also one of the oldest Jain texts, and nowhere in this book the consumption of root vegetables is banned.

Remember that both the above-mentioned ancient books were written exclusively for Jain monks. If you read these books, you will find many hard to digest facts about allowed food habits for the Jain monks. The Jain monks are strict followers, while the Jain laymen have to follow at low scale. We should think over this.

It is clear that root vegetables were banned by some Jains in later period, and it was just an adoption of Vaishnavite practices. Notable thing is that Gujaraat is the stronghold of Vaishnvites and Gujarati Jains have adopted many of Vaishnavite traditions. For example, Gujarati Jains decorate idols of Teerthankars. Can any wise man dare to say that it is a Jain tradition?

In a sixteenth century Marathi book, there is a conversation between two Jain women who were climbing the hill of Girnaar. One of the women is a Gujaraati and another is a Maraathi. The Gujaraati woman taunts the Maraathi woman about her community’s tradition of eating the subzi of brinjal. In reply, the Maraathi woman says, “ Being religious doesn’t depend on what you eat, but what you do…and how come you paint your lips and even of the idol…’ etc.

Even in the famous Moksha Maarg Prakaashak, Pandit Todarmal have rebuked those Jains who give importance to less important things like eating habits.

Upaadhyaay Amarmuni, one of the greatest Jain monks of 20th century have clearly said that banning root vegetables in food is a fad of Jains from Gujaraat.

Even today monks of some Jain sects freely take root vegetables in their food. Some Jain monks avoid eating root vegetable in one region, but in another regions, they eat it.

Food Habits is not Religion
Unfortunately, many Jains are confused about food habits and religion. In fact, these two things are distinct. Being a vegetarian is a must thing for the followers of Jainism. But it doesn’t mean that one can become a true follower of Jainism by being a Vegetarian.

Understanding Jainism leads you to the vegetarian way of life, not vice versa. Being a vegetarian and taking various vows are just outer things. What is important, are you a Jain at your heart? If you do not eat root vegetables, but are self-centered, money oriented, selfish, egoistic, exploit people, have contempt for other people, if you do not live a simple life, then how can a sensible man can say that you are a Jain?

I have seen that many Jains who do not eat root vegetables, have a dislike about those who eat root vegetables. Such non-eaters like to insult the eaters. They have all the bad habits I have mentioned above. This very thing suggests that the non-eaters have failed to understand the true spirit of Jainism.

I conclude this article by giving a funny but true example.

One of my Brahmin friends invited me for a dinner at his house. On the next day, one of my neighbors, who is a Jain, asked me,

“ So what was the menu their?”

“It was a simple menu. Chapaatis, Potato subzi, Rice and Daal,” I replied.

“Potato subzi?” he seriously said, “You ate Potato subzi? I never eat potato subzi”

“Yes, I know! But you drink wine, and that too at night!” I said.



-Mahavir Sanglikar
Post Box No. 58
Chinchwad East, Pune 411019
India
91 962 372 5249, 927 309 3122
Email: jainway@gmail.com
Blog: http://jainfood.blogspot.com/


This article is based on observations by the author, supported by following reference books:
1.Panna Samikkhiye Dhamma: Upadhyay Amarmuni
2.Aachaaraang Sutra
3.Mulaachaar
4.Gujari-Maraathi Geet
5.Moksha Maarg Prakaashak: Pandit Todarmal

Akki Roti

This dish is a well known amongst kannadigas and especially in the Kannadiga Jain houses.

Ingredients

2 cups: Rice flour (Akki hittu)
1/2 cup: Chopped onion
3-4 no: Chopped green chillies
½ cup: Grated fresh coconut
2 tbs: Chopped coriander leaves (kothumbari soppu)
1tsp: Cumin seeds (jeera)
A pinch Asafoetida (hing)
½ tsp: Turmeric powder
1 tsp: Chilli powder (optional)
Oil for roasting
Salt to taste

Method

Mix all the ingredients with little oil in warm water. Knead well to make soft dough.
Spread some oil on the hand and take a lemon sized ball of the dough and pat it to thick rotti.
Heat a pan and lace the prepared rotti on it.

Make 3-4 holes in the rottis and pour few drops of oil in each hole. Cook well on both sides till golden brown. Repeat the same with the remaining dough.

Ragi Rotti can be made with the same procedure by replacing rice flour with ragi flour.
Grated vegetables like carrots and cabbage can also be add while making the dough.

How religious curbs lead to great food

By Vikram Doctor, TNN

As an enthusiastic omnivore I don’t like food bans of any kind. Yet I have to admit that food bans have often resulted in interesting culinary developments. For example, in Europe the Catholic Church’s proscription on eating meat on Fridays lead to the development of a huge range of fish dishes, especially salted and smoked ones for those with no easy access to the sea.

Brandade de morue, the thick smooth garlicky salt cod puree that is a great classic of French bistro cooking, is one result. Similarly Chinese Buddhists developed soya products in the most amazing ways, while Indian upvas cooking traditions have kept alive offbeat ingredients like water-chestnut flour and amaranth seeds.

But perhaps the two best examples of how bans have resulted in delicious and fascinating food are Jain cooking, with its ban on anything that remotely involves taking life, like root vegetables (little critters might get killed while you dig them up) or yoghurt left overnight (too alive), and Jewish cooking, with its complex set of Torah derived rules including bans on pork, on fish without scales (shark, shellfish) and on cooking milk and meat together. I’m not concerned at the moment with the logic of these bans, just their results, which have been detailed in two excellent books.

The Jain book is Dadima No Varso, which translates as grandmother’s legacy . My food writer friend Rushina Munshaw-Ghildiyal tipped me off to this book on Palanpuri Jain cooking that’s been privately produced by the Rachana Group of Women, lead by Nita S.Mehta, Rajul A. Gandhi and Dr.Satyavati S.Jhaveri. Palanpuri Jains are famous for the success they have achieved, particularly in the diamond trade, and clearly no cost has been spared in creating what is intended to be the definitive word on their cooking. And it is.

Dadima No Varso is amazing. It’s hardcover , 456 pages, with recipes in Gujarati on one page and in English on the facing page. It could have done with a bit more detailed introduction to the community and the roots of its cooking, but Palanpuris are famously businesslike, and the book gets straight to work. For all its sumptuous production it is also efficient, for example opting for line illustrations, always more useful than photographs for showing cutting and cooking techniques.

There’s a Gujarati-English glossary of ingredients, illustrations of all the traditional cooking utensils, cooking tips, sample menus and, most impressive of all, a set of two page photo spreads that detail not just the finished dishes but all the regularly used ingredients as well.

These sundried vegetables illustrate the double handicap the original Palanpuri cooks were working under, of not just religious restrictions, but also geographical ones. The semi-arid area they came from made a regular supply of fresh vegetables hard, so they had to depend on many dried ones, and also dhal and cereal products, much like the food of Rajasthan, which it borders.

Yet out of these handicaps they have created a wonderful cuisine, bursting with strong, unexpected, intense tastes, and also the textural variety that, as Vir Sanghvi has noted, is a distinctive aspect of Gujarati food. If there’s one dish I’d single out its jamphal nu shak, curried ripe guavas which are simultaneously spicy, sweet, but not in the sugary, and with an overall fresh, unexpected taste that is quite amazing. Most Palanpuri food is hard to get outside their homes, but this is available at Swati Snacks in Mumbai, where it’s called peru nu shak, and is brilliantly paired with the slightly bitter taste of methi rotis. Apart from its taste, it also demonstrates how open Jain food can be.

But human ingenuity always finds ways to work through the rules to find something good to eat, and Jains are always eager to find new ingredients they can use — guavas in an earlier generation , babycorn and broccoli today — or new ways of cooking, hence their enthusiasm for Jain pizza, Jain pasta, Jain bakes and more. Such food is often mocked in Mumbai, but it’s really one way a cuisine develops and this is how Jain cooking is going global. Jewish food has already undergone this process, though for grimmer reasons. The scattering , over centuries, of the diaspora meant that Jews had to deal with new foods and new settings in which to cook them, but they nearly always managed to do this while maintaining an allegiance to their dietary principles that Jains might well admire.

In fact, Jains and Jews do interact in interesting ways. In Antwerp, for example , where ultra-orthodox Hassidic Jews deal with Palanpuri Jains in the diamond district, I’m told that the understanding of the principle of dietary rules is one thing that helps the communities understand each other, even if the actual rules differ. I doubt the communities eat each other’s food, but apparently Jewish functions all feature separate buffets entirely for the Jains.

Meanwhile in India even the crossover to eating happens: Sharon Galsurkar who runs the Jewish community centre in Mumbai , told me that if the young Israeli tourists ask him how to keep kosher rules while travelling, he tells them to look for Jain restaurants since they can be sure food will all be broadly within kosher rules.

The working out of these varieties of Jewish food is the subject of one of the most fascinating food books ever written — Claudia Roden’s The Book of Jewish Food. Roden is one of the greats of food writing and someone I’ve been hooked onto ever since reading her wonderful short book Coffee years ago. More recently she published Arabesque, a book on the food of Lebanon, Morocco and Turkey, that was filled with historical details and explanations about the societies that developed these cuisines.

But The Book of Jewish Food, while took Roden 16 years to do, is her magnum opus. It is not just her discovery of the many strands of Jewish food, but also the new emphases she puts. International Jewish culture has historically been dominated by those from Northern and Eastern Europe, the Ashekenazim , but Roden’s roots, in Egypt, were with the southern Sephardim, and it is their cooking, from their communities on all the shores of the Mediterranean, and their even more exotic offshoots in Arabia, Iran, Georgia and India that form the heart of her book.

In each country the same pattern is played out, with local ingredients and recipes being adapted to kosher rules. In India, for example , the two Western Indian communities of Cochin Jews and the Bene Israeli of Maharashtra made much use of coconut milk to replace milk – making a kheer of coconut milk, for example.

Quite often the recipes can seem identical to other local recipes, especially for the Bene Israeli. Partly this is because they went native far earlier and more completely than other Jewish communities, but partly also because milk isn’t much used anyway along the Konkan coast. But there is always a twist at some point that relates it to the larger Jewish tradition, and the fascination of her book is seeing how this recurs, again and again, across countries. The recipes are also excellent, and if there’s one I’d suggest trying it’s her amazing orangealmond cake. It’s an interesting recipe — butter free, so it could be eaten after a meal with meat in it, and flour free, so can be eaten during Passover festival, when wheat is banned.

Green Chilli Pickle

Ingredients:
1/2 to 3/4 cup Green Mango cubes (Peel Mango and cut into 1 cm pieces)
1/2 cup grated Jaggery
1 tbsp Red Chili Powder
1 tsp Salt or to taste
For Tempering:
1 to 1 1/2 tbsp Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1/4 tsp Asafoetida
1/4 tsp Turmeric

Method:
1) Take Mango pieces into a bowl. Sprinkle salt and mix well. Let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
2) Take a pan, add 1 tbsp water and grated jaggery. Now heat it over medium heat. Once jaggery is melted, remove from heat and keep aside till it become lukewarm.
3) Pour lukewarm jaggery over salted Mango pieces and mix nicely. Also add red Chili Powder at this stage.
4) Heat Oil in a small saucepan. Add Mustard seeds, let it splutter. Then add Turmeric and Asafoetida, immediately remove from heat. Pour it in a separate glass bowl to cool down a little. Once becomes lukewarm, mix it in the pickle.

What is Jain Food?

What is Jain Food?

Jains are followers of Jainism, one of the most ancient religions in the world. Jains do not kill or cause to kill any animal or a living being that moves. So they are staunch vegetarians. But they are not vegans, but Lacto-Vegetarians.

Orthodox Jains avoid root vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, garlic etc. in their food. They believe that root vegetables themselves are life forms having multiple numbers of lives. So generally the vegetarian food, which does not contain any root vegetables, is called a Jain food.

In most of the vegetarian restaurants in India, such Jain food is available. Now it is available in five star hotels and in aeroplanes.

But the tradition of not eating root vegetables is not applicable for all Jains. This tradition is popular in Jains of Gujarat state of India. Jains of other states are more practical about food habits. They too are staunch vegetarians, but they have not banned eating of root vegetables. Thus you can see eating of root vegetables amongst Jains of Maharashtra, Rajsthan, Punjab, Karnatak and other states.

In above condition, the vegetarian dishes popular amongst non-Gujarati Jains also come under Jain Food, although it includes root vegetables.

There are lots of varieties in the food items popular amongst Jains of various regions in India. The Jain food is not just delicious, but also nutritious.

Vegetarians should have a taste of Jain food. Lot of Jain food recipes are available in Indian cookbooks and on the Internet. Just search ‘Jain Food” or ‘Jain food Recipes’ through search engines and you will have a lot of results for your query.


-Mahavir Sanglikar
http://jainology.blogspot.com/

What is Jain Food?

What is Jain Food?

Jains are followers of Jainism, one of the most ancient religions in the world. Jains do not kill or cause to kill any animal or a living being that moves. So they are staunch vegetarians. But they are not vegans, but Lacto-Vegetarians.

Orthodox Jains avoid root vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, garlic etc. in their food. They believe that root vegetables themselves are life forms having multiple numbers of lives. So generally the vegetarian food, which does not contain any root vegetables, is called a Jain food.

In most of the vegetarian restaurants in India, such Jain food is available. Now it is available in five star hotels and in aeroplanes.

But the tradition of not eating root vegetables is not applicable for all Jains. This tradition is popular in Jains of Gujarat state of India. Jains of other states are more practical about food habits. They too are staunch vegetarians, but they have not banned eating of root vegetables. Thus you can see eating of root vegetables amongst Jains of Maharashtra, Rajsthan, Punjab, Karnatak and other states.

In above condition, the vegetarian dishes popular amongst non-Gujarati Jains also come under Jain Food, although it includes root vegetables.

There are lots of varieties in the food items popular amongst Jains of various regions in India. The Jain food is not just delicious, but also nutritious.

Vegetarians should have a taste of Jain food. Lot of Jain food recipes are available in Indian cookbooks and on the Internet. Just search ‘Jain Food” or ‘Jain food Recipes’ through search engines and you will have a lot of results for your query.


-Mahavir Sanglikar
http://jainology.blogspot.com/

Tomato Subzi

Tomato Subzi For 6 Persons
Ingredients:
¾ Cup Basmati Rice
2 Tomatoes
¼ Cup Cabbage
8-10 French Beans
¼ Cup Peas
2 Cardamoms
2-Tabel Spoons Ghee
½-Tsp. Cumin Seeds,
2 Black Cardamoms
2 Cinnamon3-4 Cloves
Salt
Preparation Method
Wash and soak the rice in the water for ½ hour.Wash, peel and chop tomatoes.
Cut beans and cabbage in long pieces.Melt ghee in a pot; add cumin seeds, green cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and large cardamom.
Once they crackle, add chopped tomatoes, peas, cabbage, beans and salt.Drain out water from the soaked rice and add it to the boiling vegetables. Cook until the rice is completely cooked. Lightly stir with spatula.Serve warm with curry or plain yogurt.

Jain food

FOOD FORMS the focal point of holidays and without the right kind your vacation can cave in. That is the reason why sushi and sashimi became famous the world over, as Japanese tourists started to travel. In true style the hospitality industry rose to the occasion to give the traveller a taste he is comfortable with. A growing trend among the visitors to Kerala has been an influx of domestic tourists.

The latest tour groups to be coming in to Kochi are the Jains who are sticklers about the food they eat, being pure vegetarians and abstaining from many vegetables due to religious taboos. But as usual the group at Maraikulam was enjoying the repast laid down for them. They, relishing every bit of morsel finely prepared by chef Narayankutty, thronged the Jain food counter.

Says the chef, who learnt this varied cooking style from a Gujarati maharaj (Brahmin cook), "The Jain food is made without onions and garlic. Jains are pure vegetarians and some are very staunch in what they eat, mainly those from Rajasthan. They do not eat many root vegetables. Tomato gravy forms the base for most of their curries.

They eat a lot of pulses seasoned with asafoetida and a bit of jaggery and prefer a sweet and spicy flavour to their food. Dal Dhokli, Khichidi Kardhi, pani puri, paav bhaji are their favourites. We have a lot of Jain tourists now and when they know that their kind of food is available easily, they come again or send their friends over. Because food without the use of onions and garlic is not easily available they are choosy about their stay. Here I cater to their food which has been appreciated and so many Jains are heading for our resort."

Originating from the principles of Ahimsa, the Jains do not eat tubers, onions and garlic. Many abstain from cauliflower, aubergines and all kinds of yams which they call, kandh(bulge), moolh(root). Many refrain from eating fermented food and food left overnight.

The guiding principle behind this strict abstinence, is ahimsa and that no harm should come to other living things, maybe just a maggot in the vegetable. A variation in the popular vegetarian diet that is gaining ground all over the world, and perhaps, Jain food may turn into a fad among the health conscious.

But the point is that we have it here, now in out hotels and resorts, for those who desire it. A great feeling of care and welcome

Corn Currey

Ingredients

500 grams corn
3 cups coconut milk
50 grams all-purpose flour
100 grams French beans
salt 1-tsp. sugar
2-tsp. grated coconut
ghee as required.
Masala: 2-tsp.
2 green chili
1-tsp. poppy seeds.

Preparation:

Melt ghee in a pot. Add masala ingredients and stir. Add coconut milk and all-purpose flour and mix well. Chop the beans. Add to coconut milk and boil for sometime. Add boiled corn seeds, sugar and salt. Garnish with the coriander leaves and coconut. Serve warm

Banana Chutney

Ingredients:

1 ripe banana
2-3 green chilies
1-cup cilantro leaves
½ tbsp. Lemon juice
2 tbsp. Cumin seeds
1 tsp. Sugar
Salt for taste
1 tbsp. Coconut grated

peel out the skin of banana and cut it into pieces. Grind all the ingredients to paste.
Now the chutney is ready! Serve it with other food like Samosa, Dhokala. You can take it with Sanwich also.