U.G. and Food
By Julie Thayer
Recipes
Peas and Rice, Lemon Rice & Yogurt Rice
Mango Mousse & Pineapple Lassi
Shortbread Thumb-print Cookies
U.G. Krishnamurti traveled twice around the world every year, by himself, carrying his portable “kitchen” and a tiny suitcase. Wherever he was, he cooked his own meals, and often cooked for his friends. Everything he made was delicious, but he stated emphatically that we eat too much, and we are obsessed with natural foods and concepts of nutrition.
The pleasure movement, whether it is for food or love or work or the search for God – all cultural input, our conditioning – is there to keep the status quo in place. We need variety to amuse ourselves, to keep the “I” (that we think we are) intact, to keep our identity going. In nature there is no such need, said U.G. Animals do not need a variety of food. A variety of food is like a variety of girls. U.G. needed neither.
U.G. was in the “natural state.” He had tremendous energy and vitality, he could travel for days on end, he could talk for 24 hours straight with hardly a break – and yet he ate minimally. When a reporter once exclaimed, “U.G. you're so incredibly good-looking and youthful!” he explained, laughing, “That's because I don't eat health food, I don't take vitamins, and I don't exercise!”
U.G. had a unique approach to nutrition and health. It was not a theory with him, but something that operated in his life. The approach is the following: the human body is a highly intelligent operating system which, when left alone and not plagued by concepts and demands of the “squatter” (the conscious mind that terrorizes the body with its ideas and imagined needs), can feed itself, heal itself, and reproduce itself with astonishing efficiency and precision.
We do not need to concern ourselves with nutrition and vitamins and health foods, said U.G. To survive in a healthy fashion the body needs basic thermal units (BTUs). No more, no less. The body can handle whatever is “put in there” and turn it into the energy it needs to function. The key to health is eating very little, and allowing the body to dictate its own needs. “I'm not recommending this diet to you,” said U.G. But it worked for him and we see the results.
U.G.'s natural state came about at the age of 49 when an explosion took place in him, an explosion that left him functioning in an unusual way, devoid of thoughts and concerns. The concepts of the history of mankind that make up our collective minds were wiped out within a period of a few days. After that time, what he called his “calamity,” he reverted to a kind of animal state of functioning, at once simple, graceful and amazingly intelligent and efficient. This state attracted thousands of people over the years who experienced U.G.'s power and clarity. But he told them there is nothing to do to get to that state, it is a fluke of nature and of no spiritual or religious value.
Yet his friends have found their lives become lighter, easier, and more functional as a result of meeting U.G. And interestingly, they find themselves eating in a more U.G.-like fashion, and cooking that way too. Their health begins to improve.
U.G. gave cooking lessons in Chicago in the 1950's, long before his ‘calamity’. He developed his own simple recipes and demonstrated them to the friends that visited him in the apartment where he lived then with his wife and small son.
Many years before, when U.G. was very young, in India, he found his meditation teacher, Sivananda, eating spicy pickles in the ashram pantry, after having advocated a bland sattvik diet for his students. When U.G. was even younger, he discovered Brahmin priests, meant to be fasting prior to performing various religious rites in memory of his mother, eating lunch in a local restaurant. These hypocrisies surrounding food irritated U.G. and were instrumental in his subsequent questioning the merit of (and abandoning once and for all) spiritual advice and practice.
U.G. gave no advice at all (other than to say “get lost and stay lost!”). But what he said and what he did were identical. This fact had a strong impact. We saw the way he lived, and have tried it, to some degree anyway, and we have seen we feel better and have more energy. He said most of us live to eat, but that he ate to live.
“I could survive on sawdust and glue,” said U.G. “Americans are paranoid about salt.” The body needs salt, he said, and he used it liberally in his cooking. He also said we are paranoid about fresh food, that there is nothing fresh in the markets anyway. He used frozen vegetables whenever possible. These vegetables should be cooked and cooked until they change color, until the green turns white! And no meal should take longer than a few minutes to prepare.
He used heavy cream and oil liberally in his cooking and diet. He couldn't have been less concerned about cholesterol. He said: “Fat eats fat!”
He said, “One who is healthy would never think in terms of health food at all. What we need is some energy for this body, that's all!”
“You eat ideas.”
U.G.'s approach flies in the face of all established notions of health and nutrition.
We offer a few basic U.G. recipes. Please do not laugh at the ingredients. It is the very simplicity and unexpected and repetitive use of certain items that constituted the key to the diet of this remarkable man.
Note: U.G.'s comment when he was shown this cookbook: “It goes against everything I stand for. Food is at the bottom of my list of needs, money is at the top!” U.G. ate standing up, he said sitting down at a dining table is obscene. The stink and stench of an ashram irritated him. He prepared and ate only one dish at a time.
A note on measurements: U.G. cooked by eye, measuring with his hand, a dash of this, a dash of that. Suggested measurements are only suggestions, guidelines. It should be a matter of personal taste.
Many of the following recipes are dishes U.G. prepared for others, for friends who visited him. Some of the recipes were made by them for him from time to time, usually after he had shown them how to do it.
U.G. was very liberal with salt and oil. (Remember, “fat eats fat!!”)
Note: An asterisk (*) marks ingredients and products that can be purchased at Indian grocery stores. In New York, Sinha Trading Company is good – located at 121 Lexington Avenue at 28th Street. (They also import the highly rated Basmati rice, Champagne Sinha.)
U.G. liked to stay in hotels that had cooking facilities, so he could prepare his own meals and not rely on friends and restaurants. Or, he would rent a small apartment somewhere if he was going to stay for an extended visit. He did not accumulate anything, and this was a basic tenet of his approach to life. This applied particularly to food. He bought just what he needed, in small amounts, and then bought again, when he needed something. The hoarding instinct, so present in many of us, was entirely absent in him.
Oatmeal was the staple of U.G.'s diet. He could
happily eat it three times a day if he found himself in a place where other staples of his diet are unavailable. As he carried a tiny cook-top (and saucepan, plastic cup, bowl and spoon) with him wherever he went, he could prepare his meals quickly wherever he was. He preferred Quaker instant oatmeal, in individual sachets. But he found other good instant oatmeal in Switzerland, Australia, even India.
Ingredients
Instant oatmeal
Dole frozen pineapple juice
Heavy cream
Cook the oatmeal for one minute. Serve with heavy cream and unfrozen but undiluted Dole pineapple juice.
Some prefer oatmeal with yogurt. Maple syrup can also be added, for sweetness.
A note on heavy cream: U.G. used heavy cream, the thicker the better, another important element in his diet, in many recipes, and drank it with sugar and a dash of coffee (“for flavor”) once or twice a day. He was not concerned with cholesterol or any other disorder. He could consume over a pint of heavy cream a day.
“Is there anything wrong with me? No!” he responded to people when they asked about his diet.
Note: U.G. said mainland China is the one country (outside the U.S.) where he was able to buy Dole frozen pineapple juice.
Ingredients
Couscous (Near East, or any quick cooking couscous) – 2 cups
Water – 2 cups
Vegetable oil (peanut, safflower, corn, etc.) – 1/4 cup Salt – 2 heaping teaspoons
Canned tomatoes (or Pomi, strained, not chopped, in a box) – 1 cup
Coriander leaves, chopped
Curry powder – 2 tsp.
Pour boiling water (equal parts water to couscous) over couscous in a bowl, cover with a plate. When liquid is absorbed, in a moment or two, fluff the couscous with a fork and if it seems dry, add a little more water. Fluff. Put aside.
Heat oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add tomatoes, simmer a moment, then add a heaping teaspoon or two of curry powder, and a heaping teaspoon or more salt (to taste). Cook another minute or so. Add chopped fresh coriander leaves. Then add the couscous and mix.
U.G. ate couscous with Cambozola cheese. Some friends like it with yogurt and mango, lime or ginger pickle. (Patak is a good brand, also Priya and Eenadu).
Note: Peas or broccoli or spinach can be substituted for the tomatoes. They should be frozen, then cooked until very tender, or until, as U.G. said, they change color.
A note on curry powder: Short of being Indian and making it at home, the best curry powder is Sharwood's. Buy a cannister of hot and a cannister of mild, then combine the two to make medium. Sharwood's is sometimes hard to find. Another good one is Bolst's mild curry powder. U.G.'s all-time favorite was Venkat’s (Vencatachellum), only available in New Zealand and Zurich, Switzerland, though made in Madras. They stopped making it. U.G. thought Sharwood's uses the same recipe and is equally good.
Note: You can serve couscous with papadums, plain or with cumin. They are best deep-fried in vegetable oil and drained on a paper towel. They can also be cooked on top of the burner, holding on to the edge, while turning frequently to avoid burning.
Ingredients
Angel hair pasta – 8 ounces
Canned tomatoes, or Pomi strained tomatoes – 1 1⁄2 cups
Salt – 3 tsp.
Vegetable oil – 1/4 cup
Curry powder – 2 tsp.
Coriander leaves
Gruyere cheese
Similar to the preparation for couscous, the key is finding very thin nests of angel hair pasta. The best is De Cecco pasta nests, next best cappellini by De Cecco.
Crush angel hair into small pieces in a bowl. Cook in salted boiling water until very soft. Drain angel hair in a colander and rinse with cold water.
In frying pan or wok, heat oil and add canned tomatoes, or Pomi strained tomatoes. Cook a moment, then add curry powder and salt. Cook a few more minutes. Add chopped coriander (“just the leaves, no branches,” that is, stems).
Add the cooked angel hair to the tomato sauce and mix well.
Serve with grated Gruyere cheese.
Ingredients
Red lentils* (Masoor dahl) – 1 cup
Canned or Pomi tomatoes – 1 cup
Vegetable oil – 2 tsp.
Salt – 3 tsp.
Curry powder – 2 tsp.
Coriander leaves
Wash dahl, then boil in a large pot with 4-6 cups water. Add oil, tomatoes, and curry powder.
Cook until lentils are soft, about 20-30 minutes (high altitudes require more cooking time). At the end add salt and chopped coriander leaves. (If you add the salt at the beginning, it will impede the dahl from cooking properly.)
Ingredients
Frozen pizza dough, or fresh dough rolled and placed on pizza pan
1⁄2 cucumber
2 fresh tomatoes
Oregano
Gruyere cheese
Salt and pepper
Peel and thinly slice cucumber, then boil in water until slices turn translucent white. Drain.
Boil tomatoes and peel them, then cut in small pieces. Fry in vegetable oil, add salt.
Lay layer of tomatoes and layer of cucumbers on the pizza dough. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, oregano, oil and grated Gruyere cheese.
Bake at 340 degrees in oven until brown.
Ingredients
Cream of wheat – 1 cup (suji in Indian stores)
Vegetable oil – 1/4 cup
1/4 cauliflower, cut in small pieces
Curry powder – 2 tsp.
Coriander leaves
Salt – 2 tsp.
Heat oil in large frying pan. Saute cauliflower and salt, add curry powder.
Then add water (2 cups water to 1 cup cream of wheat).
When water boils, add cream of wheat slowly, and stir constantly (otherwise it becomes lumpy). Add coriander leaves at the end.
Upma is good for any meal, including breakfast.
Note: Instead of cauliflower, any other vegetable can be added, peas, beans, tomatoes, cabbage.
Ingredients
Cornmeal – 2 cups
Water – 9 cups
Salt – 2 tsp.
Cambozola cheese
Boil water, add salt. Gradually add polenta, stirring constantly. When it thickens and pulls away from the pan, add cubes of Cambozola cheese and allow to melt into the polenta.
Note: Polenta can also be left to cool and become firm, then cut into slices and sauteed in oil in a frying pan, then covered with a tomato sauce and baked in an oven. (U.G. would never bother with this last step.)
This recipe must be made with instant potatoes, any brand will do. Following directions on the box, boil water and add salt and potato buds, pouring in slowly. Add 1⁄2 cup heavy cream, grated Gruyere cheese and 1 tbsp. butter. Stir thoroughly.
Ingredients
Rice Sticks (thin rice noodles) – whole package Vegetable oil – 1/4 cup
Tomatoes, strained, 1-11⁄2 cups
Coriander leaves
Salt – 2 tsp.
(Optional: cumin & mustard seeds, curry leaves*,
cashew nuts)
Place rice sticks in large pot of salted boiling water. Cook about five minutes. Drain in a colander.
Cut the drained rice sticks in a criss-cross fashion with a knife, into “cubes.”
In another large pan, heat oil, add strained tomatoes. Cook a moment, then add curry powder and salt. Cook another moment or two, and then add chopped coriander leaves.
Mix the rice sticks in with the above mixture.
Note: Cumin and mustard seeds can be fried in oil in a small saucepan until they pop, then add curry leaves. Can be added to rice sticks at the end with cashew nuts which have been lightly fried.
The preparation for idli is a little complicated, and takes time. But it is well worth the effort. Soft fresh idlis are enjoyed at any meal, even breakfast.
Ingredients
Urad dahl*
Cream of rice*
Salt – 2-3 tsp.
Wash 1 cup urad dahl. Soak dahl in water for three hours or more. Soak 1 1⁄2 cups cream of rice in a separate bowl.
Blend the dahl in a good blender with small amount of water until it is very fine and smooth. There should be no grain to the touch.
Mix the blended dahl and cream of rice together in a large bowl. The mixture should be the consistency of sour cream, not too watery. Cover the bowl and leave the mixture to ferment overnight in a warm place.
When it bubbles slightly and there is a slight smell of fermentation, add salt to taste.
Mix again thoroughly and pour into greased iddli stand*. Place stand in large pot with about an inch of boiling water. Cover and steam for about 5 minutes.
Serve with ghee,* or with sambar and chutney.
Ingredients
Toor dahl (yellow lentils)* – 1 cup
Vegetables – cauliflower, beans, onion, eggplant, etc. – as much as desired
Tamarind paste* – 1 tsp., or to taste
Tomatoes – 1 cup
Sambar powder (MTR brand is best)* – 2 heaping tbsp.
Salt – 2 tsp.
Cumin, mustard & fenugreek seeds
Coriander leaves
Curry leaves*
Asafoetida powder*
Boil Toor dahl in water until soft, about half hour, or 5 minutes in a pressure cooker. When cooked, add ample salt, tomatoes, vegetables (cauliflower, beans, onion, eggplant), 2 tablespoons sambar powder and cook until vegetables are done. Add about one teaspoon of tamarind paste (to taste).
In separate pan, fry cumin, mustard & fenugreek seeds in tbsp. or two of oil, then after they have “popped,” add curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida powder. Add chopped coriander leaves. Add this mixture to sambar.
Ingredients
Coconut
Chutney dahl*
Tamarind paste* – 1 tsp.
Salt – 2 tsp.
2 or 3 green chilies
Coriander leaves
Water
Cumin, mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Cut a fresh coconut into small pieces. If large, use half, if small, use whole coconut. Blend together in a blender coconut pieces, 1 cup chutney dahl, 1⁄2 teaspoon tamarind, salt, 2 or 3 chilies, coriander leaves and small amount of water. Grind until it becomes a fine paste.
Fry seasonings in oil, as above – cumin, mustard seeds, curry leaves. Add to the chutney.
Note on ghee: You can buy ghee at an Indian store, or you can make your own, slowly cooking unsalted butter in a saucepan until it clarifies. Cook at a low heat, let it foam, and let it liquify. When brown sediment forms on the bottom of pan, turn off heat. Cool and store in a jar for future use.
Ingredients
1 cup uncooked rice
4-5 quarts milk
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground cardamon
1 cup cashew nuts
Boil rice with milk until soft. Add sugar and cardamom powder.
In a separate pan, lightly fry cashews in ghee or melted butter and add to the pudding.
Note: Cardamom seeds can be ground fresh in a coffee grinder – for best flavor.
Dry fry 1 cup cream of wheat in a little butter.
Separately, lightly fry 1/4 cup cashews and 1/4 cup raisins in butter.
In a large pot, bring to a boil 1 1/4 cup milk and
1 1/4 cup water. Add 1 cup sugar and a little butter. Add the cream of wheat gradually, stirring constantly. When the cream of wheat is absorbed, add more butter and 1 teaspoon cardamom powder. Add cashew nuts and raisins to the cream of wheat and mix.
Ingredients
Rice – 2 cups cooked
Oil – 1/4 cup
Frozen peas (cooked slightly) – 1 cup
Curry powder – 2 tsp
Salt – 2 tsp
Coriander leaves
Fresh green hot chilies – 1-2
U.G. didn't eat rice. But he made this recipe for others.
In oil, fry peas, curry powder, salt, and slivered chilies. Add cooked rice. Add chopped coriander leaves at the end.
Serve with mango, lime or ginger pickle.
Lemon Rice
Fry in oil a teaspoon of urad dahl, a teaspoon of chana dahl*, cumin and mustard seeds*, and raw peanuts. Cook until the seeds pop. Turn off heat and add a pinch of asafoetida powder, curry leaves, salt, chopped coriander leaves and raw cashew nuts. Fry briefly until cashews are brown, add chopped chilies and chopped coriander leaves, salt, the juice of one lemon (for two cups of rice). Add cooked rice. Mix well. If desired, add juice of another lemon.
Yogurt Rice
Add to 2 cups yogurt, salt, chopped coriander leaves, and optionally chopped green chilies and grated ginger.
Cook cumin and mustard seeds in oil, and add curry leaves at the end. When mixture has cooled, add it to the yogurt.
Mix with precooked and cooled, or leftover rice.
Add any leftover – angel hair, polenta, couscous, etc. – even cut-up bread – to water. Add 1 cup strained tomatoes, 2 tsp. curry powder, 2 tsp. salt, Cambozola cheese or butter.
At the end add 1⁄2 cup heavy cream.
Spinach, Broccoli & Other Soups
Boil frozen cubes of spinach (or broccoli spears) in water. Add oil, salt, and curry powder. Simmer. If soup is tomato or asparagus, add heavy cream at the end.
Rice Flakes* Soup
Boil 1 cup rice flakes* in 2 cups water. Add 1 cup strained tomatoes, 2 tsp. salt, 1 tbsp. butter, 2 tsp. curry powder and, at the end, cream.
Note: Serve soups with French bread.
Semolina – 1 cup
Water – 4 cups
Salt – 2 tsp.
Parmesan cheese
Boil water and add salt. Pour in semolina, a little at a time, stirring constantly.
Spread on a greased tray and allow to cool and dry. When hard, cut circles with a small glass.
Place circles on greased tray. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
Bake in 340 degree oven until roasted brown.
Ingredients
Alphonso mango pulp* – whole can
Heavy cream – 1 cup
Confectioners' sugar
Lemon
Whip heavy cream until stiff with wire whisk or fork. Add a little confectioners' sugar.
Add a dash of lemon juice to the mango pulp.
Carefully mix the mango pulp and whipped cream together, using a wooden spatula. Blend thoroughly.
Note: Fresh mangos, strawberries, or blueberries can be substituted for the mango pulp.
Pineapple Lassi
Ingredients
1⁄2 cup Dole frozen pineapple juice (undiluted)
1⁄2 cup plain yogurt
Blend, add a little water if too thick
Dole pineapple concentrate can also be mixed with cottage cheese.
Ingredients
20 graham crackers
2 tbsp. butter
1 cup heavy whipping cream
8 oz. cream cheese
2 tbsp. arrowroot powder
1 tbsp. vanilla
3/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup sour cream
For crust mix together:
20 graham crackers, finely crushed (can use a blender to powder them)
2 tbsp. butter, melted
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Pat into pie pan
Blend:
8 oz. Cream cheese
2 tbsp. Arrowroot powder
1 tbsp. vanilla
1 cup maple syrup
1 cup sour cream
1⁄2 cup heavy whipping cream
Pour into crust and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes (until top is slightly browned), let cool for 20 minutes.
For topping blend:
1 cup sour cream
1⁄2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp. sugar (if possible, use maple syrup)
1 tsp. vanilla and/or almond essence. Can squeeze juice of 1⁄2 lemon if desired. Actually, U.G. didn't like the lemon flavor.
Pour over cheesecake and refrigerate for 4-6 hours before serving.
Shortbread Thumb-print Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies:
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups all purpose flour
1⁄2 cup jam, raspberry or other favorite flavor
Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar
1⁄2 tsp. vanilla
2 to 3 tsp. water
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In large mixing bowl, combine sugar and butter. Beat at medium speed until creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add flour. Beat until well mixed, 2 to 3 minutes. Cover and chill dough at least 1 hour. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. With thumb, make indentation in center of each cookie – edges may crack slightly. Fill each indentation with about 1/4 tsp jam.
Bake for 14 to 18 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let stand 1 minute, remove from cookie sheet. Cool completely.
Meanwhile, in small bowl stir with wire whisk all glaze ingredients until smooth. Dribble over cookies.
Recipe makes 3 1⁄2 dozen cookies.
A Note on Leonidas Chocolates
U.G. has a soft corner for Leonidas chocolates, the white ones, “Manons Blancs,” filled with coffee cream. They are made in Belgium, sold all over Europe and in the United States.
U.G.'s friends never fail to bring him a 1 or 2 pound box of “Leonidas” when they come to visit him, either bringing it to India in insulated bags, or carrying it by car or plane from all parts of Europe or the United States.
U.G. calls these chocolates “food of the gods.” When a new box arrives, it is opened immediately and offered to any and all friends who might be visiting. Some people are inexplicably urged to take two or three!
