Ayurveda views food as medicine. Your diet is one of the important factors that have an influence on your health. Therefore, it is important to have Ayurvedic food that suits your body type (Prakriti) and is digestible.
Ayurveda has plenty of recommendations when it comes to food and that includes snacks. One such Ayurvedic snack is Shashkuli. This tasty, crispy snack is mentioned in ancient Ayurvedic texts like Caraka Samhita and Sushruta Samhita and even Mahabharata. Variations of this recipe are popular across India as Murukku, Chakli, etc.
Shashkuli is Vata and Kapha subsiding. It is also carminative and digestive.
Ingredients of Shashkuli
The following ingredients are needed to make Shashkuli:
- Rice
- Black gram
- Sesame seeds
- Cumin seeds
- Rock salt or rock sugar
- Ghee
- Buttermilk
Rice is a cooling food that helps pacify Pitta Dosha, which is responsible for metabolism and digestion, while black gram is a warming food that helps balance Vata Dosha, which is responsible for movement and circulation. Sesame seeds and cumin seeds are carminative and digestive. Ghee used for frying the shashkuli is significant in Ayurveda. It is one of the most Satvic (pure) foods in Ayurveda and is rich in healthy fats and nutrients.
Method of preparation
- Dry roast equal parts of rice and black gram separately. Then powder them and combine. Add buttermilk and ghee to the mixture to make a dough.
- Add cumin seeds, black sesame seeds and salt to taste to the dough.
- Now roll the dough into spirals using a chakli machine.
- Then fry the spirals in ghee until golden brown and crispy.
Shashkuli is an Ayurvedic food item that is not only delicious but also healthy. It is a light and easy-to-digest snack that is perfect for those with a weak digestive system. It is also a great snack option for those who are trying to maintain a healthy weight or are on a weight-loss diet. Due to its warming and carminative properties, shashkuli is also believed to help relieve gas, bloating and other digestive issues.
I remember my grandmother loved chakli. She had no teeth. So, she would powder these snacks in a blender and chew it and eat it to her heart’s content at 90 years.
Shashkuli is also a great snack for kids!
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