5. Kitchen Standards

Measures and conversions

Measure	Metric	Kitchen note
1 cup (standard)	240 ml	1 katori ≈ 150 – 180 ml
1 tablespoon (tbsp)	15 ml	≈ 3 tsp
1 teaspoon (tsp)	5 ml	—
1 pinch	≈ 0.2 – 0.3 g	Between thumb and forefinger
1 inch ginger	≈ 8 – 10 g	—
1 medium carrot	≈ 100 g	—
1 medium tomato	≈ 100 g	—
1 medium potato	≈ 150 g	—
1 bunch spinach (cleaned)	≈ 200 – 250 g	—

Ingredient (1 cup)	Weight	Ingredient (1 cup)	Weight
Rice (basmati, raw)	190 – 200 g	Moong / masoor dal	190 – 200 g
Atta (wheat flour)	120 g	Besan	90 – 100 g
Suji (semolina)	160 – 170 g	Dalia (broken wheat)	160 g
Rolled oats	90 g	Poha (thick)	100 g
Ragi flour	120 – 130 g	Rice flour	120 g
Jaggery (grated, packed)	200 g	Mishri / sugar	200 g
Fresh grated coconut	80 – 90 g	Sesame seeds	120 g
Milk / water	240 g	Ghee (melted)	220 g

Dish	Regular	House standard (55+)	Very soft / recovery
Soft white rice	1 : 2.5 (pressure 3 whistles)	1 : 4	1 : 5 (very soft)
Moong-dal khichdi	1 : 3	1 : 4 (house)	1 : 5 – 6 (porridge)
Kanji (rice gruel)	—	1 : 10	1 : 12 – 14
Dalia khichdi	1 : 3	1 : 4	1 : 5
Upma (suji)	1 : 2 (by volume)	1 : 2.5	1 : 3 (soft-set)
Dal (split)	1 : 3	1 : 4	1 : 5 – 6 (yusha)
Samak rice	1 : 3	1 : 4	1 : 5

Level	What it looks like	For whom
Level 1 · Regular-soft	Normal house food, cooked until tender; no hard, crisp or chewy items	Most guests
Level 2 · Soft & bite-sized	Pieces ≤ 1.5 cm, mash with a fork; soft phulka torn small; no whole nuts	Partial dentures, weak grip, fatigue
Level 3 · Minced & moist	Pieces ≤ 4 mm in thick sauce/dal; khichdi porridge; no separate thin liquid	Chewing difficulty, mild swallowing problems (on clinician advice)
Level 4 · Pureed	Smooth, lump-free, holds shape on a spoon (soups thickened, dal blended)	Swallowing difficulty — only with a speech/swallow assessment

![](/images/vol1/flow_texture.png)

Figure 8. Modifying a dish down the texture levels

The sattvic code of this kitchen

No onion, garlic, meat, fish, eggs, mushrooms or alcohol. Hing (asafoetida) and ginger provide the depth onion–garlic would give.
Rock salt (sendha) on fast days; regular iodised salt otherwise (iodine matters for older adults).
Tomato is optional in every recipe — some guests observe a tomato-free sattvic diet.
Food is cooked with a calm mind; the cook does not taste from the serving spoon; the first portion is offered (bhog) where the Centre's practice requires.

Condition	Favour	Limit / watch
Diabetes / prediabetes	Moong, whole grains (dalia, oats, jowar, samak); vegetables first, then dal, then grain	Sweets ≤ 2 tbsp with meals; dates instead of mishri; no fruit juices; jamun, guava, amla welcome
High blood pressure	Salt ≤ ¾ tsp per 4 servings (house default); lemon, herbs, cumin for flavour	No papad, pickles, namkeen, black salt in excess; potassium-rich vegetables (unless kidney disease)
Chronic kidney disease	Doctor/dietitian prescription governs protein, potassium and fluid	Leach potatoes/greens (soak, boil, discard water); avoid sattu, coconut water, star fruit
Weak digestion / low appetite	Small warm meals; khichdi, kanji, yusha; ginger–rock salt slice before lunch	Calorie-dense additions: ghee, almond paste in milk, paneer
Constipation	Fluids, warm water on waking, ghee, stewed fruit, dalia, bathua, bhindi, papaya	Avoid excess bael, raw banana and dry foods
Acidity / reflux	Cooling Pitta foods: lauki, ash gourd, coconut, milk, rice; dinner 3 h before bed	Avoid sour, chilli, fried food; no lying down after meals
Osteoporosis / joint pain	Calcium: milk, curd, ragi, sesame, paneer; turmeric & ginger in cooking	Morning sunlight; protein at each meal
Anaemia	Moong, masoor, leafy greens with lemon/amla (vitamin C)	Tea/coffee at least 1 h away from meals

![](/images/vol1/flow_guest.png)

Figure 9. Matching a new guest to the right menu track

![](/images/vol1/flow_safety.png)

Figure 10. Cook–hold–serve: stricter for older guests

![](/images/vol1/flow_service.png)

Figure 11. Daily service flow (orange = service)

![](/images/vol1/flow_week.png)

Figure 12. Weekly procurement & prep cycle