5. Techniques of the Western Sattvic Kitchen

The sattvic soffritto: flavour without onion and garlic

Italian, French and Spanish cooking begin with a soffritto (mirepoix, sofrito): onion, garlic, celery and carrot softened slowly in fat. The sattvic soffritto keeps the method and replaces the alliums with aromatics that build the same savoury depth.

[!WARNING] The sattvic soffritto (for 4 servings)

• 2 tsp ghee or 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp fennel seed (whole or lightly crushed) — sweetness and aroma in place of onion
• 1 stalk celery, finely diced — the savoury, slightly salty base
• 1 small carrot, finely diced — sweetness and body
• Optional: a small piece of celeriac or fennel bulb; a pinch of hing for beans and lentils
• Method: warm the fat, add the fennel seed for 20 seconds, then the vegetables with a pinch of salt; cook on low heat 6–8 minutes until soft and golden.

The Western tadka: herb ghee

The Indian tadka (chaunk) blooms spices in hot ghee and pours them over dal. The same principle works with European herbs: warm ghee gently with rosemary, thyme, sage, fennel seed and a little black pepper, then spoon over soups, grains or roast vegetables (Recipe 9.05). Fat carries fat-soluble aromas into food — and into the body.

Indian tadka	Western herb ghee	Best on
Cumin + hing + ginger	Fennel + celery seed + thyme	Lentil and bean soups
Mustard seed + curry leaf	Rosemary + lemon zest	Roast vegetables, potatoes
Cumin + black pepper	Sage + nutmeg	Squash, gnocchi, risotto
Fennel + cardamom	Dill + lemon	Rice, fish-free 'chowders', beets
Turmeric + ginger	Turmeric + ginger + bay	Pilafs, kitchari

Stocks without meat, onion or garlic

A good stock is the foundation of Western soups and risottos. This one keeps 4 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen.

Ingredient	For 2 litres	Role
Carrots	2 large	Sweetness
Celery	3 stalks with leaves	Savoury depth
Fennel bulb or trimmings	½ bulb	Aniseed sweetness replacing onion
Parsnip or celeriac	1 small	Earthy body
Tomato	1 (optional)	Umami, colour
Kombu	5 cm strip	Natural glutamates (umami) without mushrooms
Bay leaf, thyme, parsley stalks	2 leaves, 3 sprigs, a handful	Aroma
Black peppercorns	6	Warmth
Water	2.5 litres	Simmer 45 minutes, strain; do not salt — season the final dish

Grain cooking chart

Grain	Water per 100 g	Time	Yield	Tip
Basmati rice	175–200 ml	15 min + 10 rest	≈ 300 g	Rinse; soak 20 min for softer grains
Arborio rice (risotto)	450–500 ml stock	18–22 min	≈ 350 g	Add stock gradually
Brown rice	225 ml	40 min	≈ 300 g	Soak 1 h for elder digestion
Wild rice	350 ml	45–55 min	≈ 300 g	Done when grains split
Quinoa	200 ml	15 min + 5 rest	≈ 280 g	Rinse thoroughly
Millet	300 ml	20–25 min	≈ 330 g	Toast dry first; more water for porridge
Pearl barley	300–350 ml	35–45 min	≈ 300 g	Soak overnight
Bulgur (fine)	200 ml boiling	15 min covered	≈ 280 g	No cooking needed
Couscous	120 ml boiling	5 min covered	≈ 250 g	Fluff with ghee
Polenta	500–600 ml	25–40 min	≈ 550 g	Add milk at end for softness
Steel-cut oats	400 ml	25 min (soaked)	≈ 450 g	Soak overnight

Legume soaking and cooking chart

Legume	Soak	Pressure cooker	Stovetop	Digestive helpers
Red lentils	None	—	20 min	Cumin, ginger
Puy lentils	Optional 1 h	6–8 min	25 min	Bay, cumin
Split peas	4 h	10 min	50 min	Fennel, ginger, hing
Chickpeas	8–12 h	25–30 min (12 whistles)	1½–2 h	Bay, kombu, cumin; peel skins
Cannellini, haricot	8–12 h	15–20 min	1–1½ h	Kombu strip, sage, fennel
Mung beans (whole)	4–6 h	8–10 min	40 min	Ginger, turmeric

Western measures and conversions

Volume	Metric	Weight equivalents (approx.)
1 teaspoon (tsp)	5 ml	Salt 5–6 g · ground spice 2–3 g · ghee 4–5 g
1 tablespoon (tbsp)	15 ml	Oil 13 g · flour 8 g · honey or maple 20 g
1 US cup	240 ml	Flour 120 g · rice 190 g · oats 90 g · lentils 190 g · milk 245 g
1 UK/metric cup	250 ml	Slightly more than US cup
1 fl oz	30 ml	—
1 oz	28 g	—
1 lb	454 g	—
Oven 150 °C	300 °F	Gas mark 2 — slow baking, rice pudding
Oven 180 °C	350 °F	Gas mark 4 — most bakes
Oven 200 °C	400 °F	Gas mark 6 — roasting vegetables
Oven 220 °C	425 °F	Gas mark 7 — flatbreads, crisp roasting