9. Sauces, Spreads & Condiments
Sauces carry much of the flavour that onion and garlic usually supply. These are the building blocks of the Western sattvic kitchen.
9.01 Warm Hummus with Cumin Ghee
Condiment · Middle Eastern · Inspired by Hummus bi tahini · Serves 8 · 3 tbsp · Soak overnight · 1 h
Texture: Smooth · Dosha: Vata–Pitta · Best season: All year
| Ingredient | Household measure | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Chickpeas (dry) | 1 cup dry, soaked | 200 g |
| Tahini (sesame paste) | ⅓ cup | 80 g |
| Lemon juice | 2½ tbsp | 40 ml |
| Cumin (jeera) | 1 tsp | 2 g |
| Rock salt (sendha namak) | 1 tsp | 5 g |
| Water | ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp (cooking liquid) | 100 ml |
| Ghee (cow) | 1 tbsp | 15 g |
| Kashmiri chilli powder (mild) | pinch paprika | 0.5 g |
- Pressure-cook chickpeas 12 whistles until very soft; peel skins if time allows.
- Blend warm chickpeas with tahini, lemon, salt and cooking liquid until very smooth.
- Warm ghee with cumin and paprika; pour over.
- Serve warm.
Per serving (est.): 173 kcal · protein 6.9 g · fat 8.8 g · carbs 18.4 g · fibre 4 g · salt 0.6 g
Care notes for 55+ guests: Very soft, smooth — a protein-rich spread (≈ 5 g per serving).
Ayurvedic note: Serving hummus warm with cumin ghee makes chickpeas much easier to digest.
Ayurvedic adaptations: Raw garlic → cumin ghee · Cold from fridge → warm
Variations & further ideas: Beet hummus · Squash hummus · Moong hummus · Herb hummus
9.02 Sattvic Tomato & Basil Sauce
Condiment · Italian · Inspired by Marinara · Serves 6 · ½ cup · 35 min
Texture: Smooth · Dosha: Vata–Kapha · Best season: All year
| Ingredient | Household measure | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Tomato | ripe, chopped (or passata) | 800 g |
| Extra-virgin olive oil | 2 tbsp | 30 g |
| Fennel (saunf) | ½ tsp | 1 g |
| Carrot | 1, grated | 100 g |
| Celery | 1 stalk | 60 g |
| Fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage, basil, parsley, oregano, dill, tarragon) | basil | 15 g |
| Dried herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary, herbes de Provence) | ½ tsp oregano | 1 g |
| Jaggery (gur) | 1½ tsp | 8 g |
| Rock salt (sendha namak) | ¾ tsp | 4 g |
- Warm oil with fennel; soften carrot and celery 6 minutes.
- Add tomato, oregano and jaggery; simmer 25 minutes.
- Blend or sieve; add basil; season.
Per serving (est.): 84 kcal · protein 1.5 g · fat 5.4 g · carbs 8.7 g · fibre 2.4 g · salt 0.7 g
Care notes for 55+ guests: Sieved for a seed-free smooth sauce.
Ayurvedic note: Carrot and jaggery soften tomato's sourness; cooked tomato is gentler than raw.
Ayurvedic adaptations: Onion and garlic → fennel, carrot and celery (a sattvic soffritto)
Variations & further ideas: Tomato–pepper sauce · Arrabbiata (mild) · Tomato soup · Pizza sauce
9.03 Roasted Red Pepper & Walnut Spread
Condiment · Middle Eastern · Inspired by Muhammara · Serves 8 · 2 tbsp · 40 min
Texture: Smooth · Dosha: Vata-pacifying · Best season: All year
| Ingredient | Household measure | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Capsicum | 3 red peppers, roasted & peeled | 400 g |
| Walnuts | ¾ cup, toasted | 80 g |
| Whole-wheat bread | breadcrumbs | 30 g |
| Extra-virgin olive oil | 2 tbsp | 30 g |
| Lemon juice | 1 tbsp | 15 ml |
| Cumin (jeera) | ½ tsp | 1 g |
| Kashmiri chilli powder (mild) | pinch mild | 0.5 g |
| Rock salt (sendha namak) | ½ tsp | 3 g |
| Maple syrup | 1 tsp (instead of pomegranate molasses) | 5 g |
- Roast peppers until blackened; steam in a covered bowl; peel.
- Blend with walnuts, breadcrumbs, oil, lemon, cumin, chilli, maple and salt.
Per serving (est.): 121 kcal · protein 2.3 g · fat 10.5 g · carbs 6 g · fibre 1.8 g · salt 0.4 g
Care notes for 55+ guests: Smooth and rich; good on soft bread.
Ayurvedic note: Walnuts and oil nourish Vata; roasted peppers are sweeter and gentler.
Ayurvedic adaptations: Garlic → cumin
Variations & further ideas: Pepper soup · Pepper pesto · Walnut sauce for pasta · Pepper hummus
9.04 Cucumber–Mint Yoghurt Sauce
Condiment · Mediterranean · Inspired by Tzatziki · Serves 6 · 3 tbsp · 15 min
Texture: Smooth · Dosha: Pitta-pacifying · Best season: Pitta season (summer), All year
| Ingredient | Household measure | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Curd (dahi), plain | 1¼ cups thick yoghurt | 300 g |
| Cucumber | grated, squeezed | 150 g |
| Fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage, basil, parsley, oregano, dill, tarragon) | mint and dill | 10 g |
| Cumin (jeera) | ¼ tsp roasted | 0.5 g |
| Extra-virgin olive oil | 2 tsp | 10 g |
| Rock salt (sendha namak) | ⅓ tsp | 2 g |
- Mix all ingredients.
- Rest 10 minutes; serve at room temperature at lunch.
Per serving (est.): 50 kcal · protein 1.9 g · fat 3.5 g · carbs 3.3 g · fibre 0.2 g · salt 0.3 g
Care notes for 55+ guests: Serve at room temperature, never chilled.
Ayurvedic note: Yoghurt only at lunch; cumin makes it digestible; cucumber cools.
Ayurvedic adaptations: Raw garlic → roasted cumin
Variations & further ideas: Beet yoghurt · Herb yoghurt · Raita · Labneh with herbs
9.05 Rosemary–Thyme Herb Ghee (the Western Tadka)
Condiment · French · Inspired by Compound herb butter · Serves 20 · 1 tsp · 15 min
Texture: Soft · Dosha: Vata–Kapha · Best season: All year
| Ingredient | Household measure | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Ghee (cow) | ½ cup | 100 g |
| Fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme, sage, basil, parsley, oregano, dill, tarragon) | rosemary, thyme, sage | 10 g |
| Fennel (saunf) | 1 tsp seeds | 2 g |
| Black pepper | ½ tsp crushed | 1 g |
| Lemon juice | zest of 1 | 5 ml |
| Rock salt (sendha namak) | ⅓ tsp | 2 g |
- Warm ghee gently with fennel seed and herbs 5 minutes — do not fry.
- Off heat add pepper and lemon zest; steep 10 minutes.
- Strain or keep herbs in; store in a jar.
Per serving (est.): 46 kcal · protein 0 g · fat 5 g · carbs 0.1 g · fibre 0.1 g · salt 0.1 g
Care notes for 55+ guests: A spoon over soup, grains or vegetables adds flavour without salt.
Ayurvedic note: Ghee carries herb aromas into food — the same principle as an Indian tadka.
Ayurvedic adaptations: Garlic butter → herb ghee
Variations & further ideas: Sage–nutmeg ghee · Dill–lemon ghee · Basil ghee (summer) · Ginger–cumin ghee
9.06 Apple–Ginger Chutney
Condiment · British & Irish · Inspired by Bramley apple chutney · Serves 20 · 1 tbsp · 50 min
Texture: Soft · Dosha: Vata–Kapha · Best season: Vata season (autumn – early winter)
| Ingredient | Household measure | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | 4, diced | 600 g |
| Raisins (kishmish) | ½ cup | 80 g |
| Ginger, fresh | 1½ tbsp | 20 g |
| Apple-cider or rice vinegar | ⅓ cup apple-cider | 80 ml |
| Jaggery (gur) | ½ cup | 100 g |
| Cinnamon | ½ tsp | 1 g |
| Clove | 2 | 0.3 g |
| Mustard seeds | ½ tsp | 2 g |
| Rock salt (sendha namak) | ½ tsp | 3 g |
- Combine all ingredients; simmer 40 minutes until thick and glossy.
- Pot into sterilised jars; keeps 1 month refrigerated.
Per serving (est.): 49 kcal · protein 0.3 g · fat 0.1 g · carbs 12.4 g · fibre 0.9 g · salt 0.2 g
Care notes for 55+ guests: Small spoonfuls stimulate appetite.
Ayurvedic note: Sweet–sour–pungent — a digestive accompaniment.
Ayurvedic adaptations: Onion → ginger
Variations & further ideas: Pear chutney · Plum chutney · Tomato chutney · Apricot chutney