Meet the Doshas

You could easily go ahead and create any of the dishes in this cookbook and enjoy delicious Ayurveda-inspired meals without reading on. However, it’s fascinating to learn ways to identify and articulate how you’re feeling, and what to eat and do to bring your body back into balance for optimal health. This is where the three Doshas come in: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. You will have seen these little symbols throughout the recipe chapter.

Ayurveda recognises that all of creation – including us! – is made up of a unique ratio of Elements: Space, Air, Fire, Water and Earth. These are the building blocks of life and are therefore present in me as I write this, in the chair that I’m sitting on and in the mug that I’m sipping from. They are all around us and within us: in our minds and bodies; in nature; colours; sounds; in the senses; and in the foods we eat.