A thermos offers the possibility to have a fresh, healthy and warm lunch. This can be prepared in the morning, "cooks" further in the thermos and can then be eaten for lunch. So it is ideal for on the go or for lunch breaks at work.

Preparation:

Melt ghee in a pan, add the ground spices to the hot fat and then the mungdal. Then add the rice and the finely chopped vegetables. Cover the ingredients with water and boil for two minutes. Then pour the whole mixture into a thermos. Screw the lid on tightly and leave the thermos closed for about 4 hours. While you go about your work, the meal will be "cooked" and you will have a wonderfully freshly prepared lunch.

Remark:

You can experiment a little with quantities and cooking time. Always remember that mungdal and rice swell and therefore need a generous amount of water for the right consistency. Note that carrots or parsnips, for example, take longer to cook than spinach. Just use fresh vegetables that are in season.

With the spices, you should pay attention to the order: Start with whole spice seeds first, such as mustard seeds or whole cumin, followed by ground spices and finally leafy spices such as basil, marjoram, etc.

Variations:

1. Pulses: yellow mungdal, red or brown lentils, beluga lentils, plate lentils.
2. Cereals (sweet grasses): Spelt meal, barley, oats, bulgur, rice, millet - also possible in flake form.
3. Vegetables: courgette, pumpkin, sweet potato, asparagus, carrots, parsnips, chard, etc.
4. Spices: Ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric, gara masala, curry, etc.

If you want to make seasoning easier, why not use ready-made spice blends such as Vata, Pitta or Kapha Churna. 

Delicious variations: Also add coconut flakes, nuts, sultanas, date pieces or rhubarb once in a while.

Tips:

Eat salad in addition to the thermo menu or fruit as a dessert and drink lassi with it in summer - this way you have a complete Ayurvedic menu with all qualities and flavours. Heavy raw food (lettuce, banana, mango) should be taken before the cooked meal, light fruit (apples, pear, grapes) after the hot meal.

Lassi (1/2 cup yoghurt, 2 cups water), sweet or salted, should be drunk during or after the meal. It improves digestion and, unlike heavy sour milk products, does not make you tired. Click here for the recipe.

 Have fun cooking and above all:

Bon appétit!