Lobby View

Satvik menu: Accentuating a non-violent cuisine!

P S Sundar

P S Sundar

When some of my French contacts asked me to suggest tourist options for a temple town in an ethnic ambience, I suggested Varanasi along with a stay at Taj Ganges. "The town definitely represents the Hindu tradition boasting of over 2,000 years of history, but Taj Ganges will give you a chance to taste the Satvik menu that characterises non-violence," I stressed.

That is the difference. It is not just a vegetarian meal, not even a Jain diet, but non-violence in effect."At the time of writing the Vedas, Indian food was classified into three categories - Satvik, Rajsvik and Tamsvik. While Rajsvik food, is hot, spicy and salty, it helps in enhanced activity, and leads to passion and restlessness. Tamsvik food, like meat preparations, leads to inertia, ignorance and dullness. However, Satvik food on the other hand brings in calmness, intelligence, strength, health, happiness and longevity. Fresh fruits and vegetables, as also cereals and grains form the main ingredients," Sanjeev Chopra, executive chef, Taj Ganges, explained, displaying the menu card at the restaurant.

The question was if this cuisine was popular with the foreigners. While I saw a few of them going in for it repeatedly, the general manager, Pradeep Bajpai confirmed, "We have a good demand for this menu. In fact, we launched it only on the discovery of a great demand for it. Some foreigners who come to this Holy City are carried away by the Hindu rituals, and thus the Satvik menu goes down well with the whole feeling of sanctimony. There are many others also, who like to experiment with this exquisite menu. Importantly, they like it for the taste, health benefits and the change in palate, as also service".

Satvik restaurant in Taj anges,Varanasi

Sanjeev Chopra provides the necessary explanations to the guests. "Satvik khana is vegetarian food without garlic and onion, cooked lightly with minimal oil and spices, which brings out the natural flavour of the vegetables to the optimum. Fresh vegetables, fruits, rice, grain, sugar, ghee and wood apple are used. A pinch of salt, turmeric and red chilli powder furnishes the desired masala effect. Asafoetida is used as an antiseptic and digestive agent. Cumin and mustard seeds are also used wherever required. Care is taken to provide a balanced diet," he tells the guests.

Spaciouos lawn outside the Satvik Restaurant in Taj Ganges, Varanasi, where the guests relax for fresh air before and after taking the Satvik dishes

Interestingly, foreigners are attracted by the Satvik thali served at Taj Ganges, not only for the taste of the food, but for the very service itself. The food is served on a Banarasi silver platter with a number of small bowls containing dishes like Banarasi Kadhi, Sunhere Gobi, Banarasi Bharwan aloo, Kele Ka Kofta, Dal Arhar, plain rice, tawa missi, kachori, Banares mithai and relishes. "Guests simply enjoy this different service and take memories back with them as it is a unique experience for many," said Bajpai to me.

Some items become instant hit when the guests are told of their value-added benefits. For instance, there are many takers for tawa missie when told that it is health bread packed with nutritious ingredients, made with whole wheat flour, Bengal gram flour, turmeric and cooked in low flame in a dry griddle!

Soups, appetisers - everything in the Satvik restaurant is healthy and non-violent. The soup called Adrak palak ka shorba is fragrant, being made with ginger and spinach. Amrood aur seb ka salad is a combination of apple and guava in a tangy dressing made of tamarind. Banarasi bharwan aloo is an exotic delicacy from the city of the Ghats - Banares - in which six different spices are combined to make this sweet and sour potato curry.

The menu card changes with the change in seasonal vegetables. But, what remains constant is the Satvik nature of the dishes.