Jain Ahimsa Initiative

From the Ahimsa cookbook

Ingredients Avoided / Allowed during Paryushan / Das Lakshan Parva

During Paryushan/ Das Lakshan Parva, fresh Vegetables, fresh fruits and fresh herbs are avoided because they are one sensed being.

Paryushan meal plan, eight days Das Lakshan meal plan, ten days Where to buy plant milk

Ingredients to AVOID:

  • All Dairy products such as ghee, butter, milk, cheese, curd, buttermilk, cream, paneer, milk powder, cream cheese, sour cream. For any ready to eat product, please check the ingredient list for casein and whey powder.
  • All vegetables, fruits, fresh herbs:
    • Including tomatoes, plantains, green chilies, lemon, etc.
    • Fresh herbs like basil, mint, oregano, kaddi patta, coriander, etc.
    • Fruits including avocados, bananas and any other seasonal or frozen fruits
    • Jains do not consume sprouts as once sprouted, the grain has life.
  • Any foods with yeast: avoid breads
  • Any fermentation overnight like soaking pulses/ grains/ millets for idli/ dosa/ dhokla/ handwa, etc. as it possesses a higher concentration of microorganisms (for example, bacteria yeast etc). Instead, soak it early in the morning at 5 am.

Ingredients that can be USED:

  • All grains, lentils and pulses
  • Millets
  • All flours: 15 days cycle
  • Dry herbs like basil, mint, oregano, rosemary, curry leaves etc.
  • Rava (cream of wheat) (15 days cycle), cracked wheat (fadaa), quinoa etc.
  • Poha or flat white rice
  • Desiccated coconut for curry or any sweets (mithais).
  • All dry spices including cinnamon, tej patta, kokum, whole red chilies, chili flakes, soonth powder (dry ginger powder), dry mango powder (amchur) etc.
  • Substitutes for Dairy: Non-Dairy options such as:
    • PLANT BASED MILKS: soy, oat, coconut or nut-based milk like almond, cashew, etc. or seed based like sesame. If it is store purchased, make sure the milks don't contain potato/ tapioca starch.
    • PLANT BASED YOGURT - soy, coconut, nut based like almond, cashew, peanut, rice or any other plant-based yogurt. If it is store purchased, make sure the yogurts don't contain potato/ tapioca starch. This yogurt can be used for kadhi, raita, buttermilk, handwa, dhokla or any recipe that calls for yogurt. Heat the dahi before mixing any pulses/ legumes.
    • Nut based butters, vegan ghee and neutralized coconut oil.
    • Tofu as replacement for paneer
  • soya chunks
  • Oils
  • Seeds like sesame, melon, pumpkin, etc. for dips/ sauces
  • Nuts like split cashew (avoid whole), almond, etc. for homemade nut butters, cashew cheese etc.
  • Desiccated coconut as replacement for homemade ghee on rotis, as a nut butter in some recipes.

Disclaimer: Ideally nuts, seeds, rava, maida (all-purpose flour), seeds like sesame, poppy seeds, etc, tofu, store bought yogurts or other items are not consumed by strict Jains during Chaumasa (the 4 months of monsoon season) and during Paryushan/Das Lakshan Parva.

Please use your discretion to make your transition to veganism comfortable.

Recipes

Almond Milk

Dairy Alternatives

Almond Milk

While switching to a plant-based diet, the first alternative we often look for is a substitute for dairy or cow’s milk. Many of us are used to drinking milk daily, either on its own, as a milkshake, in tea or coffee, in desserts, or in various other dishes. The thought of “life without milk” can be overwhelming. However, today we know that we are loaded with options when it comes to plant-based milks. Let’s try homemade almond milk.

Priyanka N Jain 10 min active Plan ahead

Oil-Free Vegan Kadhi for Paryushan

Meals

Oil-Free Vegan Kadhi for Paryushan

Kadhi can be made in so many different ways and different states follow different ways to make this... There is Gujarati kadhi, Rajasthani kadhi, Punjabi kadhi and maybe more that I don’t know of. Today, I’m sharing kadhi that is JAIN, VEGAN, and PARYUSHAN friendly. And guess what? It’s super DELICIOUS! Tastes almost like the usual dairy curd. It is similar to Gujarati Kadhi but I have made some changes to enhance the flavor as we cannot use fresh curry leaves (kadi patta) in Paryushan - a very important ingredient in kadhi. Also, plant-based curds have their own flavor and I add extra spices to mask that.

Priyanka Jain 30 min active