Potato Pizza

What makes this recipe unique compared to other potato pizza is a crunchy, stir- fried potato crust.

INGREDIENTS:
potatoes
ghee
salt and pepper
tomatoes
pizza toppings- sliced olives, chopped bell pepper, etc
Italian seasoning
sugar
grated mozzarella

PREPARATION
1. Peel and chop enough potatoes to cover the bottom of baking pan. Also one or two extra because they shrink when cooked.
2. Stir fry the potatoes in ghee on medium high heat until soft, browned and crispy.
3. Add salt and pepper, mash them together a bit and then press into the bottom of a pie pan or pizza dish.
4. Meanwhile cook down enough tomato puree, made from tomatoes that have been blanched, peeled and grated, to cover the mashed potato crust. May wish to include other vegetables such as chopped bell pepper.
5. Season with salt, about 1/4 t ground black pepper, 1 T Italian seasoning chaunced in ghee and 1 t. of sugar (for one medium pizza pan).
Cover the potato with the cooked-down tomato sauce.
6. Top tomato sauce with grated cheese and choice of pizza toppings.
7.Bake in a moderate oven for about 15 minutes so that the cheese melts.
Offer to Krishna with love and devotion.
Serves 4.

Tomato Raita

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2-2 cups plain thick yogurt
about 8 plum tomatoes
1-2 teaspoon roasted and ground cumin seeds
1/2 -1 t ground black pepper
cayenne pepper, as desired
salt, as desired

DIRECTIONS:
Thickened yogurt is easily made by letting yogurt sit in a colander lined with cheese cloth. The reason is because the tomatoes are naturally juicy and thickened yogurt makes the end result less runny.
1. Blanch the tomatoes and peel off their skins when cool. Chop into bite size pieces.
2. Stir yogurt until smooth; add the cumin, cayenne and or pepper as desired and stir well.
3. Add the tomatoes and salt. Stir gently until tomatoes are well covered with the yogurt mixture.
4. Stir once more before offering. Garnish with a dash of fresh parsley.

VARIATION: Toss in some soaked and sprouted chickpeas. Parsley or coriander leaves can be chopped and also added as a garnish.

A Definition of "Natural Flavors"

A copy of an article important for vegetarians:

Just What's in Those “Natural Flavors” Anyway...? By Dar Veverka, VRG@vrg.org

The exact definition of natural flavorings from Title 21, Section 101, part 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations is as follows:

"The term natural flavor or natural flavoring means the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional."

In other words, natural flavors can be pretty much anything approved for use in food.

It's basically impossible to tell from a label what is in natural flavors unless the company has specified it on the label. A few of the vegetarian & vegan-oriented companies are doing this now, but the overwhelming majority of food manufacturers do not.

Why do companies hide ingredients under "natural flavors"? It's considered a way of preserving the product's identity & uniqueness. Sort of like a "secret recipe" - they worry that if people knew what the flavorings were, then someone would be able to duplicate their product.

So what's a veggie to do?

Call the company. Ask them what's in the flavorings. Chances are they will not be able to tell you, or they will be unwilling to tell you.* But the more they hear this question, the more likely they are to become concerned about putting a clarifying statement on their labels. It does work in some cases (remember what happened when enough people wrote to the USDA about the organic standards), although it tends to take awhile. We have already had several large food companies call us concerning their natural flavors & how to word it on their labels if they have vegetarian or vegan flavorings. They called because it had come to their attention that this was a concern for veggies.

MY ADDED NOTE: You will find, for example, candies such as “Tootsie Rolls” and “Skittles”, commonly eaten by devotee children, are listed to contain beef and pork fat as well as gelatin (Skittles), yet on the candy labels themselves, it only says “Natural Flavors”. Ditto Parmesan cheese last time I looked, but now the Kraft brand is kosher.

LATER NOTE: On Dec. 2, 2009, Tootie Roll Company Goes Kosher

The following websites contain (sometimes changing) long lists of information about ingredients found in food and drugs: http://www.theisraelofgodrc.com/CUPL.html (click on the first link)
http://www.geari.org/ingredients.html (scroll down for the actual list)
http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~veggie/nonveg/cheese.html

MORE CONTAMINANTS TO WATCH OUT FOR:
Avoid vanilla extract, it will always have alcohol in it. “According to a 1992 USDA study, alcohol is not burned off in cooking. Anywhere from 4 percent to 85 percent of the alcohol is retained on the dish depending on the method of cooking.”

"Suräkrtam means things becoming impure simply by touching liquor. Liquor is so impure. Just like you have got a very big pot of milk, but if you put one drop of wine in it, it becomes immediately impure. You can analyze chemically—immediately impure. That surä, liquor, has become our daily affair. We are so impure. And bhüta-hatyä, and killing of animals. The modern civilization means large-scale arrangement for killing animals and large-scale arrangement for distilling liquor, especially in the Western countries. And India is also now following. So this is the position of the world." --SB 1.8.52 lecture, LA, 5/14/73

Learn how to prepare vanilla sugar instead or how to use vanilla beans.

More things to watch out for: rennet, lecithin, saccharin, corn syrup...
Lecithin is derived from eggs unless it is specifically labeled "soy lecithin". Saccharin is derived from petroleum. It is not a food at all. Corn syrup was recently in the news as containing small amounts of mercury.

LATER NOTE AND CONCLUSION (2017): this page sparked an effort to do more research about factory foods and the contaminants present in them. I can no longer eat chocolate after reviewing my findings. I tried to a couple times when given cake and chocolate chips in icecream,  but just the thought of what I had learned made me unable to finish what looked otherwise as very delectable treats! And if it isnt fit for offering, why should I eat it? Especially as devotees, we should find it hard to offer to the deities anything that is factory processed. Krishna deserves only the best, and what that finally boils down to is grinding our own flour, besan, oats, etc. And eventually producing them as well. Whole grains, unprocessed foods and so on are a lot purer and fit for offering.

Cooking for Krishna

Three essentials are consciousness, cleanliness and timeliness:

CONSCIOUSNESS OF KRISHNA
A LOVING EXCHANGE
Cooking is a loving exchange with Krishna. We get to make something with our own hands to feed to the Lord, beg Him to eat it, and then accept whatever He gives to us in return as prasadam. Actually, our love is the most essential item. Prabhupada spoke in a lecture on 7/16/69 in LA:

"The Madana-mohana Deity—He was talking with Sanatana Gosvami. Sanatana Gosvami at that time had no temple; he was hanging his Deity on the tree. So Madana-mohana was talking with him: 'Sanatana, you are bringing all these dry chapatis. And it is stale, and you don’t give Me even little salt. How can I eat?'

"Sanatana Gosvami said, 'Sir, where shall I go? Whatever I get I offer You. You kindly accept. I cannot move; I am an old man.'

"You see. So Krishna had to eat that [chuckles]. Because the bhakta is offering, He cannot refuse. Ye mam bhaktya prayacchati: real thing is bhakti. What you can offer to Krishna? Everything belongs to Krishna. What you have got? What is your value? And what is the value of your things? It is nothing. Therefore real thing is bhaktya, real thing is your feeling. 'Krishna, kindly take it. I have no qualification. I am most rotten, fallen, but [begins to cry] I have brought this thing for you. Please take it.' This will be accepted. Don’t be puffed up. Always be careful. You are dealing with Krishna."

LITTLE THINGS COUNT
Cooking should be done, therefore, with as much care and attention as possible. For example, if a pot has a little spot on it from not having been cleaned properly, cleaning it before using it only takes a minute. For this reason and in case of other contamination in the meantime, it is also a good practice to rinse everything before using it. Also sifting through the bhoga like dahl and spices will ensure no foreign matter is mixed in. All the bhoga chosen for the offering should be as fresh and pure as possible.

Whether it's adding a pat of butter to Krishna's rice, creating simple garnishes, or perhaps sewing some soft comfortable asanas for the Lord and His associates to sit upon while eating, the little things done for creating a daily offering to Krishna will naturally increase as our consciousness and concern for Krishna does.

HEARING, CHANTING, REMEMBERING PASTIMES
It is said that a cook's "mood goes into the food". Praying and chanting mentally helps. Or keep a recording in the kitchen, playing devotional music and lectures.There are also inspiring pastimes to read and then remember that include expert devotional cooks like Mother Yasoda and Damayanti, the sister of Raghava Pandit (Adi Lila 10.20). Also a picture or two, kept in the kitchen, such as Krishna eating with His friends, stealing butter, the gopis churning butter, or Prabhupada cooking can all serve as further reminders to cook for Krishna's satisfaction.
CLEANLINESS
PERSONAL CLEANLINESS
It's best to take a bath, change into clean clothes and tie and cover one's hair before cooking. If you find it difficult to take a bath more than once a day, especially during the cold season, it's possible to train the body to pass number two first thing in the morning before the early morning bath. Then, for the rest of the day, simply washing your hands, mouth and feet after taking meals, and washing  the same after passing urine and using a loda, along with a change of clothing before cooking again, are all that's needed. That way a full bath is not always necessary.

Another thing is while cooking, one must be careful not to engage in conversation. This is to ensure no saliva accidentally falls from one's mouth into a preparation. And it is much easier this way to focus on quality and meditate on making the offering pleasing for the Lord.

CLEANING WHILE COOKING
The kitchen should be clean before one cooks, while cooking and immediately after. A helpful rule is to "Clean while you cook". This may include rinsing after use everything that needs only rinsing, while leaving in the sink for washing afterwards (or as soon as possible) only the things that need to soak or are greasy.

BHOGA
All bhoga- such as unoffered fruits and vegetables and so on- should be rinsed well before using.

If bhoga falls on the floor, simply rinse it off, but if it touches someone’s feet it cannot be offered (It can be prepared separately and then included after the offering, however, so that nothing is wasted).

Prasadam must not be mixed with bhoga. In other words, the Lord doesn't like leftovers. This should include avoiding the deep frying of foods in ghee that contains remains from a previous offering. Straining it first is much better. For buttering chapatis, it is helpful to cut off from the stick enough butter to do the job. That way the remaining stick of butter isn't full of crumbs the next cooking session. If a little of the butter used is leftover afterwards, it can always be added to the rest of the offering such as in the rice or dahl.

A further consideration is to not keep any offered foods in the refrigerator, since they might come in contact with the unoffered foods. Ideally the refrigerator should contain only bhoga for Krishna to eat; all prasadam is distributed after an offering is finished, and if a guest drops by, it's preferable to cook them something fresh anyway. There are many simple snacks that do not take long to prepare.

Of course, in America, this may be a very hard standard to follow, especially with the cost of living the way it is and how busy life proceeds. Some compensate by keeping a small refrigerator especially to store prasadam in or else a reserved section in the refrigerator for leftovers only, but the higher standard is worth thinking about nonetheless. Also healthier, since according to Ayurveda, leftover foods become heavier and therefore harder to digest when reheated afterwards.

READING LABELS
Reading labels on pre-prepared and packaged foods is a good idea. Increasingly, there have been problems such as hidden meat or other contamination labeled under "natural flavorings" on food packages. Even better is to purchase only foods that are free from additives and preservatives. Also keep in mind that all factory made foods are inevitably contaminated with insect parts and other debri in various degrees. In other words, if you want purity, make preparations from scratch as far as possible and produce your own ingredients.

TIMELINESS
Timeliness is yet another sign of love. Preparing offerings on time, as regularly as possible, means caring about the Lord and others who may be hungry. Here are some things that help with this:

GETTING ORGANIZED
An organized kitchen saves much time. Keeping all the cooking pots and pans together is a good idea. All spices should be similarly gathered together, easy to locate and use. Bhoga can be kept neatly on designated shelves and in the refrigerator.

A WELL STOCKED KITCHEN OR USING WHAT'S AVAILABLE
Kitchen supplies and bhoga should be restocked regularly. It's helpful to keep a written bhoga checklist to quickly spot what is needed before a shopping trip. Even better is to know how to use whatever is available. The only vegetables that are left in the fridge are some chopped off stubs of kale? That will not be a problem for an experienced cook!

MEMORY
With experience, many dishes and variations can be cooked spontaneously with less dependence on written recipes. Meanwhile, memorizing frequently used recipes while keeping all other favorites handy for quick reference is helpful. Many keep a box in the kitchen with filed recipe cards just for this purpose.

COOKING ORDER
Timeliness also involves knowing in what order preps need cooking, so that everything can be served hot and or fresh in the end and within a reasonable time limit. For example, cooking the rice would be done a little bit early on, because it takes at least 20 minutes to cook, which is about how much time for an experienced, well prepared cook to make an entire meal, and then it'll be piping hot instead of sitting around while everything else is still being cooked.

KEEPING FOODS WARM
On the other hand, if something like rice is already made and serving the prasada has been somehow delayed, there are little tricks like keeping the rice pot inside another pot of simmering water to keep the rice warm without ending up with the rice drying out (as in a warm oven).

COOKING AHEAD
While looking inside the kitchen fridge and cupboards in the morning, it is helpful to think about the upcoming offerings for the day: "Does fresh yogurt need to be made? Are there nuts that need shelling or toasting?" Also to save time while making chapati dough, for example,  it is a good idea to make enough for at least a couple offerings and then refrigerating it in the meantime. Similarly, all the spices needed for the day can be ground early on to have easily available and very fresh whenever they are needed. Vegetables for can be picked out and cut up, ready to go for each meal. Then again, in the evening, a similar but usually simpler check can be made for the following day such as "Does any dahl (such as chickpeas or pinto beans) need soaking? Did the yogurt get made?"

PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE
Like anything else, cooking becomes easier to do, more creative and satisfying with continual practice. Everyday is a chance to expand one's experience and ability. There are so many recipes available in cookbooks, the Internet and from friends, and there are seemingly endless variations that can come from all these. In this regard, it is nice to think about Srimati Radharani. It is said that she never cooks for Krishna the same thing twice. Praying to Her and the Lord's other cooking associates for inspiration is recommended.

Yes, we still have a material body that sometimes feels very tired, or the weather may be very hot, but it is helpful to remember that while others may simply drive to a fast food joint for lunch, Krishna is especially pleased by all the effort and sacrifice made instead, to prepare something nice for Him. Feeding His devotees afterwards can serve as a pretty good indicator about how much this is true. And sure, this may all sound troublesome to some, but it is always voluntary; it is the way of love.

When a Man Comes Home

There are valuable things one can learn from even the lowliest of creatures, such as a dog. One thing particularly interesting is that when a loved one comes home, it always runs to greet them. Once, a magazine article entitled "The Two Minute Marriage Saver" challenged wives to do the exact same thing. In other words, turn off that computer or put that book down, stop what your doing and greet your husband when he returns home each day. This is a special time to let him know how much he is loved and appreciated. Funny, that they had to write an entire article about such a simple thing, but simple things can be very important and therefore need a good reminder now and then.

There is reference to a husband's homecoming in sastra as well. "It is the duty of the wife to dress herself up very nicely, so that when her husband returns home he becomes attracted by her dress and cleanliness and thus becomes satisfied. In other words, the wife is the inspiration of all good intelligence. Upon seeing one's wife dressed nicely, one can think very soberly about family business. When a person is too anxious about family affairs, he cannot discharge his family duties nicely. A wife is therefore supposed to be an inspiration and should keep the husband's intelligence in good order so that they can combinedly prosecute the affairs of family life without impediment." --SB 4.27.2p

"Sauhrdena väcä madhurayä means always desiring good for the husband and speaking to him with sweet words. A person becomes agitated by so many material contacts in the outside world; therefore, in his home life he must be treated by his wife with sweet words."--SB 3.23.2p

And here is what may happen when there is no affectionate greeting or offering of service:

"The King, not received by any formal welcome by means of being offered a seat, place, water and sweet addresses, considered himself neglected, and so thinking he became angry."--SB 1.18.28

And beyond a simple greeting, there are other things a wife may do to provide for the comfort of her beloved husband after a long day. Here are suggestions that got written down in a 1959 Home Economics textbook and adapted by Helen B. Andelin, author of Fascinating Womanhood:

WHEN A MAN COMES HOME
HAVE YOUR WORK DONE:
Plan your work with the finish time in mind. Quit about an hour before your husband's expected arrival. Your desperate cry, "Are you home already!" is not a very warm welcome.
HAVE DINNER READY:
Plan ahead to have a delicious meal on time. Men love walking in to the smells of a delicious dinner. This is one way of letting him know you have been thinking about him and are concerned with his needs. It helps to have a reminder in your day planner, on a list, or in your card file that says "Think About Dinner". It's no fun to have no clue what to cook at 4:30 in the afternoon. It also helps to have the table set and ready to go.
PREPARE YOURSELF:
Take a little time to rest so you won't feel so harried when he arrives. Put things aside and compose yourself. Think about your attitude toward him and how you will treat him when he gets home. After resting, go freshen up - touch up your makeup, fix your hair, change clothes if you need to. Put on a cheerful face.
CLEAR AWAY THE CLUTTER:
Just before your husband arrives home, make a quick trip through the main parts of the house and remove unsightly clutter. You don't have to put all the stuff away, but move it out of sight.
PREPARE THE CHILDREN:
Take a minute or two to get the children cleaned up some, too. Just a quick wipe with a washcloth will usually do, but if their clothes are a mess, change them.
MINIMIZE THE NOISE:
Most men have spent a hectic day with a lot of tension and probably a hectic drive home to go with it. He may be longing for only a few minutes of peace and quiet. Don't have loud appliances running like the vacuum or the washer. Take a cue from your husband about the children. He may be extremely glad to see them, but still need a few minutes to unwind.
BE HAPPY TO SEE HIM:
Greet him with a smile and let him know you are glad he's home.
AVOID THESE:
Complaints and problems - save the ones you need help with until later after he has had some time to rest.
MAKE HIM COMFORTABLE:
Lead him to his favorite chair. Have a cool drink or a drink ready for him. You can rub his neck or shoulders if he likes.
LISTEN TO HIM:
You may have several things to tell him, but let him talk first. Ask him about his day.
MAKE THE EVENING HIS:
Don't complain if he doesn't take you out in the evening. Try to understand his need to relax and realize that home is his haven. Try to understand the stress and strain he is under. YOUR GOAL:
You want home to be a place a man wants to come home to. Home should be a place of peace and order where the family can grow in body and spirit.

WHEN LORD KRISHNA COMES HOME:
"We should always remember that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, was playing exactly like a human being; although He showed His extraordinary opulences by simultaneously marrying more than sixteen thousand wives in more than sixteen thousand palaces, He behaved with them just like an ordinary man, and He strictly followed the relationship between husband and wife required in ordinary homes. Therefore, it is very difficult to understand the characteristics of the Supreme Brahman, the Personality of Godhead...

"In their dealings as husband and wife, Krishna and His queens would smile, talk, joke, embrace and so on, and their conjugal relationship ever-increasingly developed. In this way, Krishna and the queens enjoyed transcendental happiness in their household life. Although each and every queen had thousands of maidservants engaged for her service, the queens were all personally attentive in serving Krishna. Each one of them used to receive Krishna personally when He entered the palace. They engaged in seating Him on a nice couch, worshiping Him with all kinds of paraphernalia, washing His lotus feet with Ganges water, offering Him betel nuts and massaging His legs. In this way, they gave Him relief from the fatigue He felt after being away from home. They fanned Him nicely, offered Him fragrant essential floral oil, decorated Him with flower garlands, dressed His hair, asked Him to lie down to take rest, bathed Him personally and fed Him palatable dishes. Each queen did all these things herself and did not wait for the maidservants. In other words, Krishna and His different queens displayed on this earth an ideal household life." - excerpt from Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Sounds like treatment only God should receive? Well, in a class Kadamba Kanana Swami shared that we shouldn't just provide Krishna with five star service, but when it comes to dealing with His devotee we think the devotee is only worthy of three..or at most, four stars. No! When a devotee is in our midst we should think, "Here comes Krishna in the form of His devotee! Quick, let me serve or assist this devotee very nicely, so that the Lord, who is residing within his heart, will be very pleased."

So a wife might think, "Well, is not my husband a devotee also? Duh! Of course, and I do try to treat him with respect... But its easy to become forgetful, and so this is a good reminder for me."

We live in a world where offering respect to another is increasingly diminishing. The media is full of such images all the way down to the cartoons watched by children. But in our homes, it doesn't have to be that way, and a husband's homecoming can be a regular opportunity to show that this is true.

lassi

There are many variations of lassi. Some sweet, some spicy. Great for a cooling summertime drink. Here's one way to prepare:

4 cups yogurt
4 cups water
the juice of one small lemon (optional)
1 cup sugar
8 cardamom pods, the seeds shelled and finely ground

1. Boil one cup of the water with the sugar and cardamom to make a thin syrup. Cool.
2. Whisk the yogurt smooth and add the remaining water and lemon juice. Then add the cooled syrup.
3. Chill before offering.

SPECIAL TIP:
If you have extra lumpy homemade yogurt, use a blender to make it ultra smooth or whisk it and then push it through a fine strainer.

VARIATIONS: there are many. Here's with orange juice, yogurt, sugar and cardamom:
Another favorite is mango lassi.

A Chaste Wife

A CHASTE WOMAN:

SEES HUSBAND AS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD

Worships husband by offering him prasada

HAS A SERVICE MOOD
She renders service to her husband.
She is ready to execute his desires.
She serves him according to time and circumstances.

HAS A GOOD DISPOSITION
She is always favorably disposed toward her husband.
She is equally well disposed toward the husband’s relatives and friends.

IS RELIGIOUS
She follows the vows of her husband.
She should be fully conversant with religious principles.
She follows a husband who is not fallen (He is a devotee of Krishna). 

HAS GOOD QUALITIES
She must be modest and truthful.
She should control her senses.
She should not be greedy.
She should be satisfied in all circumstances.
She should be very careful, always clean and pure.

SPEAKS SWEETLY
She should speak sweet words pleasingly.
She should speak truthfully. 

SERVES WITH LOVE
She should engage in the service of her husband with love and affection

DRESSES NICELY

She should dress nicely and decorate herself, preferably with golden ornaments.
She should dress for the pleasure of her husband.
She should always wear clean and attractive garments.

KEEPS HOUSE
She should sweep and clean the household with water and other liquids.
The entire house should be always pure and clean.
She should collect the household paraphernalia (keep it in order).
She should keep the house always aromatic with incense and flowers.
She must be very expert in handling household management.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY

She must take care of her children.

SASTRIC SOURCES
SB 6.19.17: Accepting her husband as the representative of the Supreme Person, a wife should worship him with unalloyed devotion by offering him prasada. The husband, being very pleased with his wife, should engage himself in the affairs of his family.

SB 7.11.27-29: To render service to the husband, to be always favorably disposed toward the husband, to be equally well disposed toward the husband’s relatives and friends, and to follow the vows of the husband—these are the four principles to be followed by women described as chaste.

A chaste woman must dress nicely and decorate herself with golden ornaments for the pleasure of her husband. Always wearing clean and attractive garments, she should sweep and clean the household with water and other liquids so that the entire house is always pure and clean. She should collect the household paraphernalia and keep the house always aromatic with incense and flowers and must be ready to execute the desires of her husband. Being modest and truthful, controlling her senses, and speaking in sweet words, a chaste woman should engage in the service of her husband with love, according to time and circumstances.

A chaste woman should not be greedy, but satisfied in all circumstances. She must be very expert in handling household affairs and should be fully conversant with religious principles. She should speak pleasingly and truthfully and should be very careful and always clean and pure. Thus a chaste woman should engage with affection in the service of a husband who is not fallen.

The woman who engages in the service of her husband, following strictly in the footsteps of the goddess of fortune, surely returns home, back to Godhead, with her devotee husband, and lives very happily in the Vaikuntha planets.

KRISHNA'S INSTRUCTIONS
Krishna book, Chapter 29, the Lord personally instructs all women via His beloved gopis:
 "Your feelings of love and affection for Me are very appropriate because I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All living creatures are My parts and parcels, and naturally they are affectionate to Me. So this affection for Me is very welcome, and I congratulate you for this. Now you can go back to your homes. Another thing I must explain to you is that for a chaste woman, service to the husband without duplicity is the best religious principle. Not only should a woman be faithful and chaste to her husband, but she should also be affectionate to the friends of her husband, obedient to the father and mother of her husband, and affectionate to the younger brothers of her husband. And most importantly, a woman must take care of her children.”

Srila Prabhupada comments: In this way, Krishna explained the duty of a woman. He also stressed the point of serving the husband: “Even if he is not of very good character, or even if he is not very rich or fortunate, or even if he is old or invalid on account of continued diseases, whatever her husband’s condition, a woman should not divorce her husband if she actually desires to be elevated to the higher planetary systems after leaving this body. Besides that, it is considered abominable in society if a woman is unfaithful and goes searching for another man. Such habits will deter a woman from being elevated to the heavenly planets, and the results of such habits are very degrading. A married woman should not search for a paramour, for this is not sanctioned by the Vedic principles of life. If you think that you are very much attached to Me and you want My association, I advise you not to personally try to enjoy Me. It is better for you to go home, simply talk about Me and think of Me, and by this process of constantly remembering Me and chanting My names you will surely be elevated to the spiritual platform. There is no need to stand near Me. Please go back home.”

Srila Prabhupada continues: The instruction given herein by the Supreme Personality of Godhead to the gopis was not at all sarcastic. Such instructions should be taken very seriously by all honest women. The chastity of women is specifically stressed herein by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore this principle should be followed by any serious woman who wants to be elevated to a higher status of life. Krishna is the center of all affection for all living creatures. When this affection is developed for Krishna, one surpasses and transcends all Vedic injunctions. This was possible for the gopis because they saw Krishna face to face. This is not possible for any women in the conditioned state. Unfortunately, sometimes a rascal, following the philosophy of monism, or oneness, very irresponsibly takes advantage of this räsa-lilä to imitate the behavior of Krishna with the gopis, entice many innocent women and mislead them in the name of spiritual realization. As a warning, Lord Krishna has herein hinted that what was possible for the gopis is not possible for ordinary women. Although a woman can actually be elevated by advanced Krishna consciousness, she should not be enticed by an imposter who says that he is Krishna. She should concentrate her devotional activities in chanting and meditating upon Krishna as is advised herein. One should not follow the men called sahajiyäs, the so-called devotees who take everything very lightly.

Potato Coconut Raita

INGREDIENTS:
(serves 4)
3 medium-sized potatoes
1 1/2 c plain yogurt
1/4 c fresh grated coconut
1-2 T ghee
1 T grated fresh ginger
1 t mustard seeds
1 chili, seeded and minced
1/4 t black pepper, or as desired
1 t roasted ground cumin
salt, as desired

DIRECTIONS:
1. Wash well the potatoes and then boil them in water with a little salt until they are soft. After cooling a bit, peel, cut into cubes and refrigerate.
2. Stir into the yogurt the grated coconut and cumin powder.
3. Chaunce in the ghee the mustard seeds, chili and ginger. Add the black pepper after the mustard seeds are popping and the ginger and chili is browned. Pour onto the yogurt. Let cool a bit and then stir.
4. Add the cooled potatoes into the spiced yogurt mixture and salt and gently stir to coat the potatoes evenly.

Offer to Lord Krishna.

VARIATION
Leave out the coconut. Add chopped celery. Also fresh herbs like chopped dill weed or cilantro are good.

Ideals Taught by Queen Draupadi

This conversation may be found in the Mahabharata (text version below). It contains high ideals for study. First, a quick outline:

A CHASTE WIFE AVOIDS THE PRACTICES OF WICKED WOMEN (defined below as):

• addicted to incantations (witchcraft?) and drugs
• ever treading the path of sin,
• do sometimes (by these means) injure their husbands.

A CHASTE WIFE IS:
PROTECTIVE OF HER HUSBAND

• should never do the least injury to him
• always devotedly seeks the good of her husband.

SENSE CONTROLLED (A YOGINI)

• keeps aside vanity
• controls desire and wrath
• restrains jealousy,
• does not utter what is evil or false,
• does not look or sit or walk with impropriety,
• does not cast glances indicative of the feelings of the heart
• does not indulge in angry and fretful speech
• does not imitate women that are sinful.
• is not idle/ does not waste time
• does what is agreeable
• bears hunger and thirst,
• is the first to rise, the last to rest
• does not laugh unnecessarily, except at a jest,
• does not stay for any length of time at the house-gate nor pleasure gardens attached to the house, etc. (Similar to the teaching in Proverbs in the Bible- a wicked woman's feet always wander from her home).
• refrains from laughing loudly and indulging in unnecessary sense gratification
• and from everything that may give offence.

WILLING TO SERVE:

• serves with devotion.
• serves without a sense of degradation at the services performed (has a service attitude)
• waits upon her husband
• never bathes nor eats nor sleeps until her husband has eaten or slept
• hastily rises up to greet her husband with water and a seat when he returns home
• serves superiors with diligence, alacrity, and humility

DEVOTED TO HER HUSBAND:

• with deep devotion of heart,
• is attracted to none other
• separation from her husband is never agreeable
• renounces dressing up and so on to undergo penances when her husband is far from home.
• renounces whatever her husband does not like to drink, eat or enjoy

MANAGES HER HOUSEHOLD

• keeps the house and all household articles and the food that is to be taken well-ordered and clean.
• keeps the rice carefully (keeps it hot?)
• serves the food at the proper time
• regulates and manages any household help

DUTIFUL

• does those duties instructed by her mother-in-law in respect to relatives,
• engages also in giving charity, deity worship, observing religious ceremonies, serving guests and dignitaries, and all other duties known to her
• discharges her duties in the day or night, without idleness of any kind.
• serves with wholehearted recourse toward humility and approved rules
• is ever observant of virtue,
• handles her husband carefully (like a snake that can be angered at a trifle!)

APPRECIATIVE

• appreciates her husband's refuge (protection)
• accepts his guidance

DEVOTED TO HER MOTHER-IN-LAW

• does not speak ill of her mother-in-law
• serves her personally with food and drink and clothes
• does not show preference for herself over her in matters of food and attire
• does not correct her personally

A WORSHIPER OF VAISNAVAS

• worships duly with food, drink, and raiment

THRIFTY

• takes care of the family budget

THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN DRAUPADI AND SATYABHAMA
Vaisampayana said, "After those Brahmanas and the illustrious sons of Pandu had taken their seats, Draupadi and Satyabhama entered the hermitage. And with hearts full of joy the two ladies laughed merrily and seated themselves at their ease. And, O king, those ladies, who always spake sweetly to each other, having met after a long time, began to talk upon various delightful topics arising out of the stories of the Kurus and the Yadus. And the slender-waisted Satyabhama, the favourite wife of Krishna and the daughter of Satrajit, then asked Draupadi in private, saying, 'By what behaviour is it, O daughter of Drupada, that thou art able to rule the sons of Pandu--those heroes endued with strength and beauty and like unto the Lokapalas themselves? Beautiful lady, how is it that they are so obedient to thee and are never angry with thee? Without doubt the sons of Pandu, O thou of lovely features, are ever submissive to thee and watchful to do thy bidding.

'Tell me, O lady, the reason of this. Is it practice of vows, or asceticism, or incantation or drug at the time of the bath (in season) or the efficacy of science, or the influence of youthful appearance, or the recitation of particular formulae, or Homa, or collyrium and other medicaments? Tell me now, O princess of Panchala, of that blessed and auspicious thing by which, O Krishna, Krishna may ever be obedient to me.'

"When the celebrated Satyabhama, having said this, ceased, the chaste and blessed daughter of Drupada answered her, saying, 'Thou askedest me, O Satyabhama, of the practices of women that are wicked. How can I answer thee, O lady, about the cause that is pursued by wicked females? It doth not become thee, lady, to pursue the questions, or doubt me, after this, for thou art endued with intelligence and art the favourite wife of Krishna. When the husband learns that his wife is addicted to incantations and drugs, from that hour he beginneth to dread her like a serpent ensconced in his sleeping chamber. And can a man that is troubled with fear have peace, and how can one that hath no peace have happiness?

'A husband can never be made obedient by his wife's incantations. We hear of painful diseases being transmitted by enemies. Indeed, they that desire to slay others, send poison in the shape of customary gifts, so that the man that taketh the powders so sent, by tongue or skin, is, without doubt, speedily deprived of life. Women have sometimes caused dropsy and leprosy, decrepitude and impotence and idiocy and blindness and deafness in men. These wicked women, ever treading in the path of sin, do sometimes (by these means) injure their husbands. But the wife should never do the least injury to her lord.

'Hear now, O illustrious lady, of the behaviour I adopt towards the high-souled sons of Pandu:

'Keeping aside vanity, and controlling desire and wrath, I always serve with devotion the sons of Pandu with their wives. Restraining jealousy, with deep devotion of heart, without a sense of degradation at the services I perform, I wait upon my husbands. Ever fearing to utter what is evil or false, or to look or sit or walk with impropriety, or cast glances indicative of the feelings of the heart, do I serve the sons of Pritha--those mighty warriors blazing like the sun or fire, and handsome as the moon, those endued with fierce energy and prowess, and capable of slaying their foes by a glance of the eye. Celestial, or man, or Gandharva, young or decked with ornaments, wealthy or comely of person, none else my heart liketh.

'I never bathe or eat or sleep till he that is my husband hath bathed or eaten or slept,--till, in fact, our attendants have bathed, eaten, or slept. Whether returning from the field, the forest, or the town, hastily rising up I always salute my husband with water and a seat. I always keep the house and all household articles and the food that is to be taken well-ordered and clean. Carefully do I keep the rice, and serve the food at the proper time.

'I never indulge in angry and fretful speech, and never imitate women that are wicked. Keeping idleness at distance I always do what is agreeable.

'I never laugh except at a jest, and never stay for any length of time at the house-gate. I never stay long in places for answering calls of nature, nor in pleasure-gardens attached to the house. I always refrain from laughing loudly and indulging in high passion, and from everything that may give offence.

'Indeed, O Satyabhama, I always am engaged in waiting upon my lords. A separation from my lords is never agreeable to me. When my husband leaveth home for the sake of any relative, then renouncing flowers and fragrant paste of every kind, I begin to undergo penances. Whatever my husband drinketh not, whatever my husband eateth not, whatever my husband enjoyeth not, I ever renounce. O beautiful lady, decked in ornaments and ever controlled by the instruction imparted to me, I always devotedly seek the good of my lord.

'Those duties that my mother-in-law had told me of in respect of relatives, as also the duties of alms-giving, of offering worship to the gods, of oblations to the diseased, of boiling food in pots on auspicious days for offer to ancestors and guests of reverence and service to those that deserve our regards, and all else that is known to me, I always discharge day and night, without idleness of any kind.

'Having with my whole heart recourse to humility and approved rules I serve my meek and truthful lords ever observant of virtue, regarding them as poisonous snakes capable of being excited at a trifle. I think that to be eternal virtue for women which is based upon a regard for the husband.

'The husband is the wife's god, and he is her refuge. Indeed, there is no other refuge for her. How can, then, the wife do the least injury to her lord? I never, in sleeping or eating or adorning any person, act against the wishes of my lord, and always guided by my husbands, I never speak ill of my mother-in-law.

'O blessed lady, my husbands have become obedient to me in consequence of my diligence, my alacrity, and the humility with which I serve superiors. Personally do I wait every day with food and drink and clothes upon the revered and truthful Kunti--that mother of heroes. Never do I show any preference for myself over her in matters of food and attire, and never do I reprove in words that princess equal unto the Earth herself in forgiveness.

'Formerly, eight thousand Brahmanas were daily fed in the palace of Yudhishthira from off plates of gold. And eighty thousand Brahmanas also of the Snataka sect leading domestic lives were entertained by Yudhishthira with thirty serving-maids assigned to each. Besides these, ten thousand yatis with the vital seed drawn up, had their pure food carried unto them in plates of gold. All these Brahamanas that were the utterers of the Veda, I used to worship duly with food, drink, and raiment taken from stores only after a portion thereof had been dedicated to the Viswadeva.

'The illustrious son of Kunti had a hundred thousand well-dressed serving-maids with bracelets on arms and golden ornaments on necks, and decked with costly garlands and wreaths and gold in profusion, and sprinkled with sandal paste. And adorned with jewels and gold they were all skilled in singing and dancing. O lady, I knew the names and features of all those girls, as also what they are and what they were, and what they did not.

'Kunti's son of great intelligence had also a hundred thousand maid-servants who daily used to feed guests, with plates of gold in their hands. And while Yudhishthira lived in Indraprastha a hundred thousand horses and a hundred thousand elephants used to follow in his train. These were the possessions of Yudhisthira while he ruled the earth. It was I however, O lady, who regulated their number and framed the rules to be observed in respect of them; and it was I who had to listen to all complaints about them. Indeed, I knew everything about what the maid-servants of the palace and other classes of attendants, even the cow-herds and the shepherds of the royal establishment, did or did not.

'O blessed and illustrious lady, it was I alone amongst the Pandavas who knew the income and expenditure of the king and what their whole wealth was. And those bulls among the Bharatas, throwing upon me the burden of looking after all those that were to be fed by them, would, O thou of handsome face, pay their court to me. And this load, so heavy and incapable of being borne by persons of evil heart, I used to bear day and night, sacrificing my ease, and all the while affectionately devoted to them. And while my husbands were engaged in the pursuit of virtue, I only supervised their treasury inexhaustible like the ever-filled receptacle of Varuna.

'Day and night bearing hunger and thirst, I used to serve the Kuru princes, so that my nights and days were equal to me. I used to wake up first and go to bed last.

'This, O Satyabhama, hath ever been my charm for making my husbands obedient to me! This great art hath ever been known to me for making my husbands obedient to me. Never have I practised the charms of wicked women, nor do I ever wish to practise them.'"

Vaisampayana continued, "Hearing those words of virtuous import uttered by Krishna, Satyabhama, having first reverenced the virtuous princess of Panchala, answered saying, 'O princess of Panchala, I have been guilty, O daughter of Yajnasena, forgive me! Among friends, conversations in jest arise naturally, and without premeditation!'"

Beginning Basket Weaving

I love baskets made from natural materials, and I've often wanted to create one. I finally got my chance when I noticed the long grasses the locals here use to wrap spinach and such.


After collecting a bunch of them, first I soaked them to make them pliable once more, then I used a large plastic yarn needle, following the coil method shown on the following web page: http://basketmakers.com/topics/tutorials/construction.htm


My efforts weren't perfect, and I ran out of twine before being able to make a basket, but I did end up with an interesting hot plate! Later it moved from being underneath hot pots to being underneath our large bowl of tilak to protect the wooden table it rests upon. It is very durable and was fun to make.

iddlis

UPDATED 5/3/2016:
I use almost the same ingredients as for urad dahl dosas. The main difference is iddlis are steamed and dosas pan fried.

INGREDIENTS (for about two dozen small iddlis):
1 1\2 cups rice ( I use the short grained rice labeled "Masoori" at the Indian grocer)
1/2 cup urad dahl
2 t fenugreek seeds
warm water
scant 1/4 t black pepper (or cayenne or minced chilies, as desired)
2 t salt,
2 t sugar
ghee
mustard seeds

DIRECTIONS:
1. Sort, rinse and soak the rice and dahl and fenugreek, sufficiently covered with water for 6-8 hours.
2. Drain the rice and dahl and fenugreek. Put all in a blender and cover almost entirely with water and blend well.
3. Stir in sugar and let set in warm place overnight, such as the top of a warm oven,  until double to triple in volume. Then add the salt and black pepper.
4. Fill a large pot with a few inches of water. Also it helps to put a stainless steel lid or a similar implement at the bottom of the pot, immersed in the water, in order to raise the iddli maker higher above the water during steaming. That way you won't run out of water too quickly.
5. Meanwhile, while the water is heating up, fill greased iddli trays with a generous tablespoon of batter per iddli. Wet the spoon first for easier transfer of batter.

6. Cook inside steaming pot covered for  about 25 minutes or until firm.
7. Remove cooked iddlis from mold. Make a mustard seed chaunce as decribed below and pour over iddlis before offering.

If you don't have an iddli maker, here is another method I've used many times with great success: 1. Place a large, moistened cotton cloth on a working surface. Pour on the iddli batter, enough the size of the lid for the pot you are using to steam with and about an inch in depth. Cover with the pot lid and securely tie the cloth to the lid. Set the lid on the pot when the water is boiling for steaming.

Be careful not to let any cloth hang too loose or close to the flame or that the flame is too large for the diameter of the pot.
2.. Cover and steam everything 25 minutes
3. Remove the lid and set it onto a large plate. Untie and take away the lid, exposing the steamed iddli cake beneath. Place another plate over this and flip the bottom plate over so that the iddli cake lands into the second plate. Remove the cloth and soak it in the hot water in the steamer for easy cleanup later.

FINAL SEASONING
Place the cooked iddlis on a plate or slice the iddli cake into wedges and chaunce them with a tablespoon of mustard seeds in a couple generous tablespoons of ghee. Cook the mustard seeds in the ghee long enough until they are done popping and pour all over the iddlis or  slices.

Traditionally these are offered to Lord Krsna with some coconut chutney and lots of love and devotion. Or serve with sambar or a favorite soup. But my favorite quick way is just the mustard seed seasoning on top and serve with various dishes as you like or alone as a snack.

Cooking iddlis in a cloth has become my favorite method. No more messing with iddli trays afterwards or storing them (Well, you still have to clean the cloth to get all the starchiness out). Be careful however not to overfill. Do not let batter go beyond the inner perimeter of the lid, because if some gets on the outside it'll cause the cloth to stick there.

A large amount of batter can be stored in the fridge to be used throughout the week. Very healthy menu item. Low in fat and high in protein. It's especially good for growing children and invalids. 

Kitchen Meditations

from a vyasa puja offering, Melbourne 1991
by Kurma dasa (slightly adapted)
(used with permission http://www.kurma.net/)

Dear Srila Prabhupada,
As I enter the kitchen to prepare another offering, I pray, “Let me meditate on your instructions.” My only desire is to have my consciousness purified by the words emanating from your lotus-like mouth:

1. The yogurt has thickened overnight. It was once milk, but in contact with the souring agent it has changed. Similarly, our original love for Krishna has been transformed into lust by the sour mode of passion. Srila Prabhupada—please help me to transform my lust back to love of God.

2. I unpack the box of mangoes; some are ripe, some green. They’re all mangoes, but the ripe ones are better, tastier and more relishable. My daily devotional service is service no doubt, but it’s like the green mango. Srila Prabhupada, please help me ripen and mature my love for Krishna in the association of your devotees.

3. I slice the eggplants one by one. Every so often, I expose a tiny worm that has been living there, illusioned by Mäyä’s covering potency to think that “This life is not so bad.” Srila Prabhupada, please protect me from Mäyä’s spell. Don’t let me forget that this material world is “no place for a gentleman.”

4. I take the dried coconuts, one by one, and shake them to see whether they’re fresh. One produces a rattling sound. It has dried and become detached from the husk. Similarly, although you walked with us, your transcendental body was never attached to this material world. Srila Prabhupada—allow me to attach myself to your feet. Let your divine instructions increase my knowledge in devotional service and help me to detach myself from this dry material world.

5. I am ready to cook. I never tasted anything you cooked, Srila Prabhupada, but I heard it was very nectarean because you were cooking for your dearly beloved Krishna. I feel like an imitation. Srila Prabhupada, please allow me to serve you nicely, with no tinge of personal desire. And then maybe one day I can actually cook for Krishna.

6. I melt the butter for the halavä. It has been expertly prepared from the milk of Krishna’s cows. You have stated, “As no layman can separate butter from milk, so no one can extricate the merged self from matter by acquiring some material qualification.” Srila Prabhupada, you are expertly disentangling my real self, which has been merged in the external energy of the Lord.

7. Toasting the besan for the laddus, I remember the saying, “A confectioner is never attracted by sweetmeats.” Krishna has produced innumerable spiritual beauties and is not at all attracted by the false beauty of this material creation. Srila Prabhupada, help me develop my attraction for the all-attractive Lord Krishna; then only will my attraction to the so-called beauty of this world become slackened.

8. I heat the ghee and toss in a handful of mustard seeds. One of those tiny seeds is like a universe containing innumerable planets. We are living on this tiny cold, dark planet, thinking we are enjoying, but our universe is like one mustard seed in a whole bag of mustard seeds. “The planets in the spiritual sky are at least three times the number of those in the material sky.… Each of them is eternal, indestructible, free from all kinds of inebrieties experienced in the material world. Each of them is self-illuminating and more powerfully dazzling than (if we can imagine) the total sunshine of millions of mundane suns. The inhabitants of those planets are liberated from birth, death, old age, and diseases and have full knowledge of everything.… They have nothing to do there except to render loving service to the Supreme Lord.… [The] spiritual happiness in the eternal kingdom of God cannot be imagined even by the great brahmacärés or sannyäsés, … but such happiness is factually attained by the unalloyed devotees of the Lord, by His divine grace.”

9. I chop a bunch of fresh coriander leaves. Each large stem was produced from a single coriander seed. Each and every coriander seed on the spice shelf will similarly sprout if planted in the ground. But if we fry these seeds, they will never sprout. Similarly, you have ignited the fire of devotional service in our hearts to burn up the seeds of sinful desire. Srila Prabhupada, give me the strength to keep this fire of Krishna consciousness burning in my heart.

10. In fact, Krishna is everything. He provides the moon’s cooling rays, which enliven the vegetables; He sends the rain to nourish the grains, and the sun to ripen the fruits. He is the fire on which I cook, and from Him comes the ability to perform the actual cooking task. The cooking pots and the floor on which I stand are nothing but Krishna’s external energy. The ability to remember all this comes from Krishna, and, Srila Prabhupada, all this detailed knowledge can be realized by your grace.

11. “If one offers Me, with love and devotion, a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water, I will accept it.”

12. The hungry family and guests arrive. Soon they will sit and eat Krishna’s prasädam and be released from all kinds of sins. The duration of their lives will increase, their existence will be purified, and they will gain strength, health, happiness, and satisfaction. But first they hear the kértana and the Bhagavad-gitä class. “This hearing is the expert treatment for the mad mind,” you have stated, “and eating the foodstuffs offered to Krishna is the appropriate diet for the suffering patient. This treatment is the process of Krishna consciousness.”

13. Srila Prabhupada, the hungry man feels pleasure, nourishment, and relief from hunger with every morsel of food. Similarly, by the process of Krishna consciousness, which you have kindly given, we gain devotion, direct experience of the Supreme Lord, and detachment from all other things. Thank you for saving me, Srila Prabhupada.

Toasted Mung Bean Soup

INGREDIENTS
1 cup mung beans, split
about 6 cups of water
1 green chili, seeded and minced
1 t turmeric powder
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 t black mustard seeds
1 t cumin seeds,
about 10-12 fresh curry leaves (if available)
1/4 t hing
2-4 T fresh chopped coriander leaves (or 1/2 t coriander powder)

PREPARATION:
1. First, after sorting the mung beans for foreign matter, do not wash but put it directly in a heavy bottomed pan on high heat and stir constantly to toast it until a smell starts to come out and it is very slightly darker. Cool immediately by rinsing the beans. Then put in a cooking pot with 6 cups of water, the chili, the turmeric and a couple drops of ghee.

2. Bring to a boil, lower the heat as needed and allow to boil until the beans are partially cooked, beginning to expand and soften. Then add the chopped tomatoes. Lower the heat and partially cover until the tomatoes are cooked and soup desired thickness. (If too thick, add a little more water)

3. Chaunce the finished soup with with the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, and hing.

4. Add salt as desired and then garnish with chopped fresh coriander leaves (if available because they give the most flavor, otherwise add 1/4 t coriander powder along with the hing). Then offer to Krishna with freshly made rice.