Ayurvedic Saffron and Asparagus Stew: Cancer RD Recipe Page

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Reprinted with permission from Miraval - Life in Balance , an incredible Arizona desert resort and spa near Tucson.

I was fortunate to spend several days at this beautiful and soothing resort in 2003, as a speaker at a retreat called Life Beyond Cancer for women cancer survivors. All the food was delicious and prepared with healthy ingredients, but this stew was special.

I pursued getting this recipe and permission to reprint it for all of you because I could discern that it contained ingredients that I had not tasted before. In fact, I did need to purchase two new spices - ground fenugreek seeds and asafetida, the latter I found at Whole Foods Market.

Warning - don't be alarmed when you open the bottle of asafetida . It will smell truly awful, but interestingly, the awfulness disappears during the cooking process, leaving the deep earthy taste that attracted my taste buds to this dish. Although I have not done so, onion and/or garlic powder may be substituted to taste.

1 teaspoon ghee (I substituted olive oil)
1/8 teaspoon saffron
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground fenugreek seeds
1/2 cup finely chopped leeks (wash carefully - white parts only)
1/8 teaspoon asafetida
1/2 cup dried yellow split peas (found at Whole Foods Market) or split mung dal
3/4 cup brown basmati rice
6-8 cups vegetable broth
2-3 cups chopped fresh asparagus
3 cups finely chopped kale leaves (no thick stems)
1 teaspoon sea salt (omit if used canned veg broth or bouillon)
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Note: I suggest soaking the dried yellow peas in water overnight prior to adding to stew.

Directions:

Heat a medium-large saucepan over medium heat. Add the ghee, saffron, cumin, fenugreek, leek, and asafetida and cook until the leek has softened, about 2 minutes. (watch carefully as leeks can burn
quickly)
Add peas, rice, and veg stock. Cook until the peas are soft and rice is cooked, about 30 minutes.
Then add the asparagus, kale, and cumin, cooking an additional 5 minutes. Taste to determine if any salt is needed along with more cumin.

Serve with any whole grain bread, muffin, and fruit salad. Hearty enough for a main meal; small bowls are appropriate for a light lunch.

Makes 6 servings. I have made two huge batches of this stew in the past 3 months and am not tired of it at all. Enjoy something new!

In my book, I have included the names of several dozen cookbooks which feature recipes that are compatible with (or that can be modified to fit) the ultra-healthy diet I follow, including some resources which are free.

I am also collecting recipes to include in a future edition of my book as well as to be featured on "Menus and Recipes". I have asked readers to send me any recipes that they have found to be great-tasting and easy to prepare, and that emphasize the nutritional guidelines which are outlined in my book. I will also consider taking people's favorite "normal" recipes and posting versions which are modified for maximal cancer prevention.

If you have a recipe you wish to submit for possible inclusion in either my book or on this web page, please send it to me. If the recipe is from a cookbook or other printed source, please include the name, author, and publisher of the source so that I can ask for permission to reprint the recipe. If it is a recipe you created, or a family favorite, please indicate that, also.