To balance the heat of Pitta we’ve incorporated the cooling tastes of sweet, bitter (purifying and anti inflammatory) and astringent throughout these recipes: Green vegetables, chard, radicchio, chicory, green tea, rice, barley water, pulses and coconut are all pitta balancing.
When adding sweet flavourings add maple syrup or a little unrefined sugar or coconut sugar as these are cooling. Honey is heating and can aggravate Pitta.
Pitta types have a strong digestive fire, so can more readily digest raw foods and salads during summer. Raw vegetables and salads are best eaten at lunchtime when the digestive fire is strongest.
Cut down on: Pungent, sour and salty tastes which are all heating: Spicy foods, red meat, sour fruits, tomatoes, garlic, salty foods, pickles, fermented foods and deep fried foods are more like to aggravate Pitta during summer.
Lime and cucumber cooler.
Ingredients:
Per glass
- 1/2 lime per glass
- Thumb size piece cucumber
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- Tonic water
Bash the lime, cucumber and sugar together. Add to a glass of ice and top up with tonic water. Add a splash of Gin for a more grown-up version.
Iced cardamon green tea
The sweet and bitter flavours are cooling and refreshing on a hot day.
Add a few crushed cardamon pods, dried rose petals (optional), (and a little coconut sugar or maple syrup – also optional) to a pot of green tea. Allow it to cool and and serve over ice.
Grilled vegetable rice bowl
Grill the vegetables on a BBQ or a griddle on the stove. Use a combination of bitter and sweet vegetables: radicchio, fennel, chicory, broccoli, sprouted beans. Coat the vegetables in olive oil, ground coriander seeds, black pepper (or long pepper – pippali) and grill until caramelised. I have also added a little fennel pollen, which is delicious on roasted and grilled vegetables, a little ground fennel seeds would also be perfect. 
Add to a bowl of rice or a combination of rice and quinoa or coconut rice.
Coconut rice: Cook rice and add desiccated coconut at the end of cooking or add 1/2 a tin of coconut milk with the water when cooking.
Serve with sliced avocado and a balsamic vinaigrette: 3:1 vinegar to oil ratio or this delicious cooling, creamy avocado dressing:
- 1 ripe avocado.
- 1 tbs olive or avocado oil.
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1tsp dijon mustard
- You might need to add a little water if it’s quite thick.
Blend all ingredients together until smooth.
Mix it up a little and use this for the basis of a Korean Bibimbap:
The Bibimbap sauce is a little spicy, so not great it you’re feeling a little hot and bothered. The salty and pungent flavours will definitely turn up the Pitta fire.
Bibimbap Sauce
- 2 tbs Gochujang sauce
- 1 tbs sesame oil
- 1 table soy sauce
- 1 tbs mirin
- 1tsp apple cider vinegar
Sautéed spinach and beansprout is always a must in my Bibimbap. Add crispy fried tofu or an egg and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Lentils and spinach with coconut rice.
Ingredients:
- 200g green lentil. A tin is fine for convenience.
- 1 red onion, chopped finely
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1/2 tsp fenugreek powder
- 1 clove garlic – grated
- A few handfuls of spinach
- A handful of chopped parsley
- 400mls boiling water.
Heat oil. Add ground spices and fry for a few minutes. Add onions, fry for a further 5 minutes. Add lentils and fry for a few minutes. Add water (or stock, but make sure it’s not too salty). Simmer until the lentils are soft. You might need to add a little more liquid.
Add the spinach and parsley when the lentils are soft and allow to wilt. Serve on its own or with coconut rice (above) for a more substantial meal if the Pitta appetite is strong, especially at lunchtime. Crumble over with feta cheese or goats cheese. Soft, young cheese or goats cheese is more balancing for Pitta Types.
Enjoy your cooling Pitta balancing dishes throughout summer.