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Jain Way of Life

Jain Recipes

Jain cooking leaves out onion, garlic and root vegetables, and builds savoury depth with asafoetida (hing), cumin and tomato instead. Above-ground vegetables, grains, pulses and dairy carry the cuisine, and raw banana stands in for potato — so dishes are adapted rather than simply stripped down.

Recipes pending review. These are written to be free of onion, garlic and root vegetables, but have not yet been checked by a reviewer. Observance varies between families and becomes stricter during Paryushan, Das Lakshan and Chaturmas — check the ingredients against your own practice before cooking.

Jain Khichdi

Everyday

Rice and moong dal cooked together with ghee and cumin. The plainest everyday Jain meal, and the base most fasting-day cooking builds on.

No onion & garlic No root vegetables 10 min prep 25 min cook Serves 3-4

Ingredients

  • 1 cup rice, rinsed
  • 1/2 cup split yellow moong dal, rinsed
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 tbsp ghee
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • Salt to taste

Method

  1. Rinse the rice and dal together until the water runs clear.
  2. Heat the ghee in a pressure cooker or heavy pan. Add the cumin seeds and let them splutter, then add the asafoetida.
  3. Add the rice, dal, turmeric and salt. Stir for a minute so the grains are coated.
  4. Add the water. Pressure cook for 3 whistles, or simmer covered for about 20 minutes until soft and porridge-like.
  5. Rest for 5 minutes before opening. Serve hot with ghee.

Contains no root vegetable or allium in its ordinary form. For ayambil this is NOT suitable as written — ayambil excludes ghee, salt in some traditions, and turmeric as a root product. See the ayambil food rules page.

Jain Pav Bhaji

Everyday

The Mumbai street classic made without potato or onion — raw banana carries the body instead. A well-established Jain adaptation, not an improvised one.

No onion & garlic No root vegetables 20 min prep 30 min cook Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 3 raw bananas (plantain), boiled, peeled and mashed
  • 1 cup green peas, boiled
  • 1 medium capsicum, finely chopped
  • 3 large tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp butter, plus more for the pav
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
  • 2 tbsp pav bhaji masala
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp red chilli powder, to taste
  • Salt to taste
  • Lemon wedges and chopped coriander to serve
  • 8 pav (bread rolls)

Method

  1. Boil the raw bananas until soft, peel and mash. Mash the peas roughly as well.
  2. Heat the butter, add cumin seeds and asafoetida.
  3. Add the capsicum and cook for 3-4 minutes, then the tomatoes. Cook down until completely soft and pulpy.
  4. Add the turmeric, chilli powder, pav bhaji masala and salt. Cook for 2 minutes.
  5. Add the mashed banana and peas with a splash of water. Mash together in the pan and simmer 10-12 minutes, adding water to reach the consistency you want.
  6. Split and toast the pav in butter. Serve the bhaji with lemon, coriander and the hot pav.

Raw banana is the standard Jain substitute for potato and holds up well here. Check that your pav bhaji masala contains no onion or garlic powder — many commercial blends do.

Lauki Sabzi (Bottle Gourd)

Everyday

A simple above-ground vegetable curry. Bottle gourd is a Jain kitchen staple precisely because it is harvested without uprooting the plant.

No onion & garlic No root vegetables 10 min prep 20 min cook Serves 3-4

Ingredients

  • 500g bottle gourd (lauki/dudhi), peeled and diced
  • 2 tbsp oil or ghee
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
  • 1 medium tomato, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • Green chilli, chopped, to taste
  • Salt to taste
  • Chopped coriander leaves to finish

Method

  1. Heat the oil, add cumin seeds and let them splutter, then the asafoetida.
  2. Add the green chilli and tomato. Cook until the tomato softens.
  3. Add the turmeric, coriander powder and salt, and stir for 30 seconds.
  4. Add the diced bottle gourd and mix well. Cover and cook on low heat for 15-18 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally. Bottle gourd releases its own water; add a splash only if needed.
  5. Finish with coriander leaves.

Bottle gourd, ridge gourd, tinda, peas and cluster beans are all handled the same way and can be substituted here.

Moong Dal

Everyday

Plain yellow moong dal tempered with cumin and asafoetida. Light, quick, and the standard dal in Jain kitchens.

No onion & garlic No root vegetables 5 min prep 25 min cook Serves 3-4

Ingredients

  • 1 cup split yellow moong dal, rinsed
  • 3 cups water
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tbsp ghee
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
  • 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
  • 1 tsp lemon juice

Method

  1. Boil the dal with water, turmeric and salt until completely soft, about 20 minutes, skimming any froth.
  2. Whisk lightly so the dal is smooth but not pureed.
  3. Heat the ghee in a small pan, add cumin seeds and let them splutter, then the asafoetida.
  4. Pour the tempering over the dal and stir through.
  5. Finish with coriander and lemon juice. Serve with rice or rotli.

Asafoetida supplies the savoury depth that onion and garlic would otherwise give.

Why these rules

Why no onion & garlic Why no root vegetables Jain food list Ayambil rules
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