Mala Barua and Nandini Gulati are from Assam and Punjab
respectively. Two states which, in spite of having delicious vegetables and
amazing kinds of cereals, are now mainly non-vegetarian (Punjab less so,
because village women are still vegetarian.) Nandini was 32 kilos overweight,
had hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis and was pre-diabetic. As she learnt how
to do “mindful” eating she developed an understanding of her body and the world
around her. She now is disease free and very slim.

A profound lesson which she learnt, that all of us should
learn, is that what is good for the body is good for the planet. We are a
microcosm of the macrocosm. If we eat only organic vegetables and coarse
natural cereals not only will we be healthy but the planet will be green, the
water pure, the air fresh and the animals happy. There will be food for all and
health for all. If you eat with nature you support the entire planet.

Mala grew up watching live fish being killed in front of her
and eating their bodies an hour later. She watched chickens being beheaded and
she and her friends played with the decapitated heads as they blinked their
eyes. She started yoga and meditation but she continued to eat animals.

Then her dog collapsed and she had to put her to sleep.
Something clicked. Through her tears she realised that thousands of animals
were being killed and she became vegetarian. Then she met Nandini, at a 21-day
disease reversal camp, and became friends. The common bond was the realisation
that food could create every disease and different food could reverse every
disease.

And this is what I have been saying for years. That, just as
a machine runs only on good machine oil and appropriate fuel and will break
down with inappropriate oil and fuel, the human body is not meant to be stuffed
with non-vegetarian food. We are vegetarian beings. Meat, milk and eggs and
pesticides cause everything negative, from bad eyesight to hair fall and acne,
tuberculosis and every form of cancer. However, diseases that are thought
incurable can be reversed.

A friend of mine had developed a tumour in the pancreas ten
years ago. This is supposed to be one of the worst forms of cancer. Through her
diet of natural juices and food (and some Tibetan natural medicine), she has
kept it under control and is healthy so many years later. She travels, works
hard and looks 15 years younger than she is. Her hair is still black.

Mala and Nandini started to give people recipes to cure
their problems. And this has turned into a book that I inaugurated last week
called Guilt Free Vegan Cookbook: Oil, Sugar, Gluten and Dairy Free Vegetarian
Dishes. It has been published by Roli Books. Dr Nandita Shah has written the
foreword. She runs an organisation, called Sharan, that has workshops on
teaching people how to eat properly and how to reverse disease. She has become
very famous for reversing lifestyle ailments such as heart disease,
hyperthyroidism, diabetes, colds, acidity, constipation, ulcers, kidney and
bladder problems etc.

So many vegetarians think that, just because they don’t eat
meat, they will remain free of non-vegetarian diseases like cancer. Not true.
Milk and eggs are as non-vegetarian as meat — as is curd, paneer, mithai — and
gives you the same problems. In fact, vegetarians who drink milk are hugely
prone to breast cancer, osteoporosis, arthritis — and obesity, specially
obesity.

Do you have to go into retreat in the Himalayas, or spend
masses of money, to be well? No. Just eat properly and do a little bit of yoga.
Eat properly means delicious as well. At the inauguration at India
International Centre, the cooks made all the food from the recipes in the book.
I shamelessly went back for three helpings — and so did all the other hundreds
of guests, many of whom were non-vegetarian.

In fact, two hotel owners decided on the spot to start vegan
restaurants in their hotels, and one person is starting a restaurant in
meat-eating Kolkata immediately.

Being a Punjabi, in winter my attention went directly in
this book to:

Gajar ka halwa: Serves 4

3 large red carrots grated

1 tbsp raisins

¾ cup raisin paste

2 tbsp sweet cashew cream

¼ tbsp. cardamom powder

4 tbsp almonds toasted or raw

Cook the carrots on medium heat, in a covered wok in its own
juices, for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the whole raisins, sweet
raisin paste, cashew cream and cardamom powder; cook for another 2-3 minutes to
mix thoroughly. Serve hot with garnished almonds.

Sweet cashew cream: 1 cup cashews soaked for 3-4 hours,
drained. 4-5 pitted dates soaked for 4 hours or 1/2 cup sweet yellow raisins.
Grind the cashews first, using as little of the dates or raisins soaking water,
as required, to a smooth creamy paste with no grittiness. Add in the soaked
dates or raisins and grind again, using the sweet water as required. Smoothen
the cream as much as possible. Yields One Cup Cream and can be used to replace
sweet cream in any recipe. Can be stored upto 4 days in the fridge.

Date or Raisin Paste: I cup pitted dates or yellow raisin,
washed and soaked for 6 hours or more if the dates are hard; one cup water for
soaking.

In a wet grinder, grind the dates or raisins with 1-2 tbsp
of soaking water. Keep adding water and grinding till you get a smooth paste.
Replaces sugar in all recipes. Can keep in the fridge for a week.

The book has recipes for all the replacements of milk and
butter, sauces and stocks for soups.  To
get it you can email info@rolibooks.com

To join the animal welfare movement

contact gandhim@nic.in,

www.peopleforanimalsindia.org