Cooking styles

A quick guide to Zen Vegetarian Cooking, using natural and organic foods
by Palma Bellardoni

From diced to sliced

After having gathered his or her ingredients, the Zen Chef is now ready to cook. Being in complete harmony with the present moment and his environment, he carefully applies the proper cuttig and cooking style. He is aware of the seasons, the climate and the kind of energetic balance he is seeking for his body.

Would a simple carrot give us the same kind of energy if it is served freshly grated, as a creamy soup, a hearty stew or even baked? Certainly not! Even our appetite for it would change, as it is easier to eat bigger amounts of fresh and light meals, compared to the heavy and dense ones.

Both cutting and cooking should seek balance, taking into account the immediate needs. During the hot season it is nice to refresh ourselves with light meals, cooked for a shorter period of time. On the other hand, during the cold season we want to warm up our guts with nourishing and strong meals.

Yin cooking styles

The lighter styles (more yin) require less cooking time – that means less or no time over the fire – and have therefore a more “cooling” effect. The vegetables can for example be raw, blanched, steamed, quickly marinated, poached, boiled or quickly sauteed or fried.

Because they need to cook quickly, they have to be cut in thinner and smaller pieces, so that the heat of the fire can cook them in a shorter amount of time. In this case we will use small dices, thin slices, shredding, grating, julienne style, etc.

Yang cooking styles

The heartier styles (more yang) require more cooking time – with more absorption of heat through fire – and have therefore a more “warming” effect. The food can be boiled for a longer time, slowly marinated, stewed, grilled, broiled, baked, pressure cooked, deep fried, etc.

In this case, the vegetables should be cut in bigger pieces, as to allow the heat of fire to penetrate slowly. Big dices, chunks, thick slices and thicker matchstick styles will do.

It is important to know that balance should be sought at all times and that it is the different proportion that makes a meal cooler or warmer, but that both elements should be present in every meal. Even though during summer we definitely want to keep our system refreshed, we still need to have something a little substantial in order to maintain the proper energy level.

At the same time, during winter we want to keep ourselves warm, but a little bit of something light will uplift the energy and we will not transform ourselves into logs!

In other words, we give preference to certain cooking styles for a particular season, but not use them exclusively, waiting for next summer to grate something fresh. Go ahead and grate away! That little spoonful of freshness with help you enjoy and digest your hearty meal even more. On the same token, isn’t it nice to enjoy something grilled in your summery backyard, while getting plenty of moisture through fresh salads and crisp and light entrees?

A Zen Chef looks very little at the biochemical components, caloric breakdown and daily values, and observes much more the energy patterns, as those are universal and can be applied anywhere and at anytime.

He doesn’t exclude one type of energy in favor of its opposite, but knows how to maintain the ideal proportion of yin and yang according to the cirumstances. He istinctively knows how to apply balance and enjoys a fit shape and good health as a result.

Congratulations! You’ve made it through all five lessons and have now a better understanding of how the food choices we make affect our energy level and our overall vitality.