Preparing and serving a Vedic Meal
Krishna consciousness is sometimes called the 'kitchen religion'. Since the movement's founder, Srila Prabhupada, first cooked for his young disciples in New York, the movement has gone on to become famous for its delicious, pure vegetarian food.

Vaishnavism, food is more than just food; it is prasada, the Lord's mercy. In keeping with the philosophy of offering everything to Krishna, devotees offer all food before they eat it. In this way the food is considered sanctified.

What kind of food?
Vaishnavas follow a strict vegetarian diet; no meat, fish or eggs. Onions, garlic and mushrooms are also avoided due to their adverse effects on the consciousness of the eater.Preparing food for the pleasure of Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is a wonderful way to express creativity. Combining colors, flavors and textures in various dishes develops the skill of a true artist. Cooking for Krishna calls for a personal touch, and the cook should desire not only to feed but also to delight.

Vedic cooking is practical because it means making the best dishes in the shortest time. One who cooks to please the Supreme Lord cooks efficiently, without haste or waste. Srila Prabhupada showed us how to make a complete meal in less than an hour.

Use time to your best advantage by being organized. For example, plan the sequence in which you’ll cook the dishes. Start the meal the night before. It takes only a few minutes to start making curds, to make paneer and hang it to drain, or put beans to soak.

You’ll keep your mind clear and reduce the cleaning at the end if you clean as you cook. “Cooking means cleaning,” Srila Prabhupada said. Take the time to sponge off working surfaces, and wash pots as you go along. Once you realize that half the pleasure of the cooking is in the cleaning, you’ll always leave the kitchen cleaner than it was when you began.

The same care that goes into preparing the meal should go into presenting it. A meal should seduce first the eyes, then the nose, and finally the tongue. The home-made puris, the sweets of various shapes and colors, and the soup and vegetables garnished with lemon slices and fresh coriander leaves delight the eyes. The aromas of the seasonings and fresh ingredients please the nose, and the balance of spicy and bland foods pleases the tongue.

After a meal one may chew a little anise seed and crushed cardamom to refresh the mouth and please the stomach.

How do we offer our food?
The most important ingredient in any offering is the devotion of the cook and of the person doing the offering (this may of course be the same person). It is also important that the persons offering the food are in good consciousness. This is helped by such considerations as making sure the kitchen is clean, the ingredients are pure, and that the cook is wearing clean clothes. It also helps to have peaceful music or chanting going on during the preparation of the meal. As the idea is that we are cooking for Krishna, it is very important that no-one else tastes the preparation before it is offered.

A simple offering can be made by placing the food on a plate (preferably one that is only used for this purpose) in front of a picture of Krishna and chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra a few times while asking Krishna to please accept this humble offering. A slightly more elaborate offering can be made by chanting each of the following prayers three times while ringing a small bell.Prayer to Srila Prabhupada

But remember, the most important part of a successful offering is the devotion!

A well-prepared meal served hot, on time, and in abundance is an even greater pleasure when the person serving it is eager to please his guest. The person eating the meal may choose to eat moderately, but the person serving the meal should simply be concerned with feeding his guests to their hearts’ content.

Prabhupada’s open decree that everyone should eat as much prasada as possible created a humorous mood and a family feeling. No one was allowed to sit, picking at his food, nibbling politely. They ate with a gusto Srila Prabhupada almost insisted upon. If he saw someone not eating heartily, he would call the person’s name and smilingly protest, ‘Why are you not eating? Take prasada.’

You and your guests will also be fully satisfied. Whether you sit on the floor or at a table, whether you eat with your fingers or with silverware, whether you serve or are served, whether you have a meal of one dish or 56, you’ll find your home-cooked meal a true feast for the senses, the mind, and the soul.

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