College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

 

AYURVEDIC RECIPES

Potato Latkes


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4.50 out of 5 stars
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"Delicious and satisfying! I used almond meal instead of spelt flour. My husband said they taste authentically Eastern..."
- Michelle Neyland Falls church

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How to Make Potato Latkes

INGREDIENTS

1/4 c
4 whole
1/4 c
2 whole
1/2 tsp
1/2 tsp
2 tbsp

PREPARATION OF THIS HEALTHY RECIPE

1. Grate your potatoes in a cheese grater. Place in a sieve over a bowl and let the water drain for 15 minutes. Pour off excess liquid.

2. Mix in the chopped shallots, eggs, flour, salt and pepper.

3. Heat 1/4 inch of oil over medium high heat in a large frying pan. Fry scoops of potato mix that make pancakes about 3-4 inches in diameter. Fry for 3-4 minutes, then flip. When the edges are crispy and the whole latke is golden on both sides, they are ready to eat!

4. Serve with applesauce or sour cream or cottage cheese mixed with sour cream. Garnish with chopped chives.

How Does This Ayurvedic Recipe Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

Crispy and hot around the edges, sizzling Potato Latkes will be devoured as soon as they leave the frying pan. As this fun & hearty treat sizzles in the pan, it will warms your heart in the cold winter. Bright green scallions sprinkled on top add a light freshness. A dollop of yummy applesauce or sour cream adds cooling sweetness.

Potato Latkes are a traditional food served at Hanukkah. Their appeal draws kids and adults alike to gather around the holiday table. A variety of cultures throughout Eastern Europe, such as in the Ukraine, each offer unique variations of these crunchy, crispy, satisfying potato pancakes. Latke is a Yiddish word, but the Hebrew word for lakte is levav. Levav translates to both "heart" and "potato pancake." So, you could say that latkes are truly a heart-warming choice for Hanukkah.

A Lighter Version

An Ayurvedic preparation of Latkes has several minor changes: instead of wheat flour, substitute easy-to-digest and lighter spelt flour. Potatoes can be a little hard to digest because of their cold and heavy qualities. Black pepper is a remedy because it stimulates digestion. Sunflower oil lubricates the digestive tract and counteracts potato's dryness. If you've never experienced potato's dryness, compare the difference between a baked potato and a latke. The baked potato may leave your mouth feeling parched. Many people who suffer from gas and bloating will be surprised to find that it's often due to dryness, so have a latke!

Medicine for Vata/Winter

Oily, heavy, salty, and slightly sweet, Potato Latkes stengthen those with a dry or fragile Vata constitution. However, latkes and other fried foods are aggravating to oily Pitta and heavy Kapha-types.

Grounding Traditional Foods

Holidays are grounding by nature. They remind you of who you are and where you come from. Incorporating foods from different cultures and traditions creates a sense of togetherness and understanding, and isn't that the very spirit of the holiday season? If you are Jewish, there's a good chance you grew tapping your toes waiting for Potato Latke season. But if you're not, the savory pancakes are a delicious introduction to traditional Jewish cuisine.

AYURVEDA'S GUIDE TO VITALITY & WHOLESOME NOURISHMENT

Your Ayurvedic diet is tailored to your individual body and your specific imbalances. With an Ayurvedic diet you feel joy and satisfaction because what you are eating truly nourishes and balances you. Disease results from diets and lifestyles that are incompatible with your nature. By eating a personalized diet matched to your body, you experience optimal health. See How it Works.

Is Potato Latkes Good for My Ayurvedic Diet?

Find out by taking this free, easy quiz. You'll learn your body type, and whether 'Potato Latkes' is a good fit. Complete the basic quiz in 1 minute, or go deeper with additional quizzes at your own leisure to learn more about your body.

Metabolic Nature of Potato Latkes

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.

METABOLIC NATURE

Metabolic Nature

Ayurveda assesses metabolic imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating them weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which biocharacteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct metabolic imbalances before you get sick. Every biocharacteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite biocharacteristic.

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CLEAR

ABOUT CLEAR BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Clear refers to anything that cleanses or flushes out wastes, or that digests ama.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CLEAR

EASY

ABOUT EASY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Easy refers to anything easy to digest, or digests quickly.

LEARN MORE ABOUT EASY

HEAVY

ABOUT HEAVY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Heavy is identified by sedation, sluggishness, or increased weight.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HEAVY

TASTES

The 6 Tastes

Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below?

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SWEET

ABOUT SWEET BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Sweet refers to anything builds tissue, including macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SWEET

DOSHAS

The Three Doshas / Body Types

Ayurveda is a metabolic theory of medicine that explains individual health, tendencies, and disease patterns through the concept of doshas, which can be understood as your metabolic patterns and tendencies.

Each dosha reflects a distinct metabolic nature and describes strengths & weaknesses in bodily function, and how these affect energy levels, digestion, susceptibility to disease, and many other tendencies.

Your metabolic nature not only affects your physical characteristics, but also influences your mental thought patterns, confidence, and enthusiasm.

Ayurveda balances these metabolic strengths & weaknesses to support your body's vitality and prevent recurrent disease cycles. This support is a critical aid, especially in chronic or incurable disease conditions.

The 3 metabolic body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha).

Through dosha, Ayurveda empowers people to identify metabolic imbalances early, break repetitive patterns of disease, and cultivate habits that support long-term vitality and well-being.

Ultimately, these metabolic patterns also provide a framework for understanding yourself, including body, mind, and spiritual tendencies.

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PACIFIES
Pitta pacifying Vata pacifying
AGGRAVATES
Kapha aggravating

GREEK MEDICINE / TEMPERAMENTS

The Four Temperaments / Humors

Ayurveda & Greek Medicine were the dominant form of medicine along the Silk Road from England to China and South Asia. They work by assessing your metabolic type, patterns, and nature. Greek medicine recognizes 4 metabolic temperaments, Melancholic, Choleric, Sanguine, and Phlegmatic.

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PACIFIES
CHOLERIC

ABOUT CHOLERIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Has a hot and dry metabolic nature. Enthusiastic, vibrant and bright. In excess burns up fluids and ojas, irritable. Corresponds to high bilirubin in the blood that irritates and heats up the body and liver.

LEARN MORE ABOUT CHOLERIC

MELANCHOLIC

ABOUT MELANCHOLIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Cold and dry with a slow, variable or erratic metabolism. Colicky, tense. Withdrawn, pensive, anxious, and hesitant. Analytical, intelligent, detail oriented and creative. Prone to ojas depletion, dehydration, an overactive nervous system, and depression.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MELANCHOLIC

AGGRAVATES
PHLEGMATIC

ABOUT PHLEGMATIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Wet & cold. When out of balance becomes congested, stagnant, and overweight. Loving, trusting, and patient.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PHLEGMATIC

SANGUINE

ABOUT SANGUINE BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Hot and oily with a moderate metabolism and a well nourished body. Vigorous, vivacious, outgoing and generous, and prone to impulsivity and self indulgence. Bullish and intense when out of balance.

LEARN MORE ABOUT SANGUINE

Other

Downward

DOWNWARD

Downward-moving (Adho Gati Marga) substances move food downward in the GI tract, settle the nervous system, and relax muscles.

SEE ALL 'DOWNWARD' FOODS / HERBS

Fat

FAT

Fat tissue (Meda Dhatu) includes adipose tissue and sebum (skin oil).

SEE ALL 'FAT' FOODS / HERBS

Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Potato Latkes
Experiences are Personal
Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

(see all)
Makes You Tired

MAKES-YOU-TIRED

Induces drowsiness and promotes sound sleep.

SEE ALL 'MAKES-YOU-TIRED' FOODS / HERBS

,
Nerve Relaxant Grounding

NERVE-RELAXANT-GROUNDING

Encourages feelings of stability and heaviness. Makes you feel settled, mentally relaxed. Mildly sedates the nervous system to ease stress. Can bring a spacey or anxious person back to earth. Reduces agitation, irritation, stress and racing thoughts.

SEE ALL 'NERVE-RELAXANT-GROUNDING' FOODS / HERBS

,
Strengthens Resolve

STRENGTHENS-RESOLVE

Increases determination and courage by reducing stress and building strength.

SEE ALL 'STRENGTHENS-RESOLVE' FOODS / HERBS

,
Sedative

SEDATIVE

Sedative herbs create a sense of calm in the mind and body by specifically calming or quieting the nervous system. Excellent for anxiety, stress and chronic pain.

SEE ALL 'SEDATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Satisfies Stomach

SATISFIES-STOMACH

Provides a sense of gratification and fullness in the stomach.

SEE ALL 'SATISFIES-STOMACH' FOODS / HERBS

,
Builds Stamina

BUILDS-STAMINA

Promotes strength, endurance and resistance in the body. Rebuilds weak tissues after a time of depletion.

SEE ALL 'BUILDS-STAMINA' FOODS / HERBS

,
Nutritive

NUTRITIVE

An herb that is strengthening and nourishing.

SEE ALL 'NUTRITIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Diaphoretic

DIAPHORETIC

An herb that induces sweating, often by dilating blood vessels close to the skin.

SEE ALL 'DIAPHORETIC' FOODS / HERBS

,
Demulcent

DEMULCENT

Herbs that coat or form a soothing film over a mucous membrane, relieving minor pain and inflammation of the membrane.

SEE ALL 'DEMULCENT' FOODS / HERBS

Flushes Sinuses

FLUSHES-SINUSES

An herb that relieves sinus congestion by flushing out mucus.

SEE ALL 'FLUSHES-SINUSES' FOODS / HERBS

,
Soothes Throat

SOOTHES-THROAT

Soothes throat discomfort, including from a sore or ticklish throat.

SEE ALL 'SOOTHES-THROAT' FOODS / HERBS

Cardiac Stimulant

CARDIAC-STIMULANT

Herbs that increase the heart rate. Useful in cardiovascular health, blood stagnation, and subjective feeling of heaviness in the chest area.

SEE ALL 'CARDIAC-STIMULANT' FOODS / HERBS

Constituents:
Carbohydrate, Phosphorous, Soluble Fiber, Vitamin C, Potassium, Fats, Sodium,
Inositol

INOSITOL

Inositol is an alcohol sugar made naturally in the human body from glucose. It is lipotropic (aiding fat metabilism in the liver). It affects a variety of hormones, neurotransmitters, steroid, growth factors and water.

SEE ALL 'INOSITOL' FOODS / HERBS

, Sulphur,
Saponins

SAPONINS

Can be used to make soap. Saponins stimulate mucus membrane secretion, liquefying mucus for easy removal (expectorant).

SEE ALL 'SAPONINS' FOODS / HERBS

, Protein,
Nitric Oxide

NITRIC-OXIDE

Improves circulation by dilating blood vessels. Protects blood vessels from damage. Improves athletic performance, libido, immunity, and brain health.

SEE ALL 'NITRIC-OXIDE' FOODS / HERBS

Foods with a Similar Nature to Potato Latkes

  • Buffalo Milk

    Buffalo Milk has these Actions in Common

    Makes-you-tired, Satisfies-stomach, Builds-stamina, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Soothes-throat, Demulcent, Nutritive

    LEARN MORE

  • Oat Flour

    Oat Flour has these Actions in Common

    Demulcent, Satisfies-stomach, Makes-you-tired, Sedative, Builds-stamina, Nutritive

    LEARN MORE

  • Potato

    Potato has these Actions in Common

    Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Sedative, Demulcent, Nutritive, Makes-you-tired, Satisfies-stomach

    LEARN MORE

  • Whole Wheat Flour

    Whole Wheat Flour has these Actions in Common

    Sedative, Builds-stamina, Nutritive, Demulcent, Satisfies-stomach, Makes-you-tired

    LEARN MORE

  • Cream of Wheat

    Cream of Wheat has these Actions in Common

    Demulcent, Satisfies-stomach, Makes-you-tired, Sedative, Builds-stamina, Nutritive

    LEARN MORE

  • Lamb

    Lamb has these Actions in Common

    Builds-stamina, Nutritive, Makes-you-tired, Satisfies-stomach, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Strengthens-resolve

    LEARN MORE

  • Hemp Seed

    Hemp Seed has these Actions in Common

    Builds-stamina, Nutritive, Makes-you-tired, Satisfies-stomach, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Sedative

    LEARN MORE

  • Oats / Oatmeal

    Oats / Oatmeal has these Actions in Common

    Builds-stamina, Nutritive, Demulcent, Satisfies-stomach, Makes-you-tired, Sedative

    LEARN MORE

  • Spelt Flour

    Spelt Flour has these Actions in Common

    Makes-you-tired, Sedative, Nutritive, Demulcent, Satisfies-stomach

    LEARN MORE

  • White Flour (wheat)

    White Flour (wheat) has these Actions in Common

    Makes-you-tired, Sedative, Nutritive, Demulcent, Satisfies-stomach

    LEARN MORE

  • Pork

    Pork has these Actions in Common

    Makes-you-tired, Strengthens-resolve, Nutritive, Builds-stamina, Satisfies-stomach

    LEARN MORE

Herbs & Supplements with a Similar Nature to Potato Latkes

  • Ashwagandha

    Ashwagandha has these Actions in Common

    Sedative, Strengthens-resolve, Builds-stamina, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Nutritive

    LEARN MORE

  • Regular exercise

    Regular exercise has these Actions in Common

    Strengthens-resolve, Builds-stamina, Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic

    LEARN MORE

  • Vata Shirodhara Oil

    Vata Shirodhara Oil has these Actions in Common

    Strengthens-resolve, Demulcent, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Nutritive

    LEARN MORE

  • Inhale Steam

    Inhale Steam has these Actions in Common

    Demulcent, Diaphoretic, Flushes-sinuses, Soothes-throat

    LEARN MORE

  • Shatavari

    Shatavari has these Actions in Common

    Soothes-throat, Demulcent, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Nutritive

    LEARN MORE

  • Gokshura

    Gokshura has these Actions in Common

    Demulcent, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Nutritive, Sedative

    LEARN MORE

  • Vidari

    Vidari has these Actions in Common

    Demulcent, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Nutritive, Soothes-throat

    LEARN MORE

  • Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi)

    Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi) has these Actions in Common

    Sedative, Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

    LEARN MORE

  • Mustard Poultice

    Mustard Poultice has these Actions in Common

    Diaphoretic, Flushes-sinuses, Cardiac-stimulant

    LEARN MORE

  • Hot Foot Soak

    Hot Foot Soak has these Actions in Common

    Cardiac-stimulant, Diaphoretic, Flushes-sinuses

    LEARN MORE

  • Kapha Shirodhara Oil

    Kapha Shirodhara Oil has these Actions in Common

    Diaphoretic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Sedative

    LEARN MORE


Joyful Belly is a recognized college of biocharacteristics medicine.

View Other Healthy Recipes for Autumn-Winter

This recipe is recommended for Autumn-Winter. Check out these other Autumn-Winter recipes here.
VIEW ALL AUTUMN-WINTER RECIPES MORE VATA / PITTA RECIPES
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About the Author

John Immel, the founder of Joyful Belly, teaches people how to have a healthy diet and lifestyle with Ayurveda. His approach to Ayurveda is clinical, yet exudes an ease which many find enjoyable and insightful. John also directs the Joyful Belly College of Ayurveda, offering professional clinical training in Ayurveda for over 15 years.

John's hobbies & specialties include advanced digestive disorders, medieval Catholic philosophy, & botany. He holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Harvard University. His wife and family of 7 kids live in Asheville, NC.

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Comments & Impressions of 'Potato Latkes'

Do you like 'potato latkes'? Why or why not? What makes it unique? Is there something else you'd like to know about 'potato latkes'?

(4.50 out of 5 stars) 6 ratings, 3602 likes
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wahneta trotter
2014-12-05
“red, russet, yukon? which potato to use?"
Kimberly Kubicke Asbury park, NJ
2016-07-22
“We recommend red or yukon. Russets are best for baking."
Michelle Neyland Falls church
2016-09-06
“Delicious and satisfying! I used almond meal instead of spelt flour. My husband said they taste authentically Eastern European."
Margie Sandpoint, ID
2016-09-10
“Make a chia seed egg... 1 tablespoon chia seeds, 3 tablespoons water, mix and let sit for a few minutes. That equals one egg."
fin Deventer, AL
2017-08-08
“My first try with 'Ayurvedic food' and I'm feeling quite overwhelmed. Can a stomach 'purr' out of pure satisfaction and a warm feeling of peace? Because mine felt like it did. For about 45 minutes. Oh, and it was simply delicious :D"
Jennifer Manitou springs
2017-08-14
“Question? Are eggs combined with potato the same as protein with starch?"
Kimberly Kubicke Asbury park, NJ
2017-08-21
“Yes. You can use an egg replacer if you prefer. Eggs help hold the latkes together."
Melinda VanKirk
2022-02-01
“Good flavor and relatively easy to make. Not near enough flour to keep the pancakes together. I ended up doubling the spelt flour."
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