Basmati Rice

It was always a mystery to me how everyone else’s basmati rice seemed to come out loose and fluffy? Our rice cooker and the absorption method never really did it justice. Sushi rice loves being sticky; basmati rice loves being free, and my basmati rice was looking decidedly stuck together. Ironically, on all the packages of white rice in the (Dutch) supermarkets, […]

Nirvana Pudding

One of the things about zazen that never fails to amaze me is how interesting thoughts – and solutions – can arise when the mind stays open. A natural disposition ready for that ureka! moment. So this morning at Zen River, rather than making rice gruel for breakfast a colourful thought popped up saying how nice it […]

Orange & Date Fruit Salad

A no-brainer fruit salad – but the trick is in slicing the oranges perfectly! Ingredients 4 oranges 8-10 Medjool dates Method Peel the oranges using a small, sharp knife. First cut the top and bottom from the oranges and place firmly on a dedicated cutting board (in other words make sure it doesn’t smell of onions […]

Apple, Pear & Damson/Grape Fruit Compote

On a sesshin held in Poland a long time ago, Joanna, who was Tenzo, served buckwheat alongside grated apples and sliced damsons for breakfast. It was a lovely combination. The sesshin was held in early September and both damsons and apples were in season. However, April in Holland is too early for damsons, so I used grapes instead for […]