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She cooks strictly vegetarian, but still tasty: Anita Jain in the café of the Rietberg Museum.
Katja RichardEditor society
Many make an attempt to live more mindfully in January. Some do without alcohol or meat – possibly both. Be it for health reasons or animal welfare, the environment or the climate. Which is an emerging trend for us, Anita Chetan Jain (45) has been cultivating all her life because of her religion.
She belongs to Jainism, a 2500 year old Indian religion. The “Being Jain” exhibition provides an insight into the culture and cultural treasures of Jainism. It is based on the principles of non-violence, tolerance and respect for life – this also applies to the menu. That’s why the café in the museum is expanding its vegetarian and vegan range with Jain dishes. These are prepared exclusively by Anita Jain – but only three to four days a week, whenever she is working in the kitchen.
No living being should suffer
“It is important for us that no living being has to suffer because of our food,” she says. Non-violent feeding means that Jains do not eat animals, not only for the big ones but also for the very small ones. “We do without anything that grows under the ground,” explains Anita Jain. So on root vegetables, garlic or onions: “The smallest creatures and microorganisms can be killed during the harvest.” Anita Jain grew up in Mumbai, the house next door was a Jain temple: As a child, she learned from her mother how to prepare the food: “We cooked for the monks and nuns.”
Anita Jain is part of the cooking crew in the Museum Rietberg cafe: she cooks according to the rules of the Indian Jains.
After studying psychology and nutritional science, Anita Jain came to Switzerland with her husband 21 years ago. “The first few days I hardly knew what to eat. Back then there were far fewer vegetarian options,” she recalls. Today she is a little less strict: “We eat vegetarian food when we go out, but at home we maintain our tradition.” To cook for her family with two teenagers, Anita Jain spends two hours in the kitchen at lunchtime and two hours in the evening. Because despite all the renunciation, the food should also be varied and tasty – it’s not for nothing that the Jains are considered the kings of chickpeas.
And it has to be fresh. “We only cook as much as we need,” says the cook. Warmed up food is not served. A rule that comes from a time when there was no fridge. That’s why nothing is eaten after sunset until the morning, so the body can digest in peace: “It’s actually the same as with intermittent fasting today.”
Ethics plays a big role
The Jain group is small, six million live in India and scattered around the world. They are mostly highly educated and often occupy leading positions in business. So why the exhibition in Rietberg? The Jain works of art are among the important focal points of the collections. “It’s not about us all becoming Jains,” says Johannes Beltz (55), co-curator and deputy director of the Rietberg Museum. It is important to deal with the values of the Jains, they hit the nerve of the time: mindfulness, renunciation and non-violence. “Like Buddhism, it’s about a religion in which you don’t believe in a god,” says Beltz. The focus is on karma and rebirth. «On the way to salvation it is not God who can help, but man and his behavior. That’s why ethics play such a big role,” explains Beltz.
Digambara monks from Jainism live a strictly ascetic life without any possessions. Therefore they go “air-clothed”, i.e. naked.
The Jains also believe that everything living in nature has an immortal soul. “That’s why the Jains are deeply reluctant to eat anything animal,” says Beltz. Therefore, eggs are also avoided. Dairy products are allowed because it is assumed that the cows do not have to suffer for them. According to Beltz, that is changing: “Because of industrial animal husbandry, there are many Jains who are switching to a vegan diet.”
Recipe: Matar Paneer
cashew paste
Soak 20 cashew nuts in hot water for 20 minutes. Grind to a fine paste.
paneer
Ingredients:
2 tbsp oil/ghee
1 tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp cinnamon powder
1 tbsp red chilli powder
1½ tbsp coriander powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 cup tomato puree
salt to taste
1 cup green peas
500ml of water
400 g paneer cubes (cream cheese)
1 tsp garam masala
4 tbsp fresh coriander
¼ tsp cardamom powder (optional)
2 tablespoons cream
¼ tsp sugar
Preparation:
– Heat 1 tbsp oil or ghee in a pan, add paneer cubes and sauté for 5-7 minutes, set aside.
– Heat oil in a wok, add cumin seeds and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
– Add the cashew paste and 2 tbsp fresh coriander and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
– Add the powdered spices and water, mix well and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
– Add tomato puree and salt, mix well and add ¼ cup water, simmer briefly.
– Add green peas and sugar and cook for 3-4 minutes.
– Add 400 ml water, stir well and cover and cook for 7-8 minutes.
– Add paneer cubes and mix well without breaking the tender paneer cubes, add garam masala, cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the cream, cardamom powder and the remaining freshly chopped coriander leaves, mix well.
– Serve hot with roti, paratha or rice.
Jain recipe according to Anita Jain, Museum Rietberg (4 people)
Sigi Bucher
cashew paste
Soak 20 cashew nuts in hot water for 20 minutes. Grind to a fine paste.
paneer
Ingredients:
2 tbsp oil/ghee
1 tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp cinnamon powder
1 tbsp red chili powder
1½ tbsp coriander powder
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 cup tomato puree
salt to taste
1 cup green peas
500ml of water
400 g paneer cubes (cream cheese)
1 tsp garam masala
4 tbsp fresh coriander
¼ tsp cardamom powder (optional)
2 tablespoons cream
¼ tsp sugar
Preparation:
– Heat 1 tbsp oil or ghee in a pan, add paneer cubes and sauté for 5-7 minutes, set aside.
– Heat oil in a wok, add cumin seeds and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
– Add the cashew paste and 2 tbsp fresh coriander and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
– Add the powdered spices and water, mix well and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
– Add tomato puree and salt, mix well and add ¼ cup water, simmer briefly.
– Add green peas and sugar and cook for 3-4 minutes.
– Add 400 ml water, stir well and cover and cook for 7-8 minutes.
– Add paneer cubes and mix well without breaking the tender paneer cubes, add garam masala, cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the cream, cardamom powder and the remaining freshly chopped coriander leaves, mix well.
– Serve hot with roti, paratha or rice.
“Being Jain – Art and life of an Indian religion”, Museum Rietberg, Zurich, until April 30, 2023. Exhibition discussion “Ethics on the plate”, moderated by Olivia Röllin, religious scholar, philosopher and presenter SRF “Sternstunden”, on January 25 2023, 6 p.m.