To eat and pray for more

An old proverb tells us that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. In the case of the Templo Hindu in Lisbon, I wouldn’t be surprised if some devotees had started by visiting the canteen.

In Lisbon, as throughout the world, there is no shortage of Indian restaurants. But restaurants, Indian or not, are just that: restaurants. A canteen in a Hindu temple, which serves home-made Indian food, is, in comparison, a parallel universe and probably the best way for one’s stomach to visit India without leaving Lisbon.

Hinduism is the main religion of India, and nutrition is practised in accordance with the Vedas (scriptures). In these writings, the need to live in harmony and the encouragement of vegetarianism are emphasised. Hindus believe that the body is composed of natural elements (earth, fire, air, water and ether), and for this reason they seek to observe a Sattvic diet, comprising natural foodstuffs which help them to achieve spiritual clarity

It could hardly be more appropriate: the Templo Hindu Radha Krishna stands in the Avenida Mahatma Gandhi in Telheiras, a place of Hindu devotion. People who don’t know the place are unlikely to go there by accident, and people who don’t know that there is a canteen there open to the general public will have even greater difficulty finding it as you reach it through the garage of the building. If you’ve seen one canteen, you’ve seen them all – and in terms of appearance, the one at the temple only differs thanks to its pictures with Hindu motifs. But you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. In this case, you can judge it by the smell, and, if you do so, the first impressions will definitely be positive. There is no menu, as the canteen employs a buffet system and, although the canteen’s dishes always include soup, salad, a fried dish, roti, papari and rice, the menu changes from day to day. The range of dishes is lacto-vegetarian, and includes vegetable curry, dhal, samosas, hot salad of sautéed vegetables with curry, fried batter with potato, chick peas and lentils or stewed black-eyed beans, all of them with a delicious appearance that is only exceeded by the flavour. But visitors should exercise caution because the relaxing ambience and the spirituality of the cuisine could take those who are unprepared for the spicy sauces unawares: the redder they are, the hotter the taste. That is why a drink is also served made of yoghurt flavoured with salt and cumin, as a way of calming the effect of the spices.

Of course, as it’s a buffet, you can go back for more as often as you want, but it’s a good idea to leave some space for dessert. The sweets you can find there regularly include jalebis (flour, milk and sugar) and small compact squares made with flour, sugar and dried fruits. If it’s possible for anyone not to be full after all this, there’s also Chai Masala, a black tea with spices that can be drunk with milk. If there’s one place where food encounters its soul, it’s at the temple canteen.

About the author

Hugo Filipe Lopes:Has a degree in sociology and a post-graduate qualification in clinical nutrition from the Egas Moniz Faculty. Collaborates with a number of online publications, a trainer and nutritional therapist. Honourable mentions in the Casa da Imprensa and Lisboa à Letra competitions..