During the Diwaly “Festival of Lights”, the Aladdin culinary team at Maharishi University in Fairfield, IA, created an authentic Indian feast with foods such as jira rice with peas and carrots, paneer korma (an Indian cheese entrée) and aloo gobi (cauliflower and potatoes entrée). Chickpea ladoo (or laddu) was served as the small, round Indian sweet made of ghee (clarified butter), flower and sugar, at this most awaited and most celebrated festival in India!
Maharishi is the first U.S. college to offer an organic, vegetarian, freshly prepared menu. Our dining hall serves a wide variety of vegetarian fare, from home-style pizza to Chinese stir fry, from Mexican to Indian and more!
According to Suresh Miller, executive chef, who has managed the university’s board operations for five years, serves up to 700 students daily. “Since students attend from all over the world including China, Pakistan, India, Thailand, the Philippines, Ecuador and Mexico, we cater foods predominantly to the Indian faith student population and Transcendental Meditation (TM).
Miller says, all of our students and faculty practice the TM technique to develop their inner potential. The TM technique was founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi over 50 years ago, and has been learned by more than six million people.
Extensive published research has found that this effortless technique promotes a state of deep inner calm, and boosts learning ability and creativity.
Since meditation is part of the students’ morning curriculum from 8 to 8:30 a.m., breakfast is served beginning at 8:30 a.m. Dinner is also served beginning at 6:30 p.m. just after the evening meditation. “We are respectful of their faith and offer flexible dining hours to accommodate their meditation studies,” says Miller.
A sample of foods that Miller serves include kale salad, dhal, pan wah soup, chang sag, tofu stir fry, Chinese fried vegetables, sautéed potatoes, Ayurvedic vegetables and banana bars. Breads and pastries are baked fresh daily using organic flour.
Locally grown produce is also used whenever possible, and milk, yogurt, and ice cream come from a local organic dairy farm.
Aladdin also manages dining for the university’s private secondary school, the Maharishi School for Age and Enlightenment (MSAE).
