Quite a popular drink in the households of Coastal Karnataka and the Malnad region, Kashaya, is not just tasty, but healthy too.
Even to this day, I get to drink Kashaya when I visit my grandmother’s house. Needless to say, the legacy continues and my mom still prepares it, atleast once a day!
This Ayurvedic health drink has all the goodness extracted from the easily available spices, and ground in the comfort of home!
It not just helps in building immunity but also is a perfect home remedy for simple cold and cough.
Below is the simplest recipe of the Kashaya powder, with the commonly available spices in almost all Indian households, yielding a tasteful Kashaya!
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Coriander seeds: 0.5 cup
Cumin Seeds / Jeera: 0.25 cup
Fennel Seeds / Saunf: 2 tbsp.
Black Pepper: 3 tbsp.
Laung: 1 or 2
Cinnamon: 1 inch stick
Cardamom seeds / Elaichi: 1 or 2
Wheat Flour: 1 tbsp.
Ajwain / Omum: 1 tbsp.
Method (Kashaya powder) :
· All the ingredients should be cleaned and dried before use (wash and sun dry)
· Roast all the above spices. Keep aside and let it cool completely
· In a mixer grinder, make a fine powder of the above and store in an air tight container
Method (Kashaya) (Makes 2 cups of Kashaya):
· In 1 cup of water add 1 tsp. of the Kashaya powder and a small lemon sized jaggery. You may adjust jaggery as per your taste
· Bring the above to boil
· Now add 1 cup hot milk to the above and give it a mix. Piping hot Kashaya is ready to serve! If you prefer it this way, strain the Kashaya before you serve !
Note :
· You may include cardamom as is, with the seeds. You may even skip it, if it isn’t available. The addition yields a very good aroma to Kashaya
· You may adjust the addition of black pepper if you prefer a more spicier mix
· You may decrease jaggery if you don’t prefer the sweetness in Ksahaya
Kashaya Powder stories:
As kids, we had a routine practice of drinking a glass of hot Kashaya before going to bed.
Off late, it is reduced to something like – you are not feeling all that great, from say, neck and above, and you are not sure if it is symptoms of cold, then Kashaya is the usual go-to drink!
The ongoing ‘Corona crisis’ made all of us more vigilant and careful about our health. It is absolutely necessary to take all precautions and tread carefully. One of such precautions that we could take at home is to drink Kashaya every night before going to bed!
Along with little yoga, fresh air, breathing exercises, home cooked good and healthy food, social distancing and most importantly – positivity and good mental health – I am sure we would all fight it out together and emerge victorious!
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