Kashayam - A herbal drink for better digestion

Ingredients (sufficient for one person):

• milagu podi/black pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
• chukku podi/dry ginger powder – 1/2 tsp
• manjal podi/turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
• athimadhuram (available in tamil -naatu marundhu kadai) – 1/2 tsp
• omam/carom seeds – 1/2 tsp
• seeragam/cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
• perunjeeragam/fennel seeds – 1/2 tsp
• kothumalli vidhai/coriander seeds – 1/2 tsp
• vellam/jaggery – 1 tsp (or acc. to taste)
• water – one glass

Method of Preparation:

1. Take one glass of water (nearly 250 ml) in a vessel and turn on the stove
2. Add all the powders – pepper, dry ginger, turmeric, athimathuram
3. Crush or dry grind all seeds – carom, cumin, fennel and coriander – and add to water
4. Dissolve jaggery in 1 tsp water and strain jaggery water into the kashayam vessel
5. Boil till the while liquid reduces to half the quantity
6. Strain it and it is ready to drink.

Note:

1. If dry ginger is not available, one can use mashed fresh ginger
2. Crushed black pepper is preferrable than the pepper powder from market
3. Instead of jaggery, honey can be added after straining hot kashayam
4. Some might also add spices like jathikkai/nutmeg, cloves and cardamom. I make it with the above things
5. If athimathuram is not available, one can skip it.

Important Note:

1. Do not drink kashayam too hot – it might cause hiccups
2. Do not drink water for atleast 1/2 an hour after any spicy kashayam – it might lead to loose stools
3. I have just followed aachi’s (grandma) instructions on the above two important points!