A healthy Recipe that is a good source of Vitamin C and Fiber and good for all ages.

(நெல்லிக்காய் அல்வா)

INGREDIENTS:

• Gooseberry (Fresh or Frozen) – 6 numbers
• Grated Jaggery – ½ cup
• Cardamon powder – 1 pinch
• Ghee (optional) – ¼ tsp

PREPARATION:

• Add the Gooseberries in the boiling water, until its soft enough that it can split open. Let it cool for some time.
• Remove the seed and grind it in to the paste using Mixie.
• Take a vessel add the Jaggery and little water, leave it for some time, until it melts. Filter the impurities.
• Take a Heavy bottom pan, add the Jaggery water and let it boil for some time. And add the ground Gooseberry paste and cardamom powder. Cook until it becomes thick Alwa consistency. Cook it in the low flame.
• Add the ghee and mix it well.

• Serve it at room temperature.
• You can keep it for couple of days and enjoy the recipe.
• Remember that eating 1 Gooseberry is equivalent to eating 12 Apples .

Note:

• Adjust the amount of Jaggery depending on your diet need and/or quality of the Jaggery.

An ancient, traditional, herbal, time tested home medicine that is good for all and very special for postpartum womens. Usually prepared during Diwali as we eat a lot of variety sweets and snacks.

(தீபாவளி மருந்து / லேகியம் / பிரசவித்தவர்கள் மருந்து)

• Ginger – 200 gm
• Cumin seeds– 150 g
• Pepper – 100
• Sitharathai (Alpinia calcarata)– 100g
• Dry ginger (Sukku) – 100g
• Ajwain Seeds (Omam) – 100g
• Kanda Thippili (Long pepper) – 50g
• Arisi Thippili (Piper) (ground) – 1 spoon
• Elachi – 10g
• Cinnamon sticks – 5 small sticks
• Cloves – 10g
• Vasambu (Accorus calamus) – 3 pieces
• Kasa kasa (Poppy Seeds)– 25g
• Fennel seeds – 25g
• Ghee – 1/2 the size of above products ground and as needed
• Honey – same as ghee and as needed
• Jaggery – same size equal to above products ground
• Gingely oil (Sesame) – 5 tbsp

The ingredients photo above does not represent the actual measurement (refer to the Ingredients section)

Making the Base Powder:

• Cut the Vasambu, Sitharathai, Arisi Thippili, Kanda Thippili, Dry Ginger in small pieces. Except Ginger, Ghee, Honey, Jaggery and Gingely Oil , sun dry all the other ingredients plus the the above cut items  individually for a day.
• Take a kadai and dry roast the above sun dried item until golder color. Roast each of them individually.
• Now, mix all the roasted ingredients and make them into fine powder form using a mixie. This forms the base of the Recipe. You can keep them for upto 1 year in an air tight container and use them as needed with the below process.
• Note: The base powder can also be obtained in shops (ask for Diwali Marunthu powder).

Making the Medicine:

• Peel the skin from the Ginger and clean it well with water. Using your comfortable method extract the juice from the ginger and remove them of any impurities using a filter.
• Add the ginger juice (atleast 1 tumbler) to a kadai and heat it for a minute.
• Add Jaggery to it (add it in powder form). And keep mixing it and make sure not to become solid. Heat it for approx. 2-3 min until the Jaggery is melted while continuing to mix it. Make sure not to add water.
• Once the Jaggery is melted the above mix might contain mud particles.  Take a while cotton cloth and pour the above mix, squeeze and filter it from the impurities.

• Clean the kadai, take the filtered mix and heat again in the kadai. When the mix starts to boil (in about 2 min), add the prepared powder slowly while constantly mixing it. Keep in mind not to over boil the jiggery mix as it will form clot and become like a stone.

• Once the mix starts to become like a paste, reduce the heat to low flame and add the ghee and gingely oil.
• Keep mixing it.When you touch the paste and it doesn’t stick to your finger, its time to take the kadai out of the flame and keep it aside.
• Now add the honey as required and mix it well and let it cool down.

• After the mix has been colled down, transfer it to a bottle jar or stainless steel container.
• Enjoy the medicine as required by eating it in small balls (grape sized) in the morning hours with empty stomach. Do not each too much as it will cause heavy bowel movement.
• This is an excellent ancient herbal medicine for everyone and especially for post pregnancy women.

A healthy and simple Salad that is good for all ages and a natural good source of Protein and dietary fiber.

INGREDIENTS:

• Chick Peas – 1 cup
• Onion (chopped) – ½ cup
• Cucumber (Chopped) – ½ cup
• Cherry Tomato – 10 nos (Cut in to half lengthwise)
• Carrot (Grated) – 2-3 tbsp
• Coriander leaves (Chopped) – 2 tbsp
• Olive oil – 2 tbsp
• Crushed pepper and cumin seeds – 1 tsp [or] to taste
• Lemon juice – 1 tsp [or] to taste
• Salt – to taste

PREPARATION:

• Soak the chick peas over night. Then pressure cook it for 4 -5 whistle with enough water. When it cools drain the water. [Or] You can use the canned chick peas as well.
• Remove the skin of the cucumber and chop it. If necessary remove the seeds.
• Take a big bowl, Add the oil, crushed pepper and cumin seeds, lemon juice and salt. Mix it well.
• Add the chopped onion, cucumber, cherry tomato, carrot, coriander leaves and chick peas. Mix it well.
• Serve it as a nice salad item or along with toasted bread as a sandwich.

A nice moonlight dinner dish that is therapeutic and rich in carbohydrates. It has nice digestive power and a preferred dish after a heavy meal.

SERVING SIZE – 2-3

INGREDIENTS:

• Rice – 1 cup
• Water – 4 cups
• Curd – 2 cup
• Milk – ½ cup
• Hing – ¼ tsp
• Ginger (Grated) – 1 tbsp
• Curry leaves – few
• Coriander leaves – few
• Ghee – 2 tbsp
• Mustered seeds – ¼ tsp
• Urad dal – ¼ tsp
• Cashews – 5 nos
• Raisins – 1 tbsp
• Salt – to taste

PREPARATION:

• Cook the rice and water in the pressure cooker for 4 whistles. Add considerable water so as to cook the rice mushy.
• When it cools add the curd, milk, coriander leaves and salt. Mix it well.
• Take a kadai, heat the ghee and add mustered seeds when its splutters add the urad dal, hing, grated ginger and curry leaves.
• Garnish it with fried cashews and raisins. You can also add fresh grapes/cherry.
• Serve it hot with Pickle/Curd Chilli (moru milagai) or any Gravy/Curry.

Beetroot –  is a natural source of vitamins and minerals. It is used traditionally as a blood building food. Beetroot has liver, spleen, gall bladder and kidney cleansing properties. It is particularly rich in Vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus and iron.

SERVING SIZE – 3

INGREDIENTS:

• Beetroot – 3 nos (medium size)
• Grated Coconut – 3 tbsp
• Green chilies – 3 nos (Slit it in the center)
• Oil – 1 tbsp
• Mustered seeds – 1 tsp
• Urad Dal – 1 tsp
• Hing – 2 pinch
• Curry leaves – few
• Salt – to taste

PREPARATION:

• Peel the skin of the beetroot and cut it in to bite sized pieces, wash it and cook it in the pressure cooker with enough water for 2 whistles. When it cools drain the excess water.
• Take a kadai, heat the oil, add mustered seeds. When it splutters, add the urad dal. As it golden color, add the green chilies, hing and curry leaves and mix it well.
• Add the cooked and drained beetroot and add salt, mix it well. Let it cook for 1 minute.
• Then add the grated coconut and mix it. Let it cook for 1 minute.
• Serve it hot with rice, chapati or as a side dish. With curd rice is the perfect combo along with Pickle.