Harmless Home Remedies.

AngaYappodi:

This podi is eaten with hot rice & ghee.

This is said to rempove all impurities from our stomach & refreshes our digestive system.

This also prevents the tendency to put on weight after delivering a baby & gives “azakiya kaayam – beautiful figure “ & hence the name.

Pepper - 1 ½ heaped tsp

Dry ginger - 2 ½ “

Dhaniya - ¼ cup

Red chillies - ½ cup

Tur dhal - ¼ cup (optional)

Gram dhal - ¼ cup (optional)

Mustard seeds - 1 heaped tbsp

Sundaikkai - ¼ cup

Dry neem flowers - ¾ cup

Hing - 2 tsp

Curry leaves - few
Salt
In a dry kadai,, roast all other ingredients except sundaikkai, neem flowers & hing.

These three should be roasted, each separately, adding minimum oil.

Mix everything with salt & powder.

This is best eaten with “arisi appalam” & “ilai vadam”.

“Urad aappalam’ is better avoided with this, to prevent flatulence.

 

Chukku VeLLam - the Kerala Special water to drink.

This water is addictive, but good for health & can be taken everyday.

Dry the following & powder coarsely:

Dhaniya - 2 tbsp

Jeera - 1 tbsp

Pepper - 1 tsp ( more is optional)

Chukku - 3 long pieces ( a little less or more is OK)

Cardamom - 2

Boil 2 tsp of this powder with about 5 litres of water.

Cool & allow the sediment to settle at the bottom.

The water is ready to drink.

After the clear liquid is fully used up, throw away the sediment.

Prepare fresh water everyday with the powder.

 

Navarasa Podi - for diorrhea.

Specially good to eat when one has diorrhea.

Chundaikkai vatral - 2 cups

Dried neem flowers - 2 cups

Fresh curry leaves - 2 cups

Dry ginger - 2” piece – 2 no:s

Jeera - 6 tsp

Pepper - 2 tsp

Red chillies - 5,6

Mustard seeds - 2 tsp

Hing - 2 tsp

Salt - (about) 2 tbsp

Wash & drain curry leaves thoroughly.

In a dry kadai, roast chundaikkai vatral, dried neem flowers, jeera, pepper, red chillies & hing one by one.

Splutter mustard seeds dry & add.

Crush ginger, roast dry & mix.

Lightly roast salt & add.

Powder everthing fine & store airtight, free from moisture.

Keep well for 3,4 months.

When one has diorrhea, cook rice very soft, to hot rice add 2,3 spoons of this powder, mix with gingelly oil & eat.

After this eat cold rice mixed with buttermilk.

Eating this way twice a day, helps control diorrhea.

 

Thengai Kanji - Heals ulcers !

This is good to eat when one has ulcers in the stomach & mouth.

Coconut milk is suppsed to heal ulcers & methi seeds is also very good for the stystem.

It is better to plan ahead & soak methi seeds after washing, atleast for 1 hr.

More methi seeds – upto 3 tsp can be added if you like.

Never throw away the water in which methi is soaked.

Any quality of rice can be used, but it is preferable to use soft cooking, thin variety.

Rice - 1 cup

Methi seeds - 1 tsp

Garlic - 7,8 pieces

Coconut - 1 cup

First add ½ cup of warm water to coconut & extract the first milk.

Then go on adding 1 cup water at a time & take the milk in 5 more instalments.

It is better to take more number of instalments rather than taking less instalments with more water.

To 1 cup washed rice add methi seeds, garlic & 5-6 cups of coconut milk ( reserve the first milk for use later).

Cook this inside a vessel in a pressure cooker.

After the first whistle comes, lower the flame & cook for 15 mts.

Cool, open, add salt ( be careful !) & the first milk just before serving hot.

This is a very delicious kanji, very popular in the Southern districts of Tamil Nadu.

This goes well with the following thogayal.

Pottukadalai Thogayal:

Fried gram or pottukadalai - ½ cup

Red chillies - 2 (more if there is no ulcer problem & you are taking the kanji for its taste ! )

Tamarind paste - 2 tsp

Salt.
Grind together, adding water to get the desired consistency.

 

Irumal Kashayam(1) - Given by a Bombay friend !

Methi seeds - 1 tbsp

Flax seeds - 1 tbsp ( available in departmental stores)

Boil the above 2 ingredients in 9 cups of water for 15 mts.

Strain the same & add the following:

Athimaduram - 3 sticks ( crush well)

Ginger - 1 inch

Thulasi plant dry pods - 5-6

Saunf - 1 tsp

Pepper - 1 tsp

Jaggery - 1 lemon size

Boil this mixture for 10 mts.

Strain & keep.

This is warmed & taken 4 times a day for 2, 3 days.

 

Inji Sorasam & Lemon Kara Juice - For Pitham & related nausea.

This is taken when one has “ pitham”, nausea related to that etc.

To keep for a few days:

Ginger - 250 gms – grate, take in a thin cloth & squeeze well to extract the juice.

Powder:

Dhaniya - 4 tsp

Jeera - 4 tsp

Pepper - 2 tsp

Mix both & refrigerate.

In the morning, on an empty stomach preferably or 1 hr after coffee, take a little of this mixed with lime juice & honey.

For an emergency, grind a small piece of ginger, a pinch each of dhaniya, jeera & pepper. Tie in a cloth & extract the juice. Mix lime juice & honey & drink.

Lemon Kara Juice:

Big lemons - 25

Rock salt, dried & powdered - 1/3 cup

Roast dry & powder:

Pepper - ½ tsp

Jeera - ½ tsp

Hing - ½ tsp

Take the juice from the lemons, add salt & the powder.

Refrigertate.

If you plan to keep it for a long time, add a pinch of the preservative called K M S

Add it dissolved in 2 tsp boiling water.

 

Running Nose - a Simple Remedy !

Grind fine with very little water the following:

Turmeric or Kasthuri manjal - 1 very tiny piece

Dry ginger - 1 very tiny piece

Sambrani powder - ½ tsp

Warm it slightly, keeping on a low flame in the “ tempering ladle” or microwave for 30 secs.

Apply it on forehead & temples like “ sacred ash “ ( vibhuthi), before going to bed.

In the morning the “nose running” will be under control !

This is an easy, effective remedy for running nose !

 

Hello Jana !

Dear Jana,
When I wrote about this, I knew this will be impractical for many, but those living in India nowadays have a very small " ammi kal" - mainly to grind paste of very small quantities. In fact now it is available in plenty in Chennai near Mylapore tank & anybody who visits Chennai can buy one ! I find it very useful when we live in flats.
Yes, you can make a paste with powders - any brand good sambrani will do. Again I can quote only Chennai - we get a variety called Singapore sambrani which is very good. The shop is again Dabba Chetti Kadai in Kutchery Road, Mylapore.
Don't apply very thick - just apply lightly & see if there is relief next morning. Applying thick pathu may irritate the skin.
Regards,
Chithra.