Kashaya Coffee

Kashaya is nothing but some healthy drink. It is helpful to take care of your body. Kashaya is prepared using some home available spices.

This Kashaya powder is very useful to protect you from all type of ill health.
It is good for cough, keeps your body warm and controls blood pressure and diabetes.
Kashaya can be used as coffee, means every day you can drink. Morning coffee time or after breakfast you can have this drink.
Kashaya powder is very easy to prepare and this kashaya recipe I got from my co sister. Her father and brother used to advice people and give home prepared medicines, pain relief oils and they served the local people.
I have used methi/fenugrik seeds, poppy seeds, Jeera/cumin seeds and little pepper.
The four ingredients are dry roasted and dry ground it. The Kashaya powder should be stored well and use it whenever you prepare Kashaya Coffee.
It is good for digestion, controlling your blood pressure, blood sugar and it helps in taking care of your health by protecting the whole system.
Let us see some benefits of Methi seeds in our diet.

Methi /Fenugrik seeds helps to balance the cholesterol level in our body. It helps in reducing the fat.
It is good for stomach upset and digestive problems : When you have stomach upset do take a glass of butter milk and 1/4 teaspoons of methi seeds soaked in it. No need to rest the seeds. Just drink it and you will feel very comfortable after drinking methi - butter milk drink. Methi seeds helps during the menstrual period cramps in ladies. It helps in reducing the fever and soothe muscle pain. It also helps in maintaining liver and kidney health. Methi seeds are rich in fiber and helps in easy bowel movements. They contain good anti oxidant properties and helps in removing the toxins in our body.
This is simple Kashaya Coffee . You can double the amount of methi seeds. My sister in law Leela Somayaji has given this recipe and whenever  we go to Our Birthi Mane in Ooru I too join them drinking Kashaya Coffee after my breakfast.
Let us see the recipe now :
Ingredients :
Methi /Fenugrik seeds : 50 Grams.
Jeera/Cumin seeds : 50 Grams
Poppy seeds /Gasgase : 50 Grams
Pepper Pods : 1 Tablespoon ( Or little less you can use).

Method :

Clean the ingredients and keep it in a tray.

1. Dry fry Methi seeds till it turn golden brown. Take it out from the pan

2. Dry fry jeera/cumin seeds on low flame and take it out to a big bowl.

3. Dry fry pepper pods and add poppy seeds.

4. Now put off the fire and shift the ingredients to a big bowl. So that it can cool fast.

5. Dry grind the ingredients and put the mixture to a bowl.

6. Shift the Kashaya Powder to a bowl. Let it cool completely.

. Store in a glass jar bottle and use it whenever you want.

7. It can be eaten with honey when you have cold, cough and throat pain.

8. Take a quarter tsp of the powder mix it with 1 or 1/2 tsp of honey mix it well and eat it.
9. You can use this powder for daily Kashaya Coffee after food.
10 You can also make kashaya coffee and drink it.

Note :

Use of methi seeds more /less is optional. Dry roast on low flame. Use glass jar to fill the Kashaya powder. Do not add any sugar. Add little jaggery whenever you prepare Kashaya coffee.
Kashaya Coffee is one of the best herb coffee to regulate blood pressure and blood sugar level in our body. Drinking Kashaya Coffee keeps away the cough, throat pain and even fever.
Try and enjoy.
Time : 20 to 30 Minutes.
Serves : As you use. 

How to make Kashaya Coffee.

Boil a glass of water. Add 1/2 tsp of Kashaya powder and let it boil nicely for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 tsp of jaggery and boil for a minute. Sieve this Kashaya coffee to a big glass. Add 1/2 cup of milk. Serve or drink.
1/2 Tsp of Kashaya Coffee powder is enough for 1 glass of water.

Boil the mixture till it reduces to 3/4  glass. Add milk after you shift the kashaya to a bowl.

Let the mixture cool a little or when you add milk it might curdle. So let the Kashaya cool down for 1 to 2 minutes.

Fresh Turmeric Milk

Turmeric milk is one of the healthy drink. It is good to have turmeric drink, since it helps to keep away the cold, cough and take care of your health in good way.

These turmeric roots are from our pot plants. Some time back/its almost a year back I have planted this plant and made use of the leaves for making Kadubu. (Traditional dish from Udupi). The new leaves grew and the plant started to dry up. I never thought so much it spreads and gives out the best roots.

Let us see some benefits of Turmeric.

Turmeric is said to be natural antibiotic and is used in our cooking. It is also used to heel the wounds as I know. It is anti inflammatory agent, good for treating arthritis, helps to decrease inflammation of joints and reduces the pain. Turmeric helps to promote the heart health. It regulates the blood pressure and reduces the heart diseases. The curcumin in turmeric boosts the brain health. It helps in to boost protein. It helps to increase the good cholesterol level in our body. Good for our skin and helps in removing dark circles.

Let us see the recipe now :
It is an easy recipe and helps to boost our health.
Use of jaggery is optional. 

Things Needed :

Turmeric Root : An Inch
Fresh Milk : 2 Cups.

Method : 

1. Boil milk and let it be hot.
2. Wash turmeric root and scratch out the outer layer. (Thin layer).

3.Grate the turmeric root and put it in 1/2 cup of hot water. Do not boil. (For 2 minutes).

4. Now add this to boiled milk and mix it well.

5. No need to sieve the milk. You can eat the last remained pieces as it is. (Optional).

6. Fresh turmeric milk is ready to drink or serve.

7. Adding jaggery is optional. (Little jaggery can be added at the end). Do not add when milk is boiling.

8. Hot Turmeric Milk is ready to serve.

Note : 

You can use organic turmeric powder instead of turmeric roots. Do not drink daily. It might heat up your body. This milk is good for cold, cough,throat pain and even fever.
Time : 10 Minutes.
Serves : 2

You can grow turmeric in pots. 

Kokum Juice

Kokum / Kokam /Punar Puli/ ಮುರುಗಿನ ಓಡು is one of the savoury fruit. Kokam /Kokum /Carcinia India is a fruit bearing plant and we use this fruit in our culinary as medicine. I have used this Kokam /Punarpuli in Juice and it is very healthy to consume during hot summer and all day round the year.

I have used dried Kokum fruit, jaggery, pepper pods, and little salt. 

Kokum is known as below in different languages in India.

In Kannada it is known as : ಮುರುಗನ ಓಡು , ಮುರುಗಲ, ಪುನರ್ಪುಳಿ, 

Konkani : Birinda , Hindi  and Gujarati : Kokam, Malayalm : Punarpuli , Tulu : Punarpuli , Marati : Bhernda, Biranda, Amlaveta, Amosole  Telugu : Chinta, Bengali : Mahada, Oriya Tintali

Let us see some benefits of having Kokam /Kokum /Punarpuli in our diet.

Kokaum helps and has cooling effect properties. It helps in reducing the pitta/bile in our body.

Kokum is good for digestion. It has anti inflammation properties. It is good prevention for gastric ulcers. It also helps to ease anxiety and depression. Good for diabetes and takes care of the skin and fight against obesity. It helps to control cholesterol level in our body. It is good for weight loss. It is used to reduce the rheumatoid pain. It is rich in fiber and good for people who suffer from bowel problems. It is also good for sores and women delay menstrual problems.
Let us see the recipe Now :

Things Needed : 

Dry Kokam / Kokum /Punar Puli : 2 to 3 Dried Fruits.
Jaggery : 2 Tablespoons
Pepper Pods : 3 to 4
Salt : A pinch

Method :

1. Wash and soak dried Kokum fruits in 1/2 cup of hot water for 10 Minutes.

2. Grind those soaked Kokum with jaggery and pepper pods.

3. Sieve the content with a siever to a bowl.

4. Add a pinch of salt and mix it well.

5. Pour ready to serve kokum juice to glasses. (Adding ice cubes while serving juice is optional).

6. Serve Kokum juice.

Note :

Soaking kokum fruits helps the fruits to be soft. It is better to grind since you get the good extract.
Adding sugar or honey to juice is optional. Adding ice cubes while serving is optional. I have not done.
Time : 15 Minutes.

Serves : 3 Glasses. 

Bimbli /Averrhoa bilimbi & Lemon Grass Juice

 I have tried a juice with lemon grass used bimbli/ bilimbi with jaggery. The juice is so yummy and I thought I should share it here.

Bimbli is a fruit which is used widely in South Canara. It is very sour taste and people use it for preparing pickle or use it cooking instead of tamarind or lemon.
Bimbli is commonly known as bilimbi or Averrhoa bilimbi.  

Let us see some benefits of having Bimbli in our diet.
Bimbli /Bilimbi is a sour fruit which has natural sour taste. It is full of Vitamin B, Vitamin C, Iron, phosphorus and antioxidants. They help in curing cough, itches, pimples and skin irritations.They help to fight cholesterol and inflammation. It is rich in anti diabetic and anti- bacterial properties.
Bimli is used in cooking varieties of dishes. It is one of the favourite fruit of many people.
I have used Dry Lemon Grass, Dry Bimbli which I got from Subramanya Kordale and his wife Ragini. They do have a Bimbli tree in their garden and they dried the fruit and brought it.

This Juice recipe started after seeing Sadashiva Rao Mailankody's post, Majjige hullina Panaka in Foodie blog. He is the admini for that blog and do try varieties of food and put it. The lemon grass juice had the green mirchi and lemon. It is a spicy one of course. After seeing the post actually I wanted to try the sweet version using jaggery. But some how after remembering this dried bimbli I thought of using bimbli instead of lemon. That the way Bimbli - Lemon Grass Juice arrived.
The bimbli's savoury taste and jaggery's sweet taste mixes well and gives out yummy taste. It can be relished so well and helps you to keep your mind and body cool.
Let us see the recipe now:

Things Needed :

Dry Lemon Grass : One handful : 4 to 5 sticks.
Dried Bimbli : 2 to 3 Tablespoons /8 to 10 pieces
Jaggery : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Salt :   A little
Dried Ginger : 1/2 Tsp.
Kamakasturi / Sabja seeds : 1/2 Tsp. (Optional)

Method :

1. Wash and boil lemon grass in 1 cup of water for  6 to 8 minutes. Let it cool. Sieve it in a strainer. Keep it aside.

2. Wash and soak bimbli in hot water for 10 minutes and Grind it till paste.

3. Now put cooled lemon grass water in a big bowl. Add jaggery and ground bimbli mixture.

4. Add dry ginger and salt. Mix all the ingredients nicely. Add 2 to 3 glasses of water.

5.  Let jaggery dissolve nicely in that mixture. Stir nicely and sieve this panaka to a separate bowl.
    Add Kamakasturi seeds.

5. Bimbli - Lemon Grass Panaka is ready to serve. Pour Panaka to glasses. Adding Ice cubes is optional.

6. Serve Bimbli - Lemon Grass Panaka.

Note : 

Soaking bimbli in hot water helps the bimbli to get soft. Let it cool then you grind it. Use as you like. (Quantity). Use of jaggery /sugar/honey is optional.

Fresh bimbli fruits can be used and fresh lemon grass too. Adding ginger helps to avoid cold. You can use crushed pepper pods instead of ginger. Check the taste and add water according to your taste. Adjust sour and sweet. I added 1/2 tsp of Kamakasturi seeds which is grown in our garden.
Time : 15 to 20 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4 Glasses.