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. 

Banana stem Dal

Banana Stem dal is one of the healthy dish and it is said that at least once in a year you must eat banana stem. It helps to cleanse your intestine. It also helps to remove or reduce the stone in gal bladder.

Banana plant is one of the God's gift to mankind. Each part of this plant is used by man.  Banana fruit to eat, banana leaf to have food, banana stem is used  medicine.  It has very good medicinal value and used in home remedy medicines.
Eating banana stem helps to cleanse our body and take care of our kidney. It helps to reduce or remove the stone formed in the kidney. It is said if have gulped the hair by chance it can bring out the hair from your body. But remember this stem should be used rarely. (Once in a while). Often used  It heats up the body and you might get ulcer in your mouth, the eyes might turn red because of excess body heat.

I have used banana stem, moong dal, tamarind tokku (tender tamarind green chutney) and some green chilly.

Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed : 

Banana Stem : 1 Bowl

Moong Dal : 1/2 cup

Green chilly : 2 to 3 

Tamarind Tokku : 1 Teaspoon full

Salt : As required
Ginger : An Inch 

Seasoning : 

Coconut Oil :1 Teaspoon

Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon

Jeera/Cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon

Method :

1. Wash and cut banana stem and remove the thread you get while cutting.
2. Cut it into very small pieces. Wash and soak them in plain water.

3. Wash and put moong dal in a pressure cooker and add cut banana stem.
4. Add little water and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.( Or little more).

5. Wash and cut coriander leaves, curry leaves and slit green chilly.
6. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and wash it again. Grate the clean piece and keep it aside.
7. Keep a pan on the fire and add oil. Let it get hot. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter.
8. Add jeera and cut chilly. Fry for 10 seconds. Add ingh and curry leaves.
9. Add cooked banana stem and moong dal. Mix it well. Add little water, grated ginger and required salt.
10. Mix it nicely. Add turmeric powder. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
11. Add tamarind tokku if you have or add tamarind pulp. ( 1 Tablespoon).

12. Mix it well and cook for another 2 minutes. Shift Banana stem Dal to a serving dish.

13. Add cut coriander leaves and serve.
14. Adding a tablespoon of ghee helps to enhance the taste.

Note :

You should soak banana stem pieces quickly in plain water. It helps to retain white colour as it is.
Adding any spice of your choice is optional. Adding tamarind pulp instead of tamarind tokku is optional. Adding more chilly and use of any cooking oil is optional. Adding water to get the thickness of the dal is optional. It taste better if it is bit thick. Do not get worried if the pieces are not soft and do not think they are not cooked well. They are bit hard even if cook them for long time even. So let the pieces be very small.
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves :  4 to 5. 

Pain Relief Massage Oil

Massage oil for painful knee joints, shoulder joints, back ache and other parts. You can also use this oil for applying on scratches and itching areas which has caused by ant or mosquito bite. This is something different and helpful recipe. This is purely for massaging and not edible.

Ingredients I used here are available in your kitchen and you can prepare it easily and store it.
Coconut oil, cloves, garlic, pepper pods with little rock salt  is used in this recipe.
Lets see some benefits of cloves garlic and pepper's medicinal values.
Cloves are loaded with antioxidant, anti septic , local anesthetic, anti-inflammatory properties. They are good  Rubefacient (something that treats or prevents the symptoms of disease) and anti flatulent properties.
Garlic prescribed garlic for a wide range of conditions and illness. Even in olden days garlic was promoted the use of garlic for treating respiratory problems, poor digestion and fatigue. Garlic has also been used as a medicine throughout ancient and modern history to prevent and treat a wide range of conditions and diseases. They are loaded with antibacterial and antiviral benefits. They are good source for controlling infections by bacteria, virus, fungi and worms.
Black pepper is rich in antibiotic properties. It also contain Vitamin C. They curb harmful free radical reactions. When the skin loses its natural pigmentation, it turns white. This disease can be treated with using black pepper as a cure.  Black pepper contain anti-oxidant properties and it helps to glow your skin, good for anti aging and anti wrinkles and dark spots. Black pepper is rich source of anti inflammatory and antibacterial properties an helps to prevent acne.
Lets see how to prepare this "Pain Relief Massage Oil:.

Things Needed : 

Coconut Oil : 250 Grams
Garlic Pods : 10 to 15
Cloves : 10 to 15 pods
Pepper Pods :1 Teaspoon
Salt : 1 Tablespoon

Method : 

1. Separate garlic pods and smash it slightly.( Including the outer skin)

2. Just slightly smash pepper and cloves.
3. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add coconut oil. Let it be on low flame.

4. Add smashed garlic, cloves and pepper. Let it boil nicely for 3 to 4 minutes.

5. Now put off the fire and add salt. Mix it well and allow it to cool.

 6. Fill in the glass or plastic bottle and use it whenever you need it.

Note :

Heat oil on low flame. So that it does not burn much. Adding turmeric powder is good option. But it can cause stain on your clothes after you apply the oil. One must remember that, you need to massage oil in slow process and rest for at least 20 minutes before bathing or washing. (Do not massage hard, because you are not trained for that). Do not boil salt. The oil may turn sticky. You can also add Camphor (Karpoora ...pooja karpoora) .This will very much help you to reduce the pain.
Time :
Preparation : 10 minutes + boiling 5 minutes.
Total time : 15 Minutes.
It can be stored for long time.