Kashayam | Home Remedy For Cold

Here's a kashayam recipe that we've been following for ages at home. Grandma used to make this every weekend and I remember how I used to wail and whine about drinking just half a glass of it, and I still do 😑😂It is bitter, not very hot but is very benefiting drink. If your kids have lost appetite or if they fall sick often you can give them this once in a week and see obvious changes. This one is a home remedy for many things, it purifies blood, promotes the digestive system, increases appetite and also gets rid of common cold and infections. Not only kids this marundhu is good for new moms, teenagers and every grown up. A decoction is made from ingredients that posses so much medicinal values. We get these ingredients only from the ayurvedhic shops, we usually call it the odhuvaar kadai. I also found some of these ingredients in online stores, you can google for more. This kashayam recipe has so many benefits to offer, it aids digestion and promotes the digestive system, kills worms and stomach bugs, reduces inflammation, cures common cold and cough, soothes sore throat, asthma, headaches, regulates menstruation, and fights against most infections. You can serve minimal amounts to toddlers also. We served it to my daughter when she was 8 months old, just a teaspoon full of diluted decoction and she didn't have any trouble with it, but I will not prescribe it for every baby as I'm not pretty sure if it could be served to babies but you can definitely serve it to toddlers and kids without any issues. All you need to do is boil for some minutes strain and serve. Just half a glass a week is enough and also make sure you get the right ingredients. If you are not sure get advise from the elders or people who have good knowledge in siddha or ayurvedha. You can also check my video below for reference.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 2 people

Total Preparation Time - 15 minutes

Have attached pictures for reference, also check the video below for clarification!

1. Poondu / Garlic - 3
2. Adhimadhuram / Licorice - 1 inch piece
3. Chukku / Dry Ginger - 3 inch long piece (or 1/2 teaspoon powdered chukku)
4. Garudakodi / Indian Birthwort - 5 sticks 
5. Omam / Ajwain - 1teaspoon 
6. Karunjeeragam / Black Cumin seeds / Kalonji - 1 teaspoon 
7. Tipili / Long Pepper - 6 pieces 
8. Channayiru / Type Of Black Cumin - 1 teaspoon
9. Mavilanga pattai / Cratevamagna bark (crateva religiosa) - One inch piece 

PREPARATION METHOD

• Slightly crush dry ginger, Garudakodi, Licorice, Long pepper, Mavalinga pattai, using a pestle and mortar . You don't have to powder it well, just slightly crush it. Do not use blenders as some of the ingredients will be hard as a rock to crush using blender. You can also use powdered dry ginger but using whole dry ginger is advisable. 
• Add all the ingredients into a saucepan or pot, pour 2 cups of water and boil well for 7 to 10 minutes on low flame. 
• Remove from flame and leave aside for some time.  
• Strain and serve the juice alone after it cools down. It should be served the same day, prolonged storage is not advisable. 
• If you are going to serve kids, just dilute a little and serve them. 

DOSAGE: 

1 TEASPOON FOR ONE YEAR KIDS

2 TABLESPOONS (1 சங்கு) FOR 2-3 YEARS

1/4 - 1/2 GLASS FOR KIDS ABOVE 3 YEARS

1 GLASS FOR TEENAGE AND GROWN UPS 

BENEFITS OF OMAM (ஓமம் ) / CAROM SEEDS / AJWAIN : These tiny seeds are a very common ingredient that most of us are used to, these little seeds have numerous benefits to offer. Cure stomach infections, promotes the digestive system and increases appetite, fights against flu, viral infections, also said to cure liver and kidney malfunctions, reduces inflammations, joint pains especially knee pains, reduces colic and bloating. As a kid when I had cold and blocked nose, grandma used to pack the ajwain seeds in a clean cloth tie it up like a small potli bag, crush with a pestle and would give it to me to smell it. It gives instant relief and also gives a soothing effect. 

BENEFITS OF KANRUNJEERAGAM (கருஞ்சீரகம் ) / NIGELLA SEEDS / KALONJI: These black cumin seeds help in treating asthma, nausea, heart diseases, diabetes, hypertension, meningitis, helps give you a glowing skin, reduces acne, eases joint pain, contols blood pressure, protects kidney, rich in antioxidants and boosts your immune system. It also helps increase memory power and even found to fight cancer! 

BENEFITS OF MAVILANGA PATTAI (மாவிலங்கப்பட்டை ) : Promotes appetite and assists digestion, rich in antioxidants, has antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties and is said to break down stones also. Is laxative, gets rid of nausea and vomiting also. 

BENEFITS OF TIPILI (திப்பிலி )  / LONG PEPPER : Best in promoting intestinal health, cures cold and breathing related problems. I remember an occasion where I had to do a project with Long pepper and I was sick with cold, had nose block and also was sneezing almost continuously. After I started working with the piper longum or the long pepper powder I found that my sneezing had stopped miraculously. I was inhaling (not on purpose) the powder the whole time as I worked. Realized its healing properties then :) Some research papers also found that it has ability to fight against cancer. 

BENEFITS OF  CHANNAYIRU (சன்னயிரு ) / TYPE OF BLACK CUMIN: This is a type of black cumin seed and has properties similar to cumin but is more powerful. Fights stomach related trouble and keeps your system clean. If you do not get this see you can skip and use other ingredients alone. 

BENEFITS OF ATHIMADHURAM (அதிமதுரம் ) / LICORICE (LIQUORICE) : This is one of the common and most used ingredient in the ayurvedhic medicines. Licorice promotes the health of digestive system, it is said to cure any kind of complaints related to the stomach, like ulcers, heartburn, colic, and chronic gastritis. It is also said to be a cure for, bronchitis, sore throat, cough, it removes the phlegm and offers relief from most respiratory disorders. It also has a tendency to purify blood,  fight against some viruses study says! It is rich in anti-oxidants and said to even defer aging process. Also has antifungal, anti aflatoxigenic and anticancer properties. It is known to get rid of dandruff when applied to the scalp, but I'm not sure of the method. Other benefits of using liquorice include weight loss, thyroid management, helps overcome fatigue, and blood circulation problems. (I have shown this ingredient in the video above please check that for reference)

BENEFITS OF CHUKKU (சுக்கு ) / DRY GINGER : One of the very popular ingredient in this recipe is this.  This ingredient burns fat thus reducing obesity, is a good cure for common cold, runny nose, sore throat and also removes phlegm. Helps get rid of acne and gives your skin a glow, flatulence, increases metabolism, is a cure to inflammation, reduces knee pain. A simple home remedy for swollen joint pain is - crush a small coin sized dry ginger and pour half cup water and take in regularly to get relief from swollen joint pains. 

So many good ingredients and so many goodness to offer! Do try this once in a week to clean your system and increase appetite in a healthy way. Its all natural and safe. Just start giving diluted kashyam at first to toddlers and increase the dosage as they grow. About 1/4 to 1/2 a glass is adequate for kids and one full glass for a grown up. Do try and let me know the feed back. Also if you cannot source the ingredients just send me an email so I can help you get them! Pleasure is mine!😃