Digestion recipes
Pachakchurna (Digestive spice powder)
- 1 part fennel seeds - dry roasted and ground to a powder
- 1/2 part ajwain seeds - dry roasted and ground to a powder
- 1/2 part licorice powder
- 1/4 part black salt
- 1/4 part cardamom powder
- 1 part cumin seed dry roasted and ground to a powder
Combine ingredients and keep in a small spice bottle or jar. Take 1/2 to 1 tsp with the first bite of a meal to help digest that meal. Can also be take after meals. All ingredients can be procured at an Indian grocery.
Kanji (Digestive rice broth or cracked wheat broth)
Kanji is the easiest of all possible foods to digest. It should be the first food to be taken after surgery, after or during a fast, or during abdominal problems such as bloating or irritable bowel syndrome. It can be taken when no other foods are tolerated, or when digestion is very sluggish, like during a cold, during labor, during a headache, or during menstrual cramps. It is used following a laxative or enema, or during Ayurvedic purification programs (panchakarma). It is utterly simple to make.
Boil 1/4 cup of basmati rice (or cracked wheat) in 2 quarts of water, uncovered, for about 1/2 hour. It will boil down to about 1/2 or 2/3 of the original volume. Before the last five minutes add salt and cumin powder to taste. If you prefer other spices you can add a little grated ginger root or a hint of black pepper. You can also substitute black (digestive) salt for regular salt (available at Indian groceries)
Strain off the liquid and throw out the rice. Place in a thermos and sip, warm or hot, throughout the day.
Kicheree
Kicheree is the easiest solid food to digest and should be the first food to be taken after kanji, which is the easiest liquid food to digest (see preface to kanji recipe).
Follow the instructions for making dal using split or whole mung beans, however, substitute rice for 1/3 to 1/2 of the dal. Basmati rice is the most digestible. Be sure to add even more water than for dal, as the rice absorbs a lot of water, and kicheree should be thin and runny. Spice it more mildly than dal.
Ghee
Ghee is clarified butter - a staple of Indian cooking. It is considered the best quality of oil for daily use because it pacifies both vata and pitta. Containing natural antioxidants, it has short chain fatty acids and its cholesterol fraction resists oxidation. Butter quickly burns at high temperatures due to the milk solids in it, whereas ghee withstands high temperatures because it is, in essence, the pure oil extracted from the butter. Ghee can be stored at room temperature or refrigerated.
Ghee is available at delicatessens, natural food stores, and Indian groceries but is easily made at home.
Ghee is used commonly in Ayurvedic medicine for oleation and during the gentle cleansing program done at home ten days before panchakarma (in residence purification programs). It loosens the impurities in the system and acts as a solvent to draw the impurities into the elimination system where they are easily eliminated during the laxative therapy.
I. Traditional Nonskimmed Ghee
Place one or more pounds of unsalted butter in a deep stainless steel or Pyrex type glass pan on medium-low heat. Do not leave ghee unattended during this process and watch to make sure that the butter doesn't scorch while melting.
During the next 30-40 minutes the water will boil away (approximately 20% of butter is water). Milk solids will appear on the surface of the liquid and on the bottom of the pan. The bottom of the pan must be constantly scraped with a metal spatula. Surface solids can be skimmed with a strainer if they become thick.
As milk solids turn golden brown in the pan, be alert to lower the heat or the ghee may burn). At this point, you may notice that the ghee becomes clear and may smell like popcorn. You should still see tiny bubbles rising from the bottom. Remove the ghee from the heat before the bubbles stop or it will burn. Remember that once the bubbles stop, there is no more water, and the temperature of the oil will rise quickly. The water will continue to evaporate for a few minutes after you remove it from the heat. The main error in making ghee is allowing it to burn.
Strain the sediment from the ghee while it is still lukewarm by pouring it through a cotton cloth or steel strainer into a clean glass jar for storage. Be cautious making ghee as it can burn you as well as catch fire.
II. Modern Crockpot Method
Place 1 or more pounds of unsalted butter in crockpot on low temperature setting. Leave it on all night. In the morning you will notice that there is a brown crust on the top and a white sediment on the bottom. Skim the crust off the top and pour the golden liquid into stainless steel or glass containers. When the white sediment begins to mix with oil while pouring strain the sediment from the ghee by pouring it through a cotton cloth placed over a stainless steel strainer.
Lassi
Lassi is simply fresh yogurt blended with warm water. Whereas yogurt is a curd and is said to be hard to digest, creating ama (residues of inefficient digestion), once it is transformed into lassi it becomes lighter and actually aids digestion. Thinning yogurt with water and blending it changes the molecular structure so it is more easily assimilated. It makes a good after lunch drink and helps eliminate gas pains.
Digestive Lassi: One part yogurt to three parts water adding cumin powder, salt (and pepper) to taste. Garnish with some finely chopped cilantro leaves.
Sweet Lassi: Blend 1 part yogurt to 3 parts water adding cardamon, sugar, and rosewater to taste.
Mango Lassi: Blend 1 part yogurt with 2 parts water adding fresh mango and sugar to taste.
Ginger Tea -- for weak digestive fire and to digest ama
- 1 quart water
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1/2-2 tsp. fresh ginger (less for sensitive stomachs). Or 1/2 tsp. ginger powder.
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Boil for 5 minutes.
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Keep hot in a thermos and sip throughout the day. Good for digesting ama, increasing the digestive fire, and reducing congestion.
Ginger Paste (for sluggish digestion)
Grate 5 teaspoons fresh ginger root and fry it with a teaspoon of ghee. When brown, add some natural brown sugar such as jagari (from Indian grocery), Succanat or date sugar.
Take it first thing in the morning with a litlle hot water for up to 8 days. Wait one hour before taking any food or water.
If you are prescribed herbs first thing in the morning, take the herbs first and wait one hour before taking the ginger paste.
Fennel Tea (For digestion, nausea, bloating)
Put one teaspoon of fennel seeds into one to two cups of boiling water and boil for 5 minutes. Drink warm.
Cumin Tea (For gas, bloating, sluggish digestion)
Put one teaspoon of cumin seeds into one to two cups of boiling water and boil for 5 minutes. Drink warm. Excellent after supper to dispel gas and bloating before bedtime.
Barley water (For digestion, fluid retention, tendency to gain weight)
Put one tablespoon of barley grains in one cup of water and soak overnight. In the morning boil for 3-5 minutes. Drink one half cup twice a day.
Coriander Seed Water (for acidity, heartburn)
- 1 tsp. coriander seed
- 1 cup water
Soak coriander seeds in water overnight. In the morning strain and press the water out of the coriander seeds into the rest of the water and discard seeds. Drink remaining water.
Copperized Water (for acidity)
Fill a clean copper cup with water and let it sit overnight or for at least 4-6 hours. Drink the water first thing in the a.m. on an empty stomach as well as 1-2 hours after meals. This aids digestion, problems of acidity and elimination. Clean the cup if it becomes dark and tarnished using vinegar and salt or lemon juice with salt.
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