Turmeric (Haldi) Milk
I'm sorry, I've not been able to update any recipes on the blog. I have a love affair with food and the written word. And a mind which associates love, appreciation, health and happiness with all things gastronomic, so when I cook, I invest myself, my time and some amount of skill into the food that will sustain my family and I. It takes a hell of a lot of patience but it's worth it. To that end and keeping in mind I have a busy life with my loving (read nutty) husband and darling daughter (18 months old) I rarely have the time to do justice to my family and this blog however, I am trying to give it some attention over Christmas (after all it's the time of caring, love and sharing).
It's summer here in Brisbane, Australia right now but freezing in other parts of the world; and the weather improves in the desert, I miss the crisp winter (15degrees) evenings in Dubai - I've lived there too long and my mind and heart sometimes yearn for the familiarity of it all.
Coming back to this Turmeric Milk recipie, in April of this year my baby girl, Lauren was suffering from back to back infections. Two weeks, after the doctor would put her on antibiotics she would be back on them. We went through multiple cycles of watching our angel suffer. Ultimately, she had horrible ear infections and we met an ENT who recommended Grommet Surgery, I knew we hadn't tried all things natural and had a two week window before she would probably be ill again. The ENT stated her hearing was being affected and suggested we put a date down for surgery. In addition, to an appointment with the ENT, I made an appointment with a homeopath in Brisbane but could only get in to see her in two weeks.
In the meantime, I had decided that if Lauren got sick again, we would need to go ahead and do the surgery because it has it's benefits. But my heart couldn't deal with putting my 10 month old baby under anesthesia and my mind kept telling me I had to try more natural remedies and do what my ancestors would have done back in India.
That's when I remembered my mom, dragging me to the Tamilian neighbour's house in Dubai, to gulp down a steaming, aluminium cup of 'chukku capi' - it had tons of dried, ginger, turmeric and black pepper in it and magically I would feel better the next day. But it also had a good amount of sugar and coffee, which I couldn't give to a 10 month old so I looked for the benefits of the ingredients and spoke to my mother in law in Goa who had natural suggestions as well.
The following recipe is based on research from the internet, blogs, Ayurveda advise and good 'ole Indian tradition handed down from one matriarch to the next!
Turmeric (Haldi) Milk
Ingredients:
- 250 ml fresh milk (I used lactose free)
- 6 green cardamom (reduces mucous)
- 6 black pepper corns (brings heat, clears air passages)
- 1 inch fresh ginger (assists with healing of upper respiratory infections, bronchitis, cough etc)
- 1 heaped teaspoon turmeric or 1 inch of the grated fresh tumeric (miracle medicine, assists with the same as ginger including infections, open wounds,arthritis etc)
- 1 teaspoon jaggery (high in iron)
Method:
It's summer here in Brisbane, Australia right now but freezing in other parts of the world; and the weather improves in the desert, I miss the crisp winter (15degrees) evenings in Dubai - I've lived there too long and my mind and heart sometimes yearn for the familiarity of it all.
Coming back to this Turmeric Milk recipie, in April of this year my baby girl, Lauren was suffering from back to back infections. Two weeks, after the doctor would put her on antibiotics she would be back on them. We went through multiple cycles of watching our angel suffer. Ultimately, she had horrible ear infections and we met an ENT who recommended Grommet Surgery, I knew we hadn't tried all things natural and had a two week window before she would probably be ill again. The ENT stated her hearing was being affected and suggested we put a date down for surgery. In addition, to an appointment with the ENT, I made an appointment with a homeopath in Brisbane but could only get in to see her in two weeks.
In the meantime, I had decided that if Lauren got sick again, we would need to go ahead and do the surgery because it has it's benefits. But my heart couldn't deal with putting my 10 month old baby under anesthesia and my mind kept telling me I had to try more natural remedies and do what my ancestors would have done back in India.
That's when I remembered my mom, dragging me to the Tamilian neighbour's house in Dubai, to gulp down a steaming, aluminium cup of 'chukku capi' - it had tons of dried, ginger, turmeric and black pepper in it and magically I would feel better the next day. But it also had a good amount of sugar and coffee, which I couldn't give to a 10 month old so I looked for the benefits of the ingredients and spoke to my mother in law in Goa who had natural suggestions as well.
The following recipe is based on research from the internet, blogs, Ayurveda advise and good 'ole Indian tradition handed down from one matriarch to the next!
Turmeric (Haldi) Milk
Ingredients:
- 250 ml fresh milk (I used lactose free)
- 6 green cardamom (reduces mucous)
- 6 black pepper corns (brings heat, clears air passages)
- 1 inch fresh ginger (assists with healing of upper respiratory infections, bronchitis, cough etc)
- 1 heaped teaspoon turmeric or 1 inch of the grated fresh tumeric (miracle medicine, assists with the same as ginger including infections, open wounds,arthritis etc)
- 1 teaspoon jaggery (high in iron)
Method:
- Using a Mortar and Pestle, smash the cardamom and pepper corns. Remove from the mortar and smash the ginger separately (I scrub the ginger really well and wash, I do not remove the skin)
- In a heavy bottomed sauce pan, add the milk, cardamom, pepper corns, jaggery and turmeric powder or fresh grated turmeric root..
- Stir to dissolve the jaggery and simmer on low to medium heat. Do NOT boil.
- Once the milk simmers, move it off the heat and throw in your smashed, fresh ginger and allow to seep for 5 to 8 minutes. (If you add the ginger while simmering, the acid content in the ginger, along with the heat could curdle your milk and you don't want that so add it only once it's off the heat)
- Strain the milk and serve hot in two mugs.(Or in Lauren's case a sippy cup!)
Lauren didn't need to have the ear surgery and is a healthy 18 month old now. I'm not saying don't trust your doctor, I am however saying try everything natural that you can to prevent and cure your child within a reasonable time frame, if that doesn't work see a good GP!
Next time I make this, I will remember to take a picture!!!
Melly, I have to say this on the blog, "Piyo Glass, Full Dhood!!!" I love you.
Next time I make this, I will remember to take a picture!!!
Melly, I have to say this on the blog, "Piyo Glass, Full Dhood!!!" I love you.
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