With the monsoon, the sick season begins. The kids (and all the adults whom illness reduces to behaving like kids!) catch the flu. Coughs, colds, sneezing, sore throats – no sooner does one person in the household calm down does the next come down with a bout!
When it comes to healthcare, I’m a believer in homemade concoctions and natural wisdom. There’s a particular cough syrup that I find very effective, the basics of which I learned from Kiran Patel, an amazing Mumbai-based nutritionist whose principles of simplicity for wellbeing match mine. You will need nothing more for it than some of the most basic ingredients in your kitchen, garden or windowsill pots.
Whether you prefer allopathic or homeopathic remedies, coughs and colds take their own time to wear off. You can, however, soothe them effectively. I prepare this cough syrup in the morning and consume small cups 3 or 4 times a day. My daughter finds it delicious and would drink more than the recommended dosage if she could! If you enjoy herbal flavours and scents, you may feel similarly about this concoction.
Soothing Syrup
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
2-3 inches ginger (or ginger powder)
1 inch cinnamon
2-3 crushed peppercorns
3-4 cups water
1 inch jaggery or honey
8 fresh tulsi leaves
a pinch of fresh turmeric
Many homes in India have at least one small tulsi plant, known elsewhere as “holy basil”. It is revered for religious reasons, and equally so by Ayurvedic practitioners and healers of all kinds. It is an important ingredient for throat and lung related infections, and is different from common basil. I grow mine at home, and a handful of freshly-plucked leaves are a key ingredient in this remedy.
Turmeric is also vital in Indian culture, and has antibiotic and antiseptic properties which Siddha healers have long known of and allopathic science has recently discovered. When I was a child, my mother would mix turmeric and honey in a spoon using her finger and have us eat it to cure the sniffles. And I’d love to let you in on a special bit of trivia: the bright yellow print on the re:store logo is in fact a stamp of turmeric. My signature.
Fennel is rich in iron, and my ever-resourceful mother would soak crystal sugar, raisins and fennel overnight, grind them gently with a pestle in the morning, and strain the juice through a muslin cloth. I loved the taste of fennel in this haemoglobin-boosting drink, which was a necessary supplement in our vegetarian household.
The spices that comprise the remaining list of ingredients are offset by the sweetness of jaggery or honey. At re:store, I believe that things which are good for you can also taste good. Honey soothes the throat and jaggery aids digestion – either is a great pick above sugar.
The method to create this Soothing Syrup is simple: just hand pound all the ingredients except the jaggery and tulsi leaves. Put them in a pot. Add water along with the jaggery and tulsi leaves. Boil for 5 minutes, then keep covered for another 5 minutes so that all the flavours are absorbed into the water. Now, strain the drink into a small cup and drink it as hot as you can handle it. Store the rest and have another 3 or 4 small cups through the day. Reheating is recommended.
Clouds both real and metaphorical are gathered everywhere lately, and I know many people need a ray of hope. One of the things I enjoy about homemade remedies is the feeling of knowing that all you need to heal yourself, and those you love, is right in your hands. Here’s wishing us all better health and brighter spirits. I’d love to know how the Soothing Syrup works for you!
