KAShāya / Kada – Herbal Immunity booster

 Kashāya or Kada , is a decoction of spices that helps build immunity and the drink that gives you relief from cold and cough when had regularly. Kashaya is also known as Kada. Kashaya for us always meant some torturous horrible drink. It is used as a metaphor to describe a bad tasting, medicine. “Oh god that coffee tasted like kashāya”. 

But when made well it doesn’t taste anything close to horrible. There are various ingredients and combination that goes into making kashāya. Based on my very minimal knowledge of ayurveda, I work out these combination. There are few ingredients that are common, like turmeric, cummin seeds, pepper, ginger are used when your cold is due to cold and not due to the heat in the body. As these ingredients are hot in nature, you add it to the drink only if your cold and cough is due to cold weather or because of having cold food. 

Tulsi, also known as Indian basil is said not to be mixed with milk. So if you are using tulsi then do not add milk to the Kashāya. 

Having Kashaya not only builds immunity but also gives you relief from cold, cough, phlegm and sore throat.  At home I have Kashaya with just jeera kashāya, saunf , coriander seeds every evening.The other drink that helps build immunity is Arishinada Haalu or Haldiwaala doodh or the turmeric milk. I love both these drinks. Hope you will too. If you don’t like it, then have it just to keep in good health 🙂

Ingredients 

1 tsp – turmeric powder (haldi)

1 tsp – Cummin seeds (jeera)

5 to 6 – Black peppercorns 

A pinch of – Fennel seeds (saunf)

1/4 cup – Milk

1 tbsp – Jaggery, or more to suit your taste.

Optional – Tulsi ( 5/6 leaves)

and ginger (a pinch)

Method

Crush cummin seeds, peppercorns, saunf and ginger (if using) in a mortar pestle into a coarse powder.

Boil this powder in a cup and a half of water along with turmeric.

Let it boil well till the spices give out all the flavour.

Add jaggery and boil further till jaggery is disdolved.

Add milk and bring it to boil just for a couple of seconds.

Strain it and serve pipping hot. 

You can skip adding milk and add tulsi to this decoction if you are not having it with milk.