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Love is in my Tummy

Plant-based flavor

September 15, 2017 By Tina Dawson 26 Comments

Kashayam – Ayurvedic Wellness Tea

Kashayam is an Ayurvedic tea brewed w/ whole spices to boost immunity, fight indigestion and promote general well-being.

Kashayam is an Ayurvedic tea brewed w/ whole spices to boost immunity, fight indigestion and promote general well-being. Home remedy | Vegan | Food Styling | Food Photography

The day after the tropical storm passed, I felt the beginnings of a flu stirring in me – a prevalent heaviness in the head, mild nasal congestion accompanied by random bouts of sneezing that made me feel like my head might just explode. And whenever that happens, I always get a bonus bad stomach as well, as though my body is just rejecting everything I put into it. I apologize for painting such a vulgar picture right there, but falling sick is never a pretty affair. I was in no mood for getting sick just then – I know, no one likes being sick nor plans for it, but I’m sure there are days you woke up and wished you could call in sick, stay in bed and just drink soup all day.  But I had a bunch of different projects that needed my attention, and I had no space in my calendar for downtime, scheduled or unscheduled.

So I did what my mother always did – I went into the kitchen and brewed me some of this Kashayam – it’s my first response to any and all forms of sickness that befalls me and it usually seems enough to stop most problems, particularly an upset stomach in its tracks. I spent most of the day sipping on cup after cup of the warm, fragrant, pitch black brew and with every passing hour, I began to feel better.

Kashayam is an Ayurvedic tea brewed w/ whole spices to boost immunity, fight indigestion and promote general well-being. Home remedy | Vegan | Food Styling | Food Photography

The word Kashayam always instigates mixed reactions from everyone; even if you didn’t know what they were, once you do, the mixed reactions will occur, right on cue. But let me try and abate the aversion from you today, if you’re one of those people who hate it. Kashayam (pronounced ka-sha-yum) is an Ayurvedic home remedy that is made with whole spices and herbs, brewed as a tea and usually drunk hot. There are so many versions, each specializing in a specific form of wellness, and even some you can powder and mix with a glass of warm milk, instead of brewing as a tea.

The reason why most people hate this drink, is probably because it’s usually given to you when you are sick, or starting to become sick. Naturally, you always associate a glass of this brew with the feelings of being sick, so I can completely understand any disinclination you may bear towards it. I’ve always wondered why I never had any – I think it’s probably because I did not drink Kashayam only when sick – my mother would save me a cup whenever she made a batch for someone in the house, so I never associated it with sickness. It was just a drink, and an interesting one at that. And as a kid, it made me feel all grown-up to like something that all other kids vehemently hated.

Kashayam is an Ayurvedic tea brewed w/ whole spices to boost immunity, fight indigestion and promote general well-being. Home remedy | Vegan | Food Styling | Food Photography

But to be honest, it tastes not too different from regular black tea. If you want to ease into this drink, you could add a little milk or sweeten it with a little honey, or do both. But mom always said that drinking it full strength as is, is when you get it’s complete benefits. And I trust her on that.

Here’s what goes into it, and why it’s good for you:

Black Pepper – If you thought that black pepper here’s going to make the drink spicy, you’re wrong. Rather, it aids in digestion and helps flush toxins from your body. It also breaks up mucous and phlegm, and enables your body to absorb and retain more nutrition from the food you consume. And if you’re sick, chances are it’s affecting your appetite and you need to be able to get the most out of what little you eat.

Fennel is also an excellent digestive and helps in boosting immunity. There’s a reason they’re provided instead of after-meal-mints in most Indian restaurants. A spoonful of fennel after a meal freshens your breath as well as helps your body better process the food you’ve just eaten.

Cumin is another good digestive, but like fennel, it also helps boost immunity, treats respiratory disorders, alleviates insomnia and suppresses cough. So if you’re coughing a lot, add an extra spoon of this while brewing the kashayam.

Coriander eases digestive discomfort, lowers blood pressure, regulates proper menstrual functions and keeps neurodegenerative diseases at bay.

Rice is not an ingredient you would normally see in health drinks, but rice has resistant starch that reaches your gut undigested and feeds the good bacteria in there, that in turn helps in maintaining a healthy gut, even relieving irritable bowel syndrome. The carbohydrates in rice also provides energy, something you can never have enough of when sick.

Ginger is anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, good for nausea, relieves muscle pain, aids digestion, lowers blood sugar, and has been known to relieve menstrual pain as effectively as Ibuprofen.

Kashayam is an Ayurvedic tea brewed w/ whole spices to boost immunity, fight indigestion and promote general well-being. Home remedy | Vegan | Food Styling | Food Photography

Home remedies are just food, used as medicines. So, feel free to increase the quantity of one or two ingredients in the recipe based on what ails you most – if you have a lot of body pain, add another inch of ginger, and if you’re coughing a lot, an extra spoon of cumin will help, and if you have an extremely sore throat or a clogged nose, amp up the pepper. You get the idea….

Over medium-high heat, toast all the ingredients (except ginger) until fragrant and the color turns dark. My mother would let them burn and smoke, which results in a more stronger, more bitter brew, but if you’re just starting out, golden brown is fine.

And once the spices are roasted, add the water, ginger and bring to a boil. Keep boiling until the liquid reduces by half – usually in this time, the rice cooks slightly and the spices soften and the brew darkens to a beautiful, deep golden brown. If you’re the sick person, stick your head over the vapors and inhale, it’ll clear up your nose for a bit. But also be careful not to scald yourself in the steam.

Kashayam is an Ayurvedic tea brewed w/ whole spices to boost immunity, fight indigestion and promote general well-being. Home remedy | Vegan | Food Styling | Food Photography

All that’s left to do now is filter out the spices and drink the brew. Drink it hot, it’s most fragrant then. I even go so far as to brew a weaker tea from the filtered out spices, kind of a second extract before I throw out the spices.

And the next time you find yourself down with a little cold, or if you’re having a bad stomach after some exceptionally bad takeout food, make yourself a cup of this Kashayam, and you’ll soon be feeling as right as rain.

Kashayam is an Ayurvedic tea brewed w/ whole spices to boost immunity, fight indigestion and promote general well-being. Home remedy | Vegan | Food Styling | Food Photography

When you make this (which I really think you SHOULD!), be sure to SHARE YOUR PHOTOS with me through Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. I’d love to see what you cook from here!

Ayurvedic Wellness Tea

Created by Tina Dawson on September 14, 2017

Kashayam is an Ayurvedic tea brewed w/ whole spices to boost immunity, fight indigestion and promote general well-being. Home remedy | Vegan | Food Styling | Food Photography

  • Prep Time:5m
  • Cook Time:5m
  • Total Time:10m
  • Yield: About 1.5 cups

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp. whole black peppercorns
  • 1 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp. cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp. coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp. rice
  • 1 tbsp. ginger
  • 3 c of water

Instructions

  1. In a heavy bottomed / cast iron pan, toast all the spices (except ginger) until fragrant and deep brown.
  2. Add water and ginger and bring to a boil on medium-high heat, and continue boiling until the liquid reduces by half.
  3. Strain the brew and serve hot.
  • Print

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Filed Under: All Recipes, Cuisines, Drinks & Beverages, Gluten-free, Indian, Kitchen Wisdom, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: black pepper, coriander, cumin, fennel, ginger, home remedies, kashayam, Rice

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Darci Lynn says

    July 19, 2020 at 11:34 pm

    nice!! i have heard about this and used to drink it but i forgot the name of this brew.
    It really helps a lot! Thanks whoever posted this!!!
    btw the photography is hats off!

    Reply
  2. Supraja says

    June 17, 2020 at 10:30 am

    Is it safe to take daily

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      September 12, 2020 at 12:13 am

      These are home remedies for colds/stomach ache, and is normally only taken when one is feeling ill. I would check with your physician if you are planning to drink daily, to make sure they won’t affect your existing medication or health conditions.

      Reply
  3. Geetha says

    November 1, 2019 at 8:59 am

    Can we Give this kashaya for kids?

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      November 12, 2019 at 6:09 pm

      I believe you can! It’s all natural.

      Reply
  4. Sandra Price says

    September 6, 2019 at 10:09 am

    Tripped across your page looking for an ayurvedic tea recipe for a tender tummy, and stayed for the photography. You are very talented.

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      September 6, 2019 at 10:59 am

      Aww thanks! I hope the tea helps your tummy!

      Reply
  5. Maithili says

    July 17, 2018 at 11:16 pm

    I first had kashayam in a yoga ashram. They would give it to us to drink empty stomach before breakfast. I want to make it a daily ritual. Can I make a batch and refrigerate it? Or do I have to make it fresh every day?

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      July 20, 2018 at 3:52 pm

      I think it’s fine to refrigerate for a couple of days, but it’s best drunk as soon as it’s made, warm from the stove. Besides, this batch makes just enough for one person. You could roast the spices in advance, if you’d like something a little quicker.

      Reply
  6. Annie Philip says

    January 18, 2018 at 11:55 pm

    Absolutely fantastic photography!!!

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      January 19, 2018 at 12:10 pm

      Thank you Annie!

      Reply
  7. Nici says

    October 3, 2017 at 1:45 am

    Hi, from where could I get the Tea cup and Tea Pot shown in the pics?

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      October 3, 2017 at 2:16 pm

      Hey Nici! That is one of my popular props! I got it from an antique store in Georgia, but I have seen some of them on Etsy and Amazon. Search for ‘Russian Tea Glass’ and you should find some. Hope it helps!

      Reply
  8. Nici says

    October 2, 2017 at 9:49 pm

    amazing photography.. loved the tea cup.. is that something you got from india? would you mind sharing where you got this from?

    Reply
  9. Molly Kumar says

    September 15, 2017 at 2:06 pm

    WoW, this sounds perfect to beat the seasonal cold n cough n other inflammatory stuff. I’m such a believer in home cures.

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      September 15, 2017 at 2:25 pm

      Thanks Molly! I’m glad you like them!

      Reply
  10. Tara says

    September 15, 2017 at 12:28 pm

    Some wonderful spices in this tea! Your photos are beautiful. I don’t have the association of tea and sickness, but I do have that association with chicken noodle soup so I rarely make it. I would love to have this when I’m not feeling well.

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      September 15, 2017 at 2:25 pm

      It is an absolute relief to sip on a cup of thi when sick, Tara! Thank you!

      Reply
  11. Dannii says

    September 15, 2017 at 12:20 pm

    I love anything with ginger, as it really perks me up. These photos are beautiful too.

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      September 15, 2017 at 2:25 pm

      Thanks Dannii!

      Reply
  12. michele says

    September 15, 2017 at 11:13 am

    I love how you toast all the spices, I bet that adds a lot of depth ti the flavor of the tea… Pinned it!

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      September 15, 2017 at 11:32 am

      So much depth of flavor! Thanks Michelle!

      Reply
  13. Jeni @ Biscuits & Booze says

    September 15, 2017 at 11:10 am

    I’m so intrigued by this. I love the idea of making it myself. And as always your photos are so stunning!

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      September 15, 2017 at 11:32 am

      Thanks Jeni!

      Reply
  14. Kavey Favelle says

    September 15, 2017 at 11:00 am

    So sorry to hear you were feeling poorly but love the evocative write up about your kashayam recipe, and your photos are truly beautiful.

    Reply
    • Tina Dawson says

      September 15, 2017 at 11:31 am

      I’m feeling much better now, Kavey, thanks to the drink. Thank you!

      Reply

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Hi! I'm Tina - the human behind all the content you see on this blog. Welcome to my little corner of the internet where I create flavorful and unique plant-based recipes.

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