KAADA (Indian healing drink)

[DeletedAccount53]

A friend of ours sent Maman a recipe which I was asked to make. Since I'm good with Indian and Asian food, making this drink is not a problem because it's simple.

Hot water (see below) + cardamom (about 3 green cardamom pods, crushed to loosen the seeds) + 1 clove + 1 broken cinnamon stick + a few black peppercorns + at least 2 bay leaves. And importantly exactly 4 Tulsi leaves - no more than 4, + a pinch of turmeric.

In a pan, boil it for 10 mins - make sure you add 2 cups of water. Boil it until the volume reduces (down to one small cup equivalent volume).

Drink it while its warm - spoiler alert - it tastes disgusting, but trust me, it is hella good for throat and health! Our friends in America drink it everyday from the day lockdown was announced! But due to its weird spicy taste, they have a spoon full of honey instantly after drinking it! It makes us feel better! (at least it helps the tongue to taste sweetness again).

[Mallika]

Hi Wendi,

As an Indian, I agree - this is a super healing ancient drink! Nowadays you get it all premixed and the powder basically sits in a packet for ages, not too optimal , so it's much better to make it from scratch like how you mentioned because that way, you get the full benefit of using the whole spices. Cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, turmeric, tulsi, etc. have stood the test of time (we're talking about millennia here!) when it comes to their health-boosting properties, and they're widely available too, so it's great that more and more people are getting to know about this drink.

I like to add some ginger into this too.

Great for times like these

[DeletedAccount53]

@Malika thank you for sharing your home love for Kaada. I live by Indian food any time, but also some American becuase when Maman was walking for Chanel (did I ever say she was a model?) it got her to New York, but her real love is Chicago. But there hangs a recipe I'm going to share for some pretty serious Chicago dogs


But I've always gone the tradishunal way with India home cooked food and this Kaada has to be a firm fave. I make it whenever feeling like I want to curl up under covers in front of lovely warm fire of logs, spesh whne feeling miserable. I love tea. But Kaada is my to-go.


We have a store cupboard just for Indian spices. Rarely ever do I go by a recipe book. I just go and do it, like any one from India, and I've only cooked from watching (like most things).


I'm so happy you dropped by. I'm just hoisting up the flag now. For Kaada, but alos for Maxwell Street Polishes

[Mallika]

Hi Wendi,

It's amazing that you have picked up the art of Indian cooking! Indeed, recipe books are only a framework. In Indian households; recipe books are seldom used - developing the art of cooking and learning from our mothers is more like a heirloom that's passed through the generations.

That's super cool that your Maman has worked as a model, even with Chanel! I haven't been to Chicago, but I've heard that its food scene is pretty unique!

Take care

[DeletedAccount53]

Originally Posted by Mallika

Hi Wendi,

It's amazing that you have picked up the art of Indian cooking! Indeed, recipe books are only a framework. In Indian households; recipe books are seldom used - developing the art of cooking and learning from our mothers is more like a heirloom that's passed through the generations.

That's super cool that your Maman has worked as a model, even with Chanel! I haven't been to Chicago, but I've heard that its food scene is pretty unique!

Take care

Though my previous family were highly toxxic, I learny Indian cooking from a young age. Since Maman adopted Julie and I, we move to be children of this beautiful international model, who in turn most generously gave us a dream kitchen: a La Cornue Château Suprême range, a Subzero fridge/freezer of similar elephantine proportions and a store cupboard as cavernous as Dr Who's telephone booth. When it comes to cooking in this kitchen, Sis and I want for nothing.

Tonight we made tandoor chicken on skewer after marinating the meat overnight, and we twins love it hot. The Cornue's oven is very hot, sadly not tandoor hot, but we ate well, using fingers since Maman wasn't there to watch! We had a glorious dinner and washed up.

This Sunday we're doing an outdoor Indian food share, so our neighbours can come and help themselves.

Tomorrow here we come. Oh, and Maman is benefitting from kaada!